WA State EditionThe FundBook

March 2011

Helping communities find the federal funding they need.

The 2011 Washington Legislature continues to close what was a $1.1 billion shortfall in the current biennium by cutting programs

that were priorities in the past. The $242 million in cuts and $125 million in fund transfers, however, still leaves a remaining shortfall of about $200 mil-lion. The Legislature will address this challenge in the budget for the upcoming 2011-13 biennium. Re-ductions for this biennium will equal approximate-ly $5.3 billion. The biggest cuts in absolute dollars are in social services and education. For example, cuts of $27 million for special education for students with disabilities, literacy programs for at-risk chil-dren and training for math and science teachers are expected. Repairs for public housing would be cut by $15 million. Community-development programs such as senior and youth centers would drop about $42 million.

In light of this, local governments and non-prof-its can use these proven strategies to prepare and compete for shrinking grant dollars.

Strategy one: Assign a specific person

to track, analyze and report evolving in-

formation.

You can track the rationales for how decisions are made tied to particular funding allocations to give you an inside track on how to frame your grant proposals.

• Washington State Bill information http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo

• GovTrack Sign up for customized feeds that track the bills that affect your sector (http://goo.gl/YaCri).

• Federal actions affecting the State of Washington Track news and issues that will affect your specific agency or non-profit by checking with: Senator Maria Cantwell http://cantwell.senate.gov Senator Patty Murray http://murray.senate.gov

Strategy two: Refer to recent studies for

fact-based decision making and grant

proposal needs statements.

Example: ArtsFund recently released a significant economic impact study for the Central Puget Sound

region (http://goo.gl/oQM2d). The report found that the activity of nonprofit arts organizations and their patrons in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish Counties alone generates close to $2 billion in the Central Puget Sound’s economy creating 32,520 jobs, $882 million in labor income and $83 million in taxes. The average annual attendance at cultural organizations for 2009 was 13.2 million.

Strategy three: Increase match to gain

on competitiveness.

Winning proposals have a minimum 50/50 match ratio and often more demonstrating an entity’s commitment and community buy-in. How does one increase grant match without taking in additional funds? New collaborations and/or a series of activities that push entities into new practices will be required to identify and document high match components.

To start, department leads and the finance office need to work closely together to understand every angle of your entity’s assets. Together, they will analyze the department revenue to identify dollar amounts resulting from a variety of revenue streams. Included are those generated by fees, licensure, committed multi-year grants by source, and state and federal non-completive flow through dollars. They also need to review previously funded grant budgets for how match was identified and used. This provides updated information on categories of match that is available to use when applying for different categories of grants. You will need these pre-developed match scenarios to inform decision makers and to respond quickly when federal and state allocations are set and Request ForProposals are released. §

The View from Washington State

This article was contributed by Renee Bourque of Bright Star Grant Consultants. Bright Star is very knowledgable of the grants and funding territory in WA and works with local governments and non-profits on grants-related services and capacity building

Bright StarGrant Consultants, Inc.

Bright Star Grant Consultants is a full service capacity building firm.Supporting government agencies, non-profits, and universities with:• Fund, resource, and program development • Strategy and expansion • Assessment and evaluation • Training and Coaching

www.brightstargrants.com/free.aspwww.brightstargrants.com/free.asp

Sample ConsultationFeasibility Study: Preliminary Non-Traditional Grant Funding Strategy: City of Pinehurst, IdahoRole: Research and development of deliverable documentation that included non-traditional grant seeking strategies, organizational readiness evaluation, readiness task list, strategic alliances profiles, and recommendations.

Bright Star Grant Consultants worked carefully to understand the needs of our projects and community and provided creative funding opportunities that will expand the reach of our projects and increase our sustainability.

- Principal, Terra Graphics Engineering (www.tgenviro.com) http://www.facebook.com/brightstargrants

Bright StarGrant Consultants, Inc.PO Box 725, Clinton, WA, 98236(360) 556-6744renee@brightstarconsultants.comwww.brightstarconsultants.com

Grants are the cornerstone of building a diversified funding portfolio

Most Federal grants require match includ-ing cash or confirmed funding commit-ments from other sources. Very few Fed-

eral grants can be matched by other federal grants. In-kind matching contributions for federal grants that conform to the provisions of federal 7 CFR 3015.50 and 7 CFR 3019.23, as applicable, can be used as matching funds. (Current versions can be found through grants.gov.) Matching funds are subject to the same use restrictions as grant funds and have to be tracked and documented. Determining match for grant applications to any Federal Agency should be a coordinated process at the State and local level. It is highly recommended that programmatic staff at the State and local level consult with their State level program officers prior to submitting any grant applications Those that identify cash or in-kind match must meet the requirements of provi-sion 7 of CFR 3015.50 and 7 CFR 3019.23.

Types of match:

Cash Match (hard) for federal grants includes non-Federal cash spent for project-related costs, accord-ing to the program guidance. Allowable cash match must only include those costs which are in compli-ance with 2 CFR Part 225, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments (OMB CIR-CULAR A-87) and 44 CFR Part 13, Uniform Admin-istrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments. It may also include awarded grants from foundations, gen-eral fund monies, cash donations and cash corporate sponsors.

In-kind Match (soft) means contributions of the reasonable value of property or services in lieu of cash which benefit a federally assisted project or program. This type of match may only be used if not restricted or prohibited by program statute, regula-tion or guidance. It must be supported with source documentation. For Federal grants, only property or services that are in compliance with program guid-ance and/or program regulations, 44 CFR § 13, and 2 CFR § 225 are allowable.

In-kind contributions: Gifts of goods or services instead of cash can include donated space, materials

or time, for instance. If in-kind contributions are listed as income in the budget, it must also show the corresponding expenses. An item donated at a major discount is shown at the whole expense. It is listed as the portion being donated under in-kind contribu-tions. In-kind contributions can be important as they dem-onstrate all the ways the community or other agen-cies are supporting the project as well as the true cost of the project. Depending on the required budget for-mat, in-kind contributions can be entered into the budget or listed as a footnote. Each RFP guideline should be carefully examined for the rules on in-kind contributions for that particular proposal. Savvy grant seeking entities will have done their homework so that they can quickly respond to fund-ing conditions that are predicted to be more demand-ing than ever. Thoughtfully considered approaches, high match ratios, and timeliness will give you an edge. §

Thumbnail primer on matching funds

This article was contributed by Renee Bourque of Bright Star Grant Consultants. Bright Star is very knowledgable of the grants and funding territory in WA and works with local governments and non-profits on grants-related services and capacity building

www.fundbook.org October 2010 | The Fundbook ~ p.23

December 1

January 1

MMS Grant: Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) - p.36

Dec 31

USDA Grant: Rural Community Development Initiative - p.33Dec 22

IMLS Grant: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program - p.29Dec 15

NOAA Grant: Regional Ocean Partnership Funding Program - p.37Dec 10

HUD Grant: Continuum of Care Home-less Assistance Program - p.35

HUD Grants: Hazards in Housing (1) - p.39

HRSA Grant: Health Center New Access Points Program - p.25

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program - p.31

Dec 3FEMA Grants

Severe Repetitive Loss Program - p.30

Repetitive Flood Claims Program - p.32

Flood Mitigation Assistance Program - p.32

HUD Grant: HOPE VI Revitalization Grants Program - p.34

USDA Grant: Solid Waste Managment Grant - p.40

Two Months From Now Three Months From Now

Icon Legend

p.22 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010

Upcoming Grants TimelineGrant descriptions follow

October 1

November 1

HUD Grant: Choice Neighborhoods Initiative - p.34Oct 26

Oct 15

FY 2011 MCSAP New Entrant Funding - p.28

FY 2011 High Priority Grant Opportunity - p.28DOT Grants:

Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants - p.27

Brownfields Assessment Grants - p.27

EPA Grants: Brownfields Cleanup Grants - p.26

EPA Grant: Market Based Approaches to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - p.38

Oct 27

FWS Grant: North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants - p.33

Oct 28

IMLS Grant: Museums for America - p.29

NOAA Grant: Community-based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants - p.37

Nov 1Nov 18

DOC Grant: MBDA Busi-ness Center (MBC) - p.24

Nov 10

HUD Grants: Hazards in Housing (3) - p.38, 39

Nov 16

Nov 8

Nov 17

Nov 22

Now One Month From Now

Commerce/Business -Health/Medical -Ocean/Coastal -

Rural -Transportation -

Housing -Museums/Art -

Green/Environment -Disaster{

www.fundbook.orgp.30 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010 www.fundbook.orgp.30 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010

Number of AwardsMany: 50

Amount AvailableLarge: $100,000,000

FOA #DHS-11-MT-110-000-99

AgencyDepartment of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency

DeadlineNot soon: Dec 3, 2010

Severe Repetitive Loss Program

Number of AwardsMany: 100

Amount AvailableLarge: $100,000,000

FOA #DHS-11-MT-047-000-99

AgencyDepartment of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency

DeadlineNot soon: Dec 3, 2010

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program

www.fundbook.org October 2010 | The Fundbook ~ p.31

Hazard Mitiga-

tion Grant Program Flood

Mitigation Assistance

Repetitive Flood Claims

Severe Repetitive Loss

Pre-Disaster

Mitigation

Federal Emergency Agency Hazard Mitigation Programs

PDM Planning Selectivity (%) PDM Project Grant Selectivity (%)

PD

M Funding (m

illions)

Number of AwardsMedium: 11

Amount AvailableMedium: $11,000,000

AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

FOA #EPA-OSWER-OBLR-10-11

DeadlineSoon: Oct 15, 2010

Brownfields Cleanup Grants

Job Train-

ing Grants, Number of AwardsMany: 185

Amount AvailableLarge: $52,400,000

DeadlineSoon: Oct 15, 2010

FOA #EPA-OSWER-OBLR-10-09

AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

Cleanup Revolving

Loan Fund Programs

Assess-

ment Cleanup Programs

Number of AwardsMany: 147

Amount AvailableMedium: $29,500,000

FOA #EPA-OSWER-OBLR-10-10

AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

DeadlineSoon: Oct 15, 2010

Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants

Brownfields Assessment Grants

www.fundbook.org October 2010 | The Fundbook ~ p.27

EPA Brownfields Grants

Targeted Brownfields Assess-

ment (TBA)

$52,400,000

$11,000,000$29,500,000

www.fundbook.orgp.26 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010

www.fundbook.orgp.18 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010

C o n g r e s s i o n a l l y -directed funding

Congressional funding for increasing the energy efficiency of government buildings is difficult to come by, but not impos-sible. The two sources it is most likely to be fund-ed though are the Depart-ment of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renew-able Energy (EERE) ac-count in the Energy and Water appropriations bill, or through the Hous-ing and Urban Develop-ment’s Economic Devel-opment Administration (EDA) account in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.

In FY10, there were four instances of con-

gress ional ly-di rec ted funds for energy effi-ciency in local govern-ment buildings projects. The City of Oakdale, MN, the City of Red-lands, CA, the Township of Branchburg, NJ, and the Noble County Health Department of Caldwell, OH were the recipients of between $400 thousand and $1 million in funds each. Three of these were through EERE and the latter was through EDA. There were no compa-rable instances in FY09 or FY08 which may in-dicate that this is a trend that may develop further this coming year, or that this FY10 congressional-ly-directed funding was a fluke.

Regardless, if you in-tend to pursue this type of funding through ap-propriations, your chanc-es will be best if your congressional delegation is associated with either the House or Sen-ate com-

mittees on appropria-tions, or

the relevant subcommit-tees – Energy and Water when pursuing EERE funds, or Transportation, Housing and Urban de-velopment when pursu-

Funds for a local government building energy efficiency projects

ing EDA funds. When naming your project, keep in mind that “energy efficiency” projects are how they are described for local governments, while non-profits and universities tend to use the terminology “green building.”

Competitive Grant Programs

Outside of EECBG, should it be funded again, there are limited grant programs for this project type at the fed-eral level. Two of the most natural candidates to provide these grants -- the Environmental Pro-tection Agency and the Department of Energy -- do not currently provide funding for green build-ing projects. However, the Department of Agri-culture (USDA) and the Economic Development Administration (EDA) do both offer annually re-curring grant programs.

The USDA’s High Energy Cost

Program provides finan-cial assistance for the improvement of energy generation, transmis-sion, and distribution fa-cilities serving eligible rural communities with home energy costs that are over 275 percent of the national average. In

FY10 this program con-sisted of $15.5 million split among 20 awards and will almost certainly be available again in the coming year. The ap-plication period closed September 8 this year, so there is some time to plan a competitive grant before the new applica-tion cycle begins.

The EDA’s Global Climate Change Mitiga-tion Fund (GCCMF) was established to strengthen the linkages between eco-nomic development and environmental quality. One of the project types supported through this program is new construc-tion or renovation that leads to a “green build-ing” with an LEED™ or comparable certification. Projects that are chosen must lead to a net posi-tive outcome in terms of energy, materials, and/or water use efficiency. In FY10 this program con-sisted of $25 million and will almost certainly be

available again in the coming year. The ap-plication period is roll-ing, so there is as much time as necessary to plan a competitive grant be-fore applying. (See p.11 Demystifying the EDA Grant Process

Additionally, one of the most promising re-sources for local govern-ments looking for this kind of federal funding is through their state’s State Energy Program (SEP). However, SEPs vary as the Department of Energy emphasizes the state’s role as decision maker and administrator for SEP activities within each state. Priorities, and the amount available for this project type, are set by the state. To find out if funding is available in

your state, contact your area State Energy Of-fice.

Other funding mecha-nisms

There are also other funding types available for local government en-ergy efficiency in build-ings projects, though most are available at the state, not federal, level. An ex-cellent resource that lists state programs relevant to this project type is the Database of State Incen-tives for Renewables & Efficiency, which can be accessed at goo.gl/h4b6

One federally available option is Qualified En-ergy Conservation Bonds (QECBs) which can assist

financing quali-fied energy con-servation proj-ects – a term that includes energy efficiency capital expenditures for public buildings. QECB funding is available on a state-by-state basis, based on whether the fed-erally issued funds have al-ready been com-mitted. Interested officials should contact their State Energy Office for additional in-formation about availability.

www.fundbook.orgOctober 2010 | The Fundbook ~ p.11

Demystifying the Eco-nomic Development

Project Grant Process

Pu

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Finding funding to enhance your

local government’s vehicle fleet

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p.14 ~ The Fundbook | October 2010

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The FundBook

• Actionable quantitative analyses of current grant opportunities available to local governments.

• In-depth articles with analyses and recommendations of how to pursue federal funding for different capital improvement projects.

• Timeline of current grant opportunities to ensure that you and your staff stay organized and don’t miss important application deadlines.

Actionable funding information, visible results.

• Dual focus on both grants and appropriations for expanded options and security.

• According to the Office of Management and Budget, the costs of subscriptions to business professional and technical periodicals are allowable expenses, meaning you can use your federal grants funds for this subscription.

• A single local government’s subscription can be sent monthly to as many full-time staff as requested.

The purpose of The FundBook is to empower America’s local governments by increasing their

awareness of, and ability to pursue, federal financial assistance for local projects. This is via a monthly

publication which describes federal programs that are currently available, how to best pursue available

funds, and trends in federal funding for projects relevant to local governments. Our product is designed

to be the most user-friendly federal funding awareness resource for all sizes of local government.