2023 Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program

Portal ID:
17909
Status:
Closed
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
 | 

Details

Purpose:

This program aims to support innovative, collaborative efforts to enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities and increase access to public lands in the Sierra Nevada Region.

Description:

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy recognizes the fundamental connection between vibrant recreation and tourism across the Region, the health and resilience of Sierra Nevada communities, the opportunity to increase access for people to nature and the outdoors, and the ecological health of California’s watersheds and forests. Working with partners to strategically implement activities supporting recreation and tourism will protect these benefits and the resources that are unique to the Sierra Nevada Region.

Projects funded through this program should accomplish one or more of the following from the list below:

Assess conditions, existing resources, needs, and opportunities to improve recreation and tourism throughout the Region and identify highest priority activities. Identify, create, and participate in partnerships to support the development of vibrant recreation and tourism throughout the Region. Create or improve new and existing recreation amenities or infrastructure that provide multi-benefits to the Region. Eliminate or reduce the impact of overuse on natural or cultural resources. Provide improved access for all Californians to nature and recreational opportunities in the Region.

To be eligible to receive a grant award from the SNC under this program, projects must meet all the following criteria:

Be located within the Sierra Nevada Region. Be consistent with the SNC mission and program areas as defined in the SNC Strategic Plan and the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program (WIP). Result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit. Meet all California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, as applicable.

The Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Grant Program supports planning projects and implementation projects. Each project proposal must identify whether it is a planning or implementation project; the project types may not be combined.

The current grant cycle will be administered as an expedited cycle, modified from the process outlined in the current Grant Guidelines. These modifications are: Allowing the applicant to submit one proposal rather than a concept proposal and full proposal, site visits for implementation projects would not be required but still may take place if necessary to validate the project.

To be eligible to receive a grant award from the SNC under this program, projects must meet all the following criteria:

Be located within the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Region. Be consistent with the SNC mission and program areas as defined in the SNC Strategic Plan and the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program (WIP). Result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit. Engage willing sellers only. Be consistent with applicable city or county General Plan.

Application Process: Projects must be developed in collaboration with SNC. Contact your SNC Area Representative to discuss project ideas. Applicants will submit a Project Proposal by March 20, 2023. The first expected grant award will be in June 2023. To apply, please review the grant program guidelines.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency
  • Tribal Government

Grant funds may be authorized for: Public agencies (any city, county, special district, joint powers authority, state agency, or federal agency – mutual water companies are not eligible); Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and eligible tribal entities recognized by the United States and on the most current Federal Register, and listed on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission. 

Eligible Geographies:

The Sierra Nevada region includes the mountains and foothills of the Sierra Nevada range, the Mono Basin, Owens Valley, the Modoc Plateau, and parts of the southern Cascade Range and Klamath Mountains. The region covers nearly 27 million acres and includes all or part of 24 counties in California.

Matching Funding Requirement:

While match funding is not required, it is considered in the project evaluation process. 

Important Dates

The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight.
The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant.
June 2023
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
Spent by: 01.01.27

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
$500,000
A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent.
Yes ( see Description for details )
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source.
No
The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number.
  • State

Funding Source Notes:

This grant program is funded through state budget appropriations directed towards supporting nature-based investments that address the state's multi-faceted climate risks and related State Conservancy priorities. Grant awards are contingent upon funding availability.

The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).
  • Advances & Reimbursement(s)

Funding Method Notes:

Grant funds are disbursed for eligible costs on a reimbursement basis or, in certain cases, through advances. Advances may be given in 30 percent increments of the grant award amount. There is a 10 percent retention of expenditure reimbursements. The total retention will be held until all project reports and deliverables have been submitted and approved.   

How to Apply

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying.

Resources

For questions about this grant, contact:
Shannon Ciotti, 1-530-906-7345, shannon.ciotti@sierranevada.ca.gov