New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 1 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS › Chapter VIII - Administration › Part 363 - State Aid To Soil And Water Conservation Districts › Section 363.10 - Qualifying for performance based conservation financial assistance-standards

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a) The committee
				shall establish annually, within funds appropriated, the percentage of the
				total performance based conservation financial assistance funds available which
				shall be allocated to each of the performance standards, as described in this
				section. The funds allocated to each of the performance standards shall be
				distributed equally to the qualifying districts within each performance
				standard. In establishing the percentage of funds to be allocated to each
				performance standard for any year, the committee shall consider the performance
				of districts under this section, as a whole, in the previous year and the
				extent to which they have met or failed to meet the following performance
				standards which shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Demonstrating the extent and sufficiency
				of district board activity, which shall include the number of district board
				meetings held annually; training of board members and employees; annual audit;
				establishment and compliance with internal operational policies; and
				participation at State, regional and national meetings and functions.
(2) District reporting and outreach
				activities, which shall include presentations, reports, publications, public
				education and outreach and timely compliance with committee information
				requests, including an approved annual work plan and an annual
				report.
(3) Ability of the district
				to use the funding to leverage additional funds from local, Federal and private
				sources, which shall also include the district's demonstrated ability to foster
				partnerships with other entities to further natural resource conservation and
				provide assistance to governmental and non-governmental entities.
(4) Delivery of State natural resource
				conservation programs, which shall include the quality of service provided
				(
e.g.
, staff implementing State programs seek and maintain
				appropriate certifications, job approval authorities and training as
				established by the committee), completion of projects, and compliance with
				reporting requirements for such programs.
(5) Ability of the district to promote
				partnerships and assist local governments and non-governmental organizations
				(NGO).
The committee will, upon the filing of a complete request by
				  a district pursuant to section
				  363.11 
				  of this Part, evaluate the district's performance as described in this section.
				  In order to be eligible for performance based conservation financial assistance
				  pursuant to sections
				  363.9
				  and
				  363.11 
				  of this Part, a district must certify that it is operating in accordance with
				  all policies adopted by the committee pursuant to section 4(4)(a) of the New
				  York State Soil and Water Conservation Districts Law and distributed to
				  districts subsequent to the effective date of this rule.