Review

Persons with knowledge and experience in green technology as well as personnel from the Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department will read each application and advise the Land Stewardship Program Grant Coordinator of the application’s merits. The review process is based on:

• matters of fact
• qualitative value analysis evidence
• general compliance with grant criteria and eligibility
• significance of the project to the overall mission of the Land Stewardship Program – "Parks for People" Grant Program

The review committee will contribute to the selection committee, and by the end of November 2012, after the applicant’s presentation of the project to the review committee (as necessary depending on the number of grants received and funding available), a final determination will be made. This grant award recommendation will be then sent to the County Commission for final approval and funding. Approved projects will be funded by order of ranking until available funding is encumbered.

The grant application will be evaluated according to the Mimimum Criteria, Green Component Criteria, and Financial Forms.

Award Process

The award recommendations made by the selection panel and the Land Stewardship program will be submitted to the Board of County Commissioners at the earliest subsequent meeting for approval. Award notices will be sent to the applicant with a Grant Agreement for the appropriate local approval and signatures. It will then be sent back to the County, with the local resolution approving the project and proof of insurance certificates for final reviews and County signatures.

Any funds spent prior to the Grant Agreement execution date will not be eligible for grant reimbursement.

Reasons for funding decisions will be provided with a written request from an authorized official. Before any work is done in developing a proposal for reimbursement, the project director and the authorized official of the municipality should review the following responsibilities to determine if the project applicant is able to comply with all the requirements for the reimbursement of funds:

1. Recipients awarded the Parks for People Grant will be paid on a reimbursement basis and payment will be effected through electronic transfer of funds;
2. Recipients will carry out and record actual project activities against the work plan set forth on the approved management plan (baseline), and attach results with reasons if any to explain any deviation from the projected work plan;
3. Proposed changes in the scope of a project, that reflect changes from the approved final management plan, should be submitted in writing by an authorized official and with proof of not having been executed without the written approval from the Land Preservation staff;
4. The recipient has a financial management system that records within its accounting system, the receipts and disbursements of funds for the project and monitors expenditure of funds against the approved budget;
5. Recipients must provide a final written closeout with photographs, showing that the  project has been completed successfully. Invoices should reflect actual expenditures and specific items present on site. Proof of payment should accompany copies of the invoices.