La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § I-905

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-905 - Application Process

A. The Project Selection Board will solicit grant submission cycles each year, contingent upon availability of funding. The program has a two-phase approach to the grant process; a pre-application and a full application.

B. Pre-Application Process

1. Pre-application serves as the basis for determining project eligibility. All eligible projects will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications are fundamentally comprised of weighted grading criteria, which shall accumulate a total score reviewable by Technical Advisory Board. Scored and ranked full applications will be submitted to the Project Selection Board.

2. Upon the direction of the Project Selection Board, LDWF shall publish a request for proposals on its website www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-outdoors-forever for a period of 60 days.

3. Pre-application submissions shall be submitted via online application forms prescribed by LDWF and available at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-outdoors-forever. Pre-applications can be a maximum of seven pages. All preapplications must include the following:

a. Cover Letter-This official letter is the instrument demonstrating support and authority to submit a pre-application, signed by a ranking authorizing representative of the entity (board chairperson, parish president, commissioner, mayor, etc.). It must be on official letterhead.

b. project title;

c. project category/categories;

d. project location;

e. project map;

f. project description including benefits related to project category and surrounding community/state;

g. generalized project budget worksheet;

h. responses to each of the evaluation criteria:

i. total project cost;

ii. total funding requested;

iii. match commitment(s)-including type, status-committed or potential, and source;

iv. accordance/non-conflict with existing state, local, and federal plans (list which plan(s);

v. timeline-time to complete, time to realization of conservations benefits, and whether the project could be completed by the close of this funding cycle;

i. estimated or actual appraisal (if applicable, in addition to the seven-page limit on letters of maximum);

j. optional documentation (not counted towards the seven page limit on pre-applications);

i. letter of support;

ii. letter of financial commitment from sponsors and partners;

4. Pre-Application Evaluation Criteria

a. Pre-applications will be reviewed by the Technical Advisory Board on the below evaluation criteria. Applicants that meet the criteria will be invited to complete a full application. Applicants should be sure their pre-application contains enough information for reviewers to consider all criteria.

Applicant Partner (mark affiliation):
Local governing authority
Political subdivision of the state
State agency
Non-government organization working with public agency
Local governing authority

Project Category (mark all that apply):
Land conservation of important natural areas, including fish and wildlife habitat
Water quality projects related to land conservation or land management, including those lands that protect drinking water supplies
Conservation project on working land, farms, and forested land
Conservation project on recreational properties related to important natural areas and public use
Conservation project on historic properties adjacent to or integral to habitat restoration or enhancement
Considerations
Is the total cost outlined in the pre-application? (Y/N)
Does the pre-application describe funding or other type of match? (Y/N)
Does the pre-application describe how the project will provide benefits into the future? (Y/N)
Does the project align with any state plan? (Y/N)
Is the project contiguous with other conservation properties? (Y/N)
Is the project in an underserved area or an area of designated need? (Y/N)
Does the proposal contain a schedule for timely completion? (Y/N)
Is there a plan for maintenance and management of the project (sustainability through time)? (Y/N)

C. Full Application Process

1. Applicants who submit a complete and accurate pre-application that clearly meets the expectations set forth in the evaluation criteria will receive an invitation to complete a full application.

2. The application serves as a mechanism in gathering more detailed project elements, detailed surveys and reviews, and items that only apply to applicants who are invited to submit a full application.

3. Items submitted in the pre-application may not be revised, updated or amended, due to the competitive nature of the program. If an item must be revised, the Technical Advisory Board will determine if a Project Agreement Amendment or a resubmission of a new pre-application would be required.

4. All applications shall contain the following items:

a. responses to each of the evaluation criteria: applicants should provide further details on how the proposed project meets the evaluation criteria;

b. application cover letter: this official letter is the instrument denoting support and authority to submit an application, signed by a ranking authorizing representative of the entity (board chairperson, commissioner, mayor, etc.). It must be on official letterhead;

c. detailed project budget worksheet: this budget shall include all items depicted in the pre-application stage, although a higher level of detail is required. It should show units of measure/piece count estimates, cost per unit, proper names of materials, etc.;

d. project description: this is a detailed narrative describing the entire scope of the project, including location vicinity map, acreage, purpose, need, and all Louisiana Outdoors Forever funded project elements. Applicants should focus on describing the elements and activities receiving funding, rather than convincing narrative content. Applicants should also describe the ability of the project to be scaled up or down;

e. project implementation schedule: a schedule outlining the timeline and occurrence of each major project milestone and limited to a project period;

f. landowner letter of support: a letter by willing seller or contract of sale will be accepted in lieu of the landowner letter of support.

5. Applications shall contain the following items if applicable:

a. photos and photo key map: applicants should submit various photos of the key components of the project receiving funding. If photos supplied were taken on the project site, a map of the project site must be included showing the relative location of each photograph taken. Each location is to be numbered corresponding to the photograph's number, and an arrow pointing in the direction of viewing from the photographer's perspective. No more than two photos per page are to be uploaded to the online application;

b. project plans: proposed project plans should be included when relevant;

6. project specific items: These items are not required for a project to be considered by the Technical Advisory Board for the scoring and ranking phase of the application process. If a project is approved by the project by the Project Selection Board, the applicant will receive a pre-approval and is given 12 months to submit needed or requested documents to LDWF. These documents must be in line with the pre and full application in order to receive a final approval;

a. environmental review documents: the environmental review ensures that any impact upon any assisted site is in accordance with State and Federal regulations;

b. site engineering plans (if engineering is a part of the proposed project): site engineering plans depicting locations of elements within the site and distances to scale, and uploaded to the application where requested, will be required for building or site development projects;

c. evidence of property ownership: the acquisitive deed whereby the landowner acquired ownership of the property on which the project will take place, and evidence of payment of ad valorem taxes for the past three years. Legal title opinion preferred;

d. full narrative appraisal: a full narrative appraisal prepared by a licensed MAI appraiser (if applicable, i.e. projects which include an acquisition of real property interests);

e. partnership commitment: any application that is part of another grant award that has not been received at the time of application submission will receive a pre-approval letter if their projected is approved by the Project Selection Board until they produce the approved grant agreement.

7. The Technical Advisory Board can mandate an applicant include any project specific item they deem necessary to ensure a project meets the claimed benefits of the pre and full application.

8. Applications must be submitted by midnight on the prescribed deadline date. All applications are reviewed by the Technical Advisory Board to verify application completeness. Applicants who are unable to meet all requirements for a complete application by the deadline may be granted an extension by the Technical Advisory Board.

9. All complete applications approved by the Project Selection board will be contacted by LDWF to schedule a mandatory Financial Workshop to explain and review the reimbursement process and documentation required for reporting, monitoring and reimbursements. Upon attending the financial workshop, both parties will sign a project agreement and a notice to proceed will be issued by the department.

10. Any application containing a Project Specific Item that was part of the full application package but received a pre-approval letter will have 12 months to submit those items to the department. Upon receipt and approval by the department, LDWF will schedule a mandatory Financial Workshop with grantees to explain and review the reimbursement process and documentation required for reporting, monitoring and reimbursements. Upon attending the financial workshop, both parties will sign a project agreement and a notice to proceed will be issued by the department.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § I-905

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program Project Selection Board and Technical Advisory Board, LR 49507 (3/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:1934.