Sierra Nevada Conservancy

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ALERT

Proposition 68 Opportunity

The River Parkways grant program has been refunded with Proposition 68 dollars. Concept proposals for this first round of funding will be due September 27, 2018. Technical Assistance Workshops are scheduled for August 14 (Sacramento or webcast) and August 16 (Azusa).

The purpose of this program is to support the acquisition, restoration, protection, and development of river parkways. River Parkways are defined as outdoor areas adjacent to a river or stream, set apart to conserve scenic, natural, open space or recreational values to afford public access to open space, low impact recreational activities, and/or wildlife habitat. Projects must involve natural creeks, streams, and/or rivers, even if they flow only during the rainy season, or channelized or culverted creeks, streams, and/or rivers. Projects must provide public access or be a component of a larger parkway plan that provides public access. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount and no match required, though projects that leverage funding are more competitive.

Eligible projects include:

• Creation or expansion of trails for walking, bicycling, and/or equestrian activities that are compatible with other conservation objectives
• Improvement of existing river parkways by providing amenities such as picnic and rest areas or shade ramadas
• Conversion of channelized streams or rivers to a more historical flow pattern that will promote the structure, function, and dynamics of riparian and riverine habitat
• Acquisition of land that will be managed to increase the size and quality of existing riparian habitat
• Expansion of existing river parkway by acquiring adjacent lands to accommodate periodic flooding
• Restoration of land to natural floodplain forms, including wetland areas that will accommodate periodic flooding
• Conversion of riverfront land from industrial use into public multiuse areas, such as floodplains, wetlands, public trails, etc.
• Revitalization of urban neighborhoods by removing abandoned structures along the riverfront to provide open space river access for the public
• Construction of an overlook area for a restored wetland with interpretive signage, where the public can observe the project benefits
• Construction of a boardwalk adjacent to sensitive habitat to allow public viewing without disturbing flora or fauna

Sierra Nevada Conservancy
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES NEWSLETTER
August-September 2018

Funding Research Memos for fuel reduction, parks and trails, habitat preservation, environmental education, and other program areas are available on the SNC funding opportunities webpage. This is a great way to find funding opportunities for your projects!

Upcoming Grants that Might be of Interest:

• The Strategic Growth Council’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program Agricultural Conservation Easement and Strategy and Outcome grant programs (due August 1) provide resources for agricultural land conservation.
• Glide Foundation Grants (due August 15) provide funding for animal protection, land and wildlife conservation, and wetland preservation.
• The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment: California Watershed Protection Fund (due August 17) supports projects designed to benefit the water quality of many of California’s watersheds and their ecosystems.
• BLM Youth Opportunities on Public Lands (no website, search for title on grants.gov – due August 17) funds qualified Youth Conservation Corps to provide hands-on youth learning opportunities in the fields of natural resources management, conservation, preservation, and protection.
• The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is accepting research concepts from the general public (due August 24). Submitted concepts will be reviewed to inform which projects may be funded in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
• California Fire Safe Council’s Fire Prevention Grants (due August 30) focus on fire risk reduction activities by landowners and residents in at-risk communities to restore and maintain resilient landscapes and create fire-adapted communities.
• Schwemm Family Foundation Grants (due August 31) seek to sustain and protect resilient, local ecosystems and related biodiversity by focusing on proactive conservation, comprehensive restoration, and related education efforts.
• The Polaris Industries R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program (due September 1) assists national, state, and local organizations in the United States in ensuring the future of ATV riding.
• The Wildlife Conservation Board’s Streamflow Enhancement Program (due September 4) funds projects that enhance the amount, timing and/or quality of water available for anadromous fish, and special status species; or provide resilience to climate change.
• Strong Foundation Grants (due September 15) support environmental and conservation efforts, eco-spirituality, grassroots action, environmental education, capacity building, citizen participation, collaborative efforts, planning and training.
• The US Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Wildlife Grant Program (due September 29) funds programs that benefit wildlife and their habitat, particularly species of tribal cultural or traditional importance.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative: Project Learning Tree: GreenWorks! Grants (due September 30) provide up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world.
• The CA Department of Parks and Recreation Habitat Conservation Fund grants (due October 1) fund nature interpretation programs that bring urban residents into park and wildlife areas, projects that protect various plant and animal species, and acquisition and development of wildlife corridors and trails.
• Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants (due October 1) support efforts to protect the Earth’s beauty and bounty, create a robust and healthy food system, increase opportunities for outdoor activity, reduce environmental health hazards, and build stronger communities.
• S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants Program (due October 19) funds protection, restoration, and/or enhancement projects for wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.
• The Patagonia Foundation (rolling) funds small, grassroots, activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas, working on multi-pronged campaigns to preserve and protect the environment.

Is your project a part of your local Integrated Regional Water Management Plan? This could be important, not just to get IRWM funding, but to get advances on the newly passed Prop 68-funded grants. Section 80150 of the CA Public Resources Code states that projects included and implemented in an IRWM Plan may be eligible for advance payment of any Prop 68 grant awards if the project proponent is a nonprofit organization and the grant is for less than $1 million. Advance payment of grant funds is rare and can be very helpful in managing cash flow, so this is worth pursuing.  Contact your local Regional Water Management Group (your County should be able to give you a contact) for more information, or contact the IRWM Regional Office nearest to you.

Your SNC Area Representative can help you set up an individual consultation with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general fund development strategies. To take advantage of this resource, contact your Area Representative.

Grant Writing Workshops are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada Region. If you are interested in organizing or attending a workshop, contact your Area Representative. Upcoming workshops are scheduled in Shasta and Amador counties, and additional workshops can be scheduled upon request.

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is pleased to announce a Request for Pre-Applications to the Watershed Improvement Program Grant Program, funded through Proposition 1 and Proposition 68, to support forest health projects that result in multiple watershed benefits. Please read SNC’s Grant Guidelines for a complete description of Grant Program requirements and visit the SNC Website for details on the application process.

SNC strongly encourages applicants to meet with their Area Representative to discuss projects prior to preparing their Pre-Application. For general questions regarding the Grant Program, please contact SNC at grants@sierranevada.ca.gov or (530) 823-4689.

The CA Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Proposition 1 Watershed Restoration Grant Program Solicitation Notice has been released. The due date for the application is June 13, 2018.

The purpose of the Watershed Restoration Grant Program is to build resiliency and address immediate issues from the aftermath of recent wildfires, as well as address long-standing environmental challenges, by supporting water quality, river, and watershed protection and restoration projects of statewide importance outside the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Funds will support planning or implementation projects that address at least one of the following priorities:

• Central Valley salmon resilience and recovery: shovel-ready implementation projects that focus on Central Valley anadromous fish habitat restoration and that benefit salmonids and other native and anadromous fishes
• Large-scale wildfire recovery response: planning and implementation projects in fire-damaged watersheds that will contribute to restoration and recovery of stream and riparian habitats, prevent erosion, protect and improve water quality, and prevent potential future negative ecosystem effects
• Restoration project implementation: shovel-ready implementation projects that contribute to the recovery and conservation of special status species and protect, restore, or enhance important ecosystems identified in the California Water Action Plan (CWAP)

Examples of eligible projects include:

• Installation of fish screens
• Removal of fish barriers and dams
• Prevention of upslope erosion
• Restoration of riparian habitat
• Improvement of water quality for aquatic and riparian species
• Restoration of coastal wetland ecosystems

A workshop for this grant will be held on May 30. For more information see: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Restoration-Grants