Current through August 26, 2024
(1) PURPOSE. The
purpose of this section is to establish standards and procedures for
implementation of a grant program to contribute funds towards accomplishing
sustainable forestry practices which have been identified through the county
forest time standards calculation for county forests, pursuant to the authority
under s.
28.11(5r) (b), Stats.
(2) APPLICABILITY. This section is applicable
to those counties that have land entered under s.
28.11(4),
Stats., as county forest and which apply for an adjustment from the calculated
level of technical forestry assistance provided by the department's division of
forestry as established under the county forest time standards
calculation.
(3) DEFINITIONS. As
used in this section:
(a) "Comprehensive
county forest land use plan" means the document governing management of the
county forest which has been approved by the county board and the department,
under s.
28.11(5),
Stats.
(b) "County" means a county
that has entered county-owned land under the county forest law, in ss.
28.10 and
28.11,
Stats.
(c) "County forest time
standards" means to the agreement between the department and a county that
quantifies the amount of technical forestry assistance the department provides
to the county to fulfill s.
28.11(5) and (6), Stats., responsibilities.
(d) "Fiscal year" means the time period
commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30.
(e) "Nonprofit organization" has the same
meaning as non-profit corporation, as described in s.
181.0103(17),
Stats.
(f) "Sustainable forestry"
has the meaning given in s.
28.04(1) (e), Stats.
(g) "Technical forestry assistance" means
department staff time provided to assist a county in accomplishing the
activities described in the county forest time standards and consistent with a
county's comprehensive county forest land use plan.
(4) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS. To be eligible for a
time standards grant, projects must meet all of the following requirements:
(a) Projects shall promote sustainable
forestry on the county forest. Projects may include any of the activities
identified through the county forest time standards which are not solely the
responsibility of department.
(b)
Projects shall be consistent with a county's comprehensive county forest land
use plan under s.
28.11(5) (a), Stats.
(5) INELIGIBLE PROJECTS. Projects that are
not eligible for a time standards grant include, but are not limited to:
(a) Purchase of equipment and
supplies.
(b) Permanent staff
salary or benefits.
(c) Upgrade or
replacement of existing computer software and hardware.
(d) Land surveying.
(6) APPLICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) Other than as provided in par. (c), a
county may apply for a time standards grant under this section for the project
purposes described in sub. (4). The application shall include, but is not
limited to, all of the following:
1.
Documentation of approval by county forestry committee as identified in s.
28.11(3) (a), Stats., specifying the county's decision
to apply for a time standards grant.
2. The project description including an
estimated cost breakdown and a short narrative describing the proposed work to
be accomplished and how it directly relates to the calculated time standard
activities, to be signed and approved by the county forest
administrator.
3. The amount of
grant funding requested to accomplish the proposed work and the corresponding
reduction in technical forestry assistance as described in sub. (7)
(e).
4. Other information the
department feels necessary and requests within 30 days following receipt of the
application.
(b) Grant
applications shall be for a minimum of $1,000.00 with a maximum not to exceed
the equivalent of 25% of a county's calculated county forest time standard.
Applications shall be filed by the county with the department's division of
forestry.
Note: The mailing address is WI DNR,
Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 Attn: County Forest
Specialist.
(c) A county is
ineligible to apply if any of the following occur:
1. Management or internal county policy is in
opposition to the comprehensive county forest land use plan, under s.
28.11(5),
Stats.
2. Previous unexpended funds
from the grant program under this section are owed the department as described
in sub. (8) (d).
3. A county fails
to comply within 3 years to department forestry audit
recommendations.
(d)
Applications shall be for a 4-year period, set in conjunction with the state
biennial budget covering a period of 4 state fiscal years, 2 state
budgets.
(e) Grant applications
shall be accepted during the period from October 1 to December 31 in every
other odd numbered year. Grant awards for those applications shall be made no
later than July 31 of the subsequent odd-numbered year.
Note: For example, applications shall be
accepted from October 1 - December 31, 2013 for funding during state fiscal
years 2016-2019. Grant awards shall be made no later than July 31, 2015.
Application years: 2013, 2017, 2021, 2025, 2029, etc.
(f) Funding amounts requested in grant
applications shall be considered final once submitted.
(g) Applications may be submitted and grants
awarded at other times if resources are available and circumstances are
warranted, as determined by the department.
Note: For example, department
vacancies.
(7)
GRANT AWARD PROCEDURE, FUNDING RATES AND CONSTRAINTS.
(a) Payment of all grants shall be made by
September 30 of the first year of the biennium. The grant covers a 4-year
period, consequently the grant amount requested shall be split equally between
the 2 state budget biennium. Funding in the second biennium is subject to
inclusion of adequate funding in the state budget for that period.
(b) A grant under this section may be awarded
to a county to contribute to the funding of a subcontractor for the purposes
described in sub. (4).
(c) The
county shall submit information requested by and satisfactory to the department
demonstrating project completion by January 31st following each biennium.
Note: For example, project accomplishment
reports for the fiscal year 2016 & 2017 biennium are due by January 31,
2018. Accomplishment reporting years: 2018, 2020, 2022, etc. The mailing
address is WI DNR, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921
Attn: County Forest Specialist.
(d) Funding rates shall be based on eligible
applications received by the department and total available funding for each of
the biennial budget periods. In determining funding, all of the following shall
apply:
1. Total eligible funding shall be
based upon an appropriation under s.
20.370(5) (bw), Stats., while reserving an amount of
funds agreed to biannually by the department and a nonprofit organization that
provides leadership and counsel to county forest administrators and that
functions as an organizational liaison to the department as identified in s.
28.11(5m) (am), Stats., to address projected
sustainable forestry grant project needs under s.
NR 47.75 and funds to cover projected county forest
administration grant needs under s.
NR 47.70, based on the previous year's eligible
administration grant requests plus a projected five percent annual growth of
administration grant requests.
2.
If full funding is not available due to insufficient funds to provide grants
applied for, the department shall offer the applicants the choice of receiving
prorated funding for the project up to the amount of available funding
described in subd. 1, or withdrawal of the application.
(e) The calculated rate for conversion of
technical forestry assistance to time standards grant funding shall be
calculated by adding the average department forester hourly cost, factored at
75% of the calculated average, and the average department forestry technician
hourly cost, factored at 25% of the calculated average, based on actual salary,
fringe, and supply rates for the fiscal year proceeding the application
period.
(8) PROJECT
COMPLETION ACCOUNTABILITY AND AUDIT PROCEDURES.
(a) Grant funds may be spent only on eligible
activities as described in sub. (4).
(b) All grant funds received from the
department shall be deposited in the county state aid forestry
account.
(c) All grant records
shall be audited with the normal departmental audit of the county forest
program.
(d) Any grant funds not
spent on eligible costs by January 31st of the year in which reporting is
required under sub. (7) (c) shall be returned to the department. Failure to
return the funds shall render a county ineligible for any future grants under
this section.
(e) A county may
maintain funds contrary to par. (d) upon written approval from the
department.
(f) Project scope may
be amended over grant period as requested by the county forest administrator
and contingent upon approval by the department.
