Catskill Smart Growth FAQ
Questions and Answers Posted May 1, 2008
What types of costs are eligible for reimbursement?
Applicants should be aware of the following eligible costs, not specifically mentioned or clarified in the Request for Applications (RFA): design plans necessary for implementation and directly related to the proposed capital improvement project; land acquisition; and town highway department work directly related to the proposed project.
Will preparation of the Full Environmental Assessment Form for a grant proposal be eligible for reimbursement if a project is awarded?
No. Any work performed in preparing a grant application package is not eligible for reimbursement.
How in depth should an applicant be in providing project information for Part H - Scope of Work and Part I - Grant Selection Criteria of the application?
The application package should be as clear and concise as possible. It is recommended that the Scope of Work include actual expenditures required for an applicant's proposed capital improvements. For Part I - Grant Selection Criteria, it is recommended that the applicant refer to Part V. A. General Evaluation Criteria within the RFA and specifically answer each question. Applicants should use this section to draw connections with the project scope of work by explaining how that work relates to each specific criteria. Response to the Cost Effectiveness criteria should not be left blank and should be supported by explanation or documentation. It is recommended that cost estimates for the project are researched for current market value and applicants may submit quotes received from contractors or suppliers that itemize quote estimates on company letterhead or other official identifying material.
For the General Project Location information, can GIS maps be developed and submitted instead of an original USGS topographic map as requested in the instruction packet?
Yes. GIS maps can be used instead of an original USGS topographic map, as long as the map(s) provide for the information requested in the application package.
The grant guarantees a minimum of $40,000 to a qualified project within each eligible municipality. What if more than one qualified application is submitted within a municipality?
If more than one qualified application is submitted by a municipality, the applications will be scored and ranked with the highest ranking project within each municipality being awarded the minimum $40,000 grant award.
Can a project involving more than one municipality be combined in one application?
Yes. One of the general evaluation criteria that will be evaluated is the extent to which a project fosters partnerships between local and/or between different levels of government. Should an inter-municipal application be submitted, the minimum ($40,000) and maximum ($83,333) project cost will be multiplied by the number of partnering eligible municipalities, as long as the capital improvement projects will be undertaken within each of the partnering municipalities. For example, an inter-municipal application with capital projects located in each of three municipalities will have a minimum cost of $120,000 and a maximum cost of $250,000.
Peter Manning, Regional Planner for The Catskill Center, is coordinating an inter-municipal grant project with the six eligible municipalities and invites any applicant to contact him to discuss the addition of their project into an inter-municipal project. Peter can be contacted at The Catskill Center at (845) 586-2611 or by email at pmanning@catskillcenter.org or visit their website at http://www.catskillcenter.org/.
Who is considered the applicant when more than one municipality is submitting an inter-municipal grant application?
One municipality must be chosen and designated as (lead) applicant for an inter-municipal grant application. This municipality will be the agency that will enter into a State assistance contract with DEC and will be responsible for submitting grant reimbursement documents to receive grant fund payments.
What if a newly-formed organization would like to submit an application?
If a new organization would like to submit an application they must establish their organization as a not-for-profit and obtain a charities registration number. The NYS Office of the Attorney General can assist with this process.
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/charities/charities.html
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/charities/how_to_incorporate.pdf
When can a successful applicant begin work on their project? (Clarification of answer provided in grant application and instructions package)
Recipients of a grant will be notified of an official grant award via a letter of award signed by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. Work on the awarded grant project should begin once a State assistance contract is executed between the grantee and DEC. If work is started on an awarded grant project and costs are incurred prior to the execution of a State assistance contract, only the costs incurred after the date of the official award letter will be eligible for reimbursement. Any costs incurred prior to the date of an official award letter will not be eligible for reimbursement.
Also, should the applicant offer match, the matching funds must be expended during the time period beginning in SFY 2008, and ending with the term of the State assistance contract.
What is a recommended time frame for an applicant to determine a project start date
DEC estimates all applicant scoring will be completed and official award letters sent to each awarded applicant by August 2008. This date can be used as a tentative project start date.
After an official grant award letter is received, who will be the point of contact for executing the State assistance contract with DEC?
Upon an applicants notification of a grant award, DEC's Smart Growth grant program contact Dylan Walrath will continue to be the point of contact for an applicant in executing a State assistance contract. Dylan can be reached at (518) 408-5510 or email Dylan.
Are there other agencies or organizations outside of DEC that could provide additional assistance with the grant application process?
Yes. The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development at http://www.catskillcenter.org/programs/planning/planning.html, The Catskill Watershed Development Corporation at http://www.cwconline.org/programs/tech/tech.html, and the Delaware County Planning Department at http://delawarecountyplanning.com/, can offer assistance to applicants with the grant process.
If an applicant needs assistance in completing Part 1 of the Full Environmental Assessment Form for SEQR, who could provide this?
The above mentioned organizations can assist with the application process, including SEQR. In addition, DEC's Smart Growth program contact, Dylan Walrath, can assist an applicant with filling out the Full Environmental Assessment Form or SEQR related questions.
Are there additional grants available that could assist in supplementing future proposed projects?
Yes, there are other grants available through various agencies that could assist with various stages of the proposed capital improvements or with separate/auxiliary proposals. Prior to starting the Smart Growth application process, DEC recommends each applicant researches some of the below grant opportunities available to local communities. An applicant may find certain parts of their intended project proposals better fit the qualifications for other available grants, which in turn will assist a community in accomplishing more capital improvements and additional planning within their municipality. The following are agencies that offer additional grant opportunities.
DEC's Urban Forestry Program http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4957.html is currently requesting grant applications for community tree planting proposals. http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5285.html This grant opportunity is available each year and allows communities to apply and compete for urban/community tree planting funds, helping them to achieve additional planning proposals within their municipality. http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4957.html and http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5285.html
The Division of Housing and Community Renewal also offers grants which fund Main Street revitalization efforts, including facade improvements. http://www.dhcr.state.ny.us/
The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation http://nysparks.state.ny.us/grants/ offers grant opportunities for projects involving municipal parks and acquisition of land for municipal parks.
The NYS Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources administers grants and provides grant development assistance for project proposals that address waterfront parks and various projects located in the State's extensive watersheds. http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/grantopps.asp/
Question and Answer Posted June 9, 2008
What if a project would be located in the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Right of Way?
If a project would be located in the State DOT right of way, to satisfy the Department's concerns over ownership of project location, an applicant should state a commitment to acquire the permits that will be needed to complete the Project. Permits should be specifically cited within the statement. This statement can be submitted on an additional sheet, attached to the application, or under "Ownership Information" on Application - Page 2.
