Code of Maine Rules
01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL
Chapter 802 - DISBURSAL OF CHALLENGE GRANT FUNDS
Section 001-802-7 - Administrative Procedures

A. Conservation practices shall be consistent with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Technical Guide.

B. All activities funded by this project shall be consistent with state and local laws and ordinances.

C. The District and Soil Conservation Service shall enter into a project agreement covering all aspects of the District's and NRCS's role in carrying the project to completion. Personnel will be hired and/or fired by the District. if technical services are a part of the project, day to day supervision of all personnel will be under the direction of the NRCS District Conservationist.

D. The District will obtain an agreement from any agency whose services are essential for completion of the project. These agreements shall accompany the application.

E. There will be no contingency funds. The Department expects the District to complete the project proposed with the funds requested.

F. Except in the case of multiyear projects all funds not used by the District for the completion of the proposed project will be returned to the Department by June 1st for reallocation. Any funds returned or not allocated will be distributed according to the procedures outlined in Section 6.

G. Multiyear projects (2 years) may be applied for, but all of the funding would be allocated during the first year. The portion of funds necessary to the second year of the project would be withheld until June 1st of that same fiscal year. The District must provide the Department a progress report by May 15th of that year. That report would be reviewed by the Department at their June meeting. The remaining portion of the funding would be awarded for the project contingent upon the Department finding that progress toward project goals is being made. If progress is lacking, the project would be terminated and the remaining funds reallocated to another project. The $20,000 ceiling will remain in effect unless otherwise stated by the Department.

H. Supervisors will review the progress of their District's Challenge Grant project(s) at each monthly meeting. A progress report will be included in the District minutes.

I. An additional progress report for the Department will be made at the District's first regular meeting following two months of project implementation. This report should reflect the expenditures of project funds at the end of that period and an estimate of the proposed expenditures through the completion of the project. That report should be reflected as a part of the minutes of that District meeting and the District should make every effort to alert the Department at that time of any potential problems foreseen in bringing the project to completion.

J. When the Department makes its announcement prior to January 1st of the availability of grant funds, it shall also specify the date when applications are due in the Department office, the date that grants will be awarded, and the date the project completion report is due in the Department office.

K. In the case of experimental projects or projects where data must be collected, the Department encourages the Districts to seek professional assistance for review of the experimental design and methodology.

L. Challenge Grant Funds may be used to purchase Capital Equipment if:

M. At the completion of the project, the District will have a financial audit performed and a report of that audit shall be submitted to the Department as soon as it is available, along with a check for all unexpended funds. The final report is also required at the completion of the project (see Administrative Procedures Section7 - subsection J above.)