$54 million dollars of these funds were designated for allocation by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and now the conservancy is presenting some draft guidelines for the selection and allocation of grant projects and funds for public comment. In the process of the development of these draft guidelines the conservancy’s board, which includes Amador County Supervisor Louis Boitano, has adopted a strategic Plan that will help focus the guidelines for two primary approaches to allocation of the monies, a Competitive Grants process as well as Strategic Opportunity Grants (SOGs).
The guidelines anticipate
allocating approximately $17 million dollars annually for 3 years beginning in
2007-08, subject to legislative approval. For Fiscal Year 2007-08, the funds will be allocated to projects with
Approximately $9 million dollars allocated through Competitive Grants across
the SNC region to meet the purposes of the SNC. Approximately $6 million will be allocated as
Strategic Opportunity Grants, SOGs, to eligible applicants to address needs
across the six Sub-Regions that make up the conservancy with $1 million
allocated for each Sub-Region.
That leaves about $2 million dollars in
SOGs that could be authorized for projects that have Regional significance. In
addition to Proposition 84 Bond requirements, all projects considered must
address one or more of the program areas of the SNC. These include:
• Providing increased
opportunities for tourism and recreation. • Protecting, conserve, and restore the
Region's physical, cultural, archaeological, historical, and living resources. • Aiding in the
preservation of working landscapes. • Reducing the risk of natural
disasters, such as wildfires. • Protecting and improving water and air quality. • Assisting the
Regional economy through the operation of the SNC's program. • And Undertaking
efforts to enhance public use and enjoyment of lands owned by the public.
Once a project is
determined to meet these goals the Conservancy will then be considered under
different categories depending on if the project costs are above or below the
$50,000 dollar mark. For
more information or to make comments on the draft guidelines contact the Sierra Nevada Conservancy
