title
Approve the recommendation of the Solano County Park and Recreation Commission to award nine grants totaling $13,398 from the Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund; and Authorize the Director of Resource Management or designee to execute the grant contracts and any necessary modifications that fall within the grant award amounts
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No __X_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No __X_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Resource Management recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve the recommendation of the Solano County Park and Recreation Commission to award nine grants totaling $13,398 from the Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund (FWPF); and authorize the Director of Resource Management or designee to execute the grant contracts and any necessary modifications that fall within the grant award amounts.
SUMMARY:
For FY2017/18, the Board appropriated $15,000 from the FWPF to award grants to projects in Solano County that are consistent with Fish and Game Code Section 13103 and focused on improving fish and wildlife habitat, care for injured wildlife, or public education related to fish and wildlife conservation. Applicants submitted ten grant applications. After evaluating the applications, the Solano County Park and Recreation Commission recommended funding nine projects for a total of $13,398 (Attachment A). The recommended grant recipients are non-profit and local government organizations conducting projects within Solano County. Their projects represent a range of wildlife care, habitat improvement and public education projects, in keeping with the purposes of the grant program. With approval of these grant awards, the grantees will be required to sign a grant contract and will have until November 1, 2019 to complete their projects.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The FWPF consists of funds received by the County from Fish and Game Code fines and accumulated interest. In the FY2017/18 Adopted Budget, $15,000 was appropriated to be disbursed as grant awards from the FWPF. The recommended awards total $13,398, leaving a remainder of $1,602 unused from this appropriation, which will be re-budgeted for use in future annual FWPF grant cycles. There is no impact to the General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The Department of Resource Management administers the grant application process, and grant awards are recommended by the Park and Recreation Commission, serving in its dual role as the Fish and Wildlife Commission. The current grant cycle began October 1, 2017, when Staff distributed the FWPF grant application materials and e-mail notices to previous grant applicants and other prospective applicants. Staff also placed advertisements in local newspapers and made the grant application materials available on the County’s website. The Commission set the maximum allowable grant request at $2,500. The application deadline was October 31, 2017, and 10 applications were received. To assist in evaluating the applications, the Commission appointed an ad hoc, FWPF Evaluation Committee consisting of Commissioner Steve Michael Whited, Commissioner Mike Alvarez, and subject matter expert Teri Luchini, a Park Ranger with the City of Fairfield. Staff distributed copies of the applications to the FWPF Evaluation Committee members and Park and Recreation Commissioners for their individual review and evaluation, and facilitated an Evaluation Committee meeting. Applicants presented their projects at the November 9, 2017 Park and Recreation Commission meeting.
The FWPF Evaluation Committee reviewed the ten applications and scored and ranked the applications, based on criteria in the FWPF application materials. At its March 8, 2018 meeting, the Park and Recreation Commission received the scoring recommendations from the FWPF Evaluation Committee, and recommended nine funding awards totaling $13,398 (listed in Attachment A).
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to approve the recommendation of the Park and Recreation Commission. This alternative is not recommended because the applications were received extensive evaluation by the Commission and FWPF Evaluation Committee, and the projects recommended for funding are eligible and consistent with the funding guidelines.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Solano County Park and Recreation Commission recommended approval of the nine grant awards at its scheduled, public meeting of March 8, 2018.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION