Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 168 - Arkansas Economic Development Commission › Rule 168.00.17-001 - Fish and Wildlife Conservation Education Grant Program Rules

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Division of Rural
			 Services and the Arkansas Rural Development Commission
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), Division of
			 Rural Services (DRS), is charged with assisting rural communities with a
			 population of 20,000 and under. Established under Act 302 of 1991, and merged
			 with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission under Act 8 of the 2015 First
			 Extraordinary Session, DRS assists local agencies in rural areas with
			 information and technical assistance. Currently, more than 80% of Arkansans
			 live in rural areas.
The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Rural Development
			 Commission (hereafter Arkansas Rural Development Commission or ARDC) is a group
			 of citizens from rural Arkansas. Seven of its members are appointed by the
			 Governor, two are appointed by the Senate President Pro-Tem, and two are
			 appointed by the Speaker of the House. Commissioners serve multiple-year terms
			 and meet throughout the year to discuss rural issues that affect
			 Arkansans.
The mission of these two groups is to
"Enhance the
			 quality of life in rural Arkansas."
One focus of the Division of Rural Services is to be a source of
			 information for rural citizens and provide support services to rural
			 communities. DRS publishes a quarterly newsletter that covers rural policies
			 and topics. The Division also hosts an annual conference and local forums
			 around the state throughout the course of the year.
In 2015, the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 371 which
			 amended the laws for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Education Grant program
			 (hereafter known as the Game and Fish Wildlife Conservation Education Grant
			 Program). This legislation transferred the administration of the program under
			 the control of the Division of Rural Services. The Game and Fish Conservation
			 Education Grant Program is a partnership between DRS and the Arkansas Game and
			 Fish Commission (AGFC) that converts portions of county fine money into grant
			 funds for school conservation education programs.
General Information and Eligibility
Through the Game and Fish Wildlife Conservation Education Grant
			 Program, the Arkansas Rural Development Commission and the Division of Rural
			 Services, and in consultation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission,
			 strive to enhance the level conservation education in the state by providing
			 incentive grants. The Game and Fish Conservation Education Grant will assist
			 school and conservation districts in the creation and maintenance of
			 conservation education programs.
With this grant program, all school district and conservation
			 districts are eligible to apply for assistance regardless of district size or
			 population. The funding availability will vary by district as the funds
			 collected are county specific. This means that only fine money collected in a
			 certain county can be used as grants funds for that county.
Funding Availability
As funding availably is county specific, grant allocations are
			 separate for each county. The Division of Rural Services strives to fund as
			 many projects as possible.
What Type of Projects are Eligible
Programs eligible for funding consideration under the Game &
			 Fish Wildlife Conservation Education Grant Program include, but are not limited
			 to:
* Arkansas National Archery in the Schools Program (ANASP)
* Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program (AYSSP)
* Uniforms for teams listed above
* Arkansas Stream Team
* Hotel, Travel and Registration for all programs listed
			 above
* Hooked on Fishing - Not on Drugs (HOFNOD)
* Study of general fish and wildlife conservation issues
* Proj ect WILD Workshops
* Proj ect WET Workshops
* Implementation/Operation of a Butterfly Garden
* Implementation/Operation of an Outdoor Classroom
* School Yard Habitat Site Development
* Specialized AGFC conservation education/educator training
			 workshops focused on above programs
* Funds also may be used by educators to take students on field
			 trips to AGFC Nature Centers, Conservation Education Centers and Wildlife
			 Management Areas. Including bus fuel.
What Type of Projects are Ineligible
Projects not eligible for funding consideration under the Game
			 and Fish Wildlife Conservation Education Grant Program include, but again are
			 not limited to:
* Any competitive shooting or archery teams not associated with
			 the AGFC
* Cost associated with hunters/boaters education courses
* No food purchases (meals) other than bottled water or light
			 snacks
* No t-shirt, caps or other clothing purchases allowed with the
			 exception of uniforms for ANASP or AYSSP as listed above
* Salaries or any other compensation- including bus drivers or
			 substitute teachers
* Day to day maintenance
* Building of permanent structures
Note: If you are not positive that your project is eligible,
			 please call and speak to a Grants Manager at 1-888-RURAL-AR or AGFC Education
			 Division at 1-501-223-6331.
Application Process
The program operates on an annual basis. Fiscal Year 2018
			 applications will be accepted beginning July 1, 2017 and ending February 8,
			 2018. Applicants must gain the approval of their local school principal or
			 conservation district official who will be ultimately responsible for the grant
			 should it be received.
The local school principal or conservation district official must
			 affix his or her signature to the following documents for the application to be
			 considered complete:
* Certification letter
* Application
Applicants must submit an original application with original
			 signatures.
Application Review and Awards Presentation
Applications are numbered and reviewed for completeness and
			 eligibility in the order received by the Division of Rural Services. Individual
			 proposal consultations can be arranged with staff by appointment. Applicants
			 are encouraged to submit applications well before the deadline to allow DRS
			 staff time to thoroughly review the application and assist applicants in
			 correcting any deficiencies prior to the deadline.
Applications received postmarked after the deadline date will not
			 be eligible for consideration.
After staff review for completeness and eligibility, applications
			 undergo a review process by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Education
			 Department. DRS and AGFC submit funding recommendations, in the following
			 order, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission and the Governor's Office.
			 Following final review and approval, the grants are awarded by mail.
Reporting Requirements and Responsibilities
In compliance with Act 1009 of 1991, project funds will be
			 expended through a fund established on the books of the district. All project
			 expenditures, with invoices attached, shall be approved by the school principal
			 or conservation district conservationist and remain on file in the office of
			 the district for three years or until audited, whichever is later.
All project expenditures must be expended within one year after
			 the date of the award. A final report, including cancelled checks and receipts
			 of all funds expended, along with the state's portion of any unspent funds,
			 must be submitted by the school principal or conservation district
			 conservationist to DRS and subsequently to the Chief Fiscal Officer of the
			 state. This must be done no more than 60 days following the project's
			 completion or within the one year period of the grant award, whichever comes
			 first.
Checklist for a Complete Game & Fish Conservation
			 Education Grant
In addition to the grant application, communities must include
			 the following, in order, for the application to be complete. Failure to submit
			 any of the required documents by the cycle deadline will result in an
			 incomplete application and will not be reviewed by the Arkansas Rural
			 Development Commission for grant consideration. Please use this sheet to double
			 check that all required information is submitted such as:
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A signed Certification Letter enclosed with
			 application from the principal or conservationist complete with signature and
			 correct date and calendar year.
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Backup documentation for all items listed in the
			 project cost estimate.
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The original grant is mailed PLUS one copy of the
			 entire application packet.
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