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MEMORANDUM

DATE: May 12, 2010

TO: Upper Delaware Towns and Townships and County Governments

FROM: William E. Douglass, Executive Director of the UDC

SUBJECT: AVAILABILITY OF FY 2011 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
APPLICATIONS DUE JULY 13, 2010

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) is pleased to announce that it will make planning or study funds available to member towns and townships and county governments for projects related to the implementation of the River Management Plan for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River for the twenty-second year.  To date, the UDC has awarded $656,392 in grants under this program.  The pool of grant money has been budgeted at $20,000 for fiscal year 2011.

Due to the implementation of new rules by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget which affect the financial terms of the UDC Cooperative Agreement with the National Park Service, there will NOT be a FY 2010 grant program, and this FY 2011 round will follow a new schedule.

Applicants will have a 10-month period to complete their projects and request payment, with no time extensions allowed, so that all projects are finished within the 2011 fiscal year (October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011).

Following the submission of all applications by the July 13, 2010 deadline, a special meeting of the UDC’s Project Review Committee will be convened on Tuesday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Council’s office in Narrowsburg to meet with the applicants and review their proposals.

Announcement of grant awards is expected at the Thursday, October 7, 2010 monthly UDC meeting to be held at 7:30 p.m. at the UDC office.

Mid-term progress reports to the UDC by successful grantees will be due by February 28, 2011.

The deadline for municipalities to complete their projects and submit their documentation for reimbursement will be July 25, 2011. Again, NO EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED!

The River Management Plan provides authorization for the Upper Delaware Council to provide technical, planning, and financial assistance to participating governments for projects related to implementation of the Plan.  Funding in general is limited to the following:

1.  Planning funds to prepare or upgrade a zoning ordinance or other relevant law, plan, or ordinance (i.e. floodplain, wetland, comprehensive plan, subdivision).

2.  Funding to publish such an ordinance.

3.  Funding to address a problem identified in the Plan for resolution.

4.  The preparation of educational materials and guides that assist in implementation of the Plan.

As you know, over the years we have funded a wide variety of projects. Many of the grants awarded have been for more traditional, land use planning-type projects, providing assistance to local governments for such activities as updating and revising comprehensive plans, zoning and subdivision laws. Recent projects have included: zoning standards for alternative energy; compilation of a town's final comprehensive master plan; a town local law for site plan review; a regional comprehensive plan and open space, greenways, and recreation plan; printing copies of township subdivision and zoning ordinances and comprehensive plan for township board members; an update of a zoning law to coincide with a new comprehensive plan; and managing natural gas development impacts - strategies to protect town infrastructure and land use.

There are certain limitations on the use of these funds:

1.  Funding is limited to town/townships participating in the Upper Delaware Council and their respective county governments.

2.  Funding is for planning projects, and not for such activities as land acquisition, construction, or other “bricks and mortar” capital improvement projects.

3.  Funding is for projects related to the implementation of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Management Plan. The Plan can be found on-line at http://www.nps.gov/upde/parkmgmt/planning.htm

4.  The town or township or county government body must approve the contract for the grant.

5.  The term of the grant contract is for ten (10) months. A mid-term progress report is required. No extensions of the contract deadline will be granted.

6. Be aware that payments of grant funds will be disbursed only after the completion of the work as specified in each individual grant contract and approved by the Project Review Committee.

Please review the UDC "Technical Assistance Grant and Contract Criteria" guidelines for a detailed explanation of the qualifications and restrictions, purposes, and procedures.

Deadline:

A “2011 TAG Application Form” is available on the UDC website, or can be mailed to you upon request. Applications must be received by the Upper Delaware Council staff by 4:30pm, Friday, July 13, 2010.  All applications must be submitted on the form with additional information attached as indicated on the form.

A list of Past TAG Projects by municipality is posted on the UDC’s website.

The UDC's Project Review Committee will review all applications at a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 10, 2010. We require that applicants send a representative to this meeting to answer any questions pertaining to their grant application. Please let us know in advance who will be attending the special Project Review Committee meeting on your behalf.

The Council intends to make final decisions regarding these applications at its meeting on October 7, 2010.  Please call our office at (845) 252-3022 with any questions.

Printable Version: 2011 TAG Memo, 2011 TAG Application Form, 2011 TAG and Grant Criteria

Did you know?

Since 1988, the Upper Delaware Council has awarded a cumulative $639,692 to member municipalities through its Technical Assistance Grant program to carry out 180 projects related to implementation of the River Management Plan for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.