Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 695 - OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD › Division 35 - SMALL GRANT PROGRAM › Section 695-035-0040 - Small Grant Program Grants

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1)
			 Prior to the disbursement of any Small Grant Project funds, the Grantee must
			 sign a Small Grant Project agreement containing such terms and conditions as
			 may be deemed necessary by the OWEB Director to ensure that the expected
			 benefits of the project are realized, and that applicable legal requirements
			 and any special conditions of the Board with regard to particular grants are
			 met.
(2) Each Small Grant Project
			 awarded will be limited to a maximum of $15,000 per project, per landowner, per
			 OWEB fiscal year, including technical assistance and fiscal administrative
			 expenses.
(3) The Board will only
			 enter into new Small Grant project agreements with a grantee once that grantee
			 has addressed to OWEB's satisfaction all active Small Grants with outstanding
			 advances and all expired Small Grants with outstanding advances.
(4) Fiscal administrative expenses included
			 in each Small Grant Project may not exceed 10 percent of the OWEB grant amount
			 for direct project costs. However, project grants for a total of $2,000 or less
			 may include fiscal administrative expenses up to $200, not to exceed the total
			 amount awarded.
(5) A change in
			 fiscal agent requires an amendment to the original grant agreement, and must be
			 requested in writing of the OWEB Small Grant Program.
(6) Travel expenses directly related to
			 project implementation are eligible for funding under the Small Grant Program,
			 subject to OWEB review and approval. Travel expenses will be reimbursed only in
			 accordance with rates approved by the Department of Administrative Services and
			 which are in effect at the time the expense was incurred. The Grantee must
			 identify the reason or purpose for all travel expense reimbursement requests.
			 No mileage reimbursement will be paid for the use of motorcycles or mopeds. The
			 Small Grant Program will not reimburse for meals, lodging, or out-of-state
			 travel.
(7) Equipment purchases
			 directly related to project implementation are eligible for funding under the
			 Small Grant Program, subject to OWEB review and approval. However, OWEB
			 discourages the use of limited Small Grant Project funds on equipment
			 purchases, and instead encourages Teams to work with applicants to obtain
			 equipment through other means, such as borrowing or renting. Following project
			 completion, equipment purchased with OWEB funds will reside with any of the
			 following: watershed council, soil and water conservation district, tribe,
			 local government, or a school district. These entities will make the equipment
			 available to each other at no cost, other than nominal maintenance
			 costs.
(8) Small Grant Project
			 award recipients must provide evidence of at least 25 percent secured match for
			 the Small Grant Project award prior to disbursement of grant funds by including
			 a signature of commitment from the entity(ies) providing match on the OWEB
			 Secured Match Form. Match must be current and specific to the Small Grant
			 Project. The same match may not be used for multi-phased projects, unless it is
			 divided among the phases. Applicants may attach the completed match form to
			 their application or they may submit the form with their first grant award
			 payment request. Disbursement of the final grant award payment requires
			 evidence of actual match contributed, shown on the Actual Match Form. Match may
			 include labor, volunteer time, technical assistance, materials or services
			 provided, donated property, or cash. OWEB funding may not be used as match for
			 a Small Grant Project funded by OWEB.
(9) All Small Grant Projects will be
			 completed within 24 months from the date of Team approval of the application.
			 No project completion extensions beyond 24 months will be allowed.
(10) Upon project completion, the Grantee
			 will provide OWEB and the Small Grant Team with a copy of the Project
			 Completion Report and color photographs with captions. Final project accounting
			 and reporting are due no later than 60 days following the project completion
			 date.
(11) The following standards
			 will be applied to each Small Grant Project payment:
(a) OWEB will not pay for activities that
			 were not covered under the project grant agreement, or did not receive prior
			 approval from OWEB per OAR 695-035-0030(5).
(b) Each Small Grant award will be disbursed
			 in no more than two payments.
(c)
			 The Board will retain ten percent of project funds until the final report, as
			 required in the grant agreement, has been approved.
(d) The first payment may consist either of
			 an advance of up to 60 percent of the Small Grant award upon presentation of a
			 detailed estimate of expenses for a specified time period, or of a
			 reimbursement of expenses to date upon presentation of receipts and
			 invoices.
(e) No funds will be
			 released until evidence is submitted to OWEB that all required permits and
			 licenses for the project have been granted.
(f) Receipts for the full advance amount are
			 due within 120 days of the date OWEB issues the advance check.
(g) The second and final payment will not be
			 disbursed until OWEB receives from the Grantee through the designated fiscal
			 agent:
(A) Receipts and invoices for
			 expenditures of previous fund releases, and receipts and invoices supporting
			 the new fund release request;
(B) A
			 spreadsheet documenting all project expenses;
(C) A completed Actual Match Form, showing
			 all project match, which must total at least 25 percent of the amount of OWEB
			 funds actually spent on the Small Grant Project;
(D) A satisfactory Project Completion Report
			 and color photographs with captions of the project site; and
(E) A current Oregon Watershed Restoration
			 Reporting Form, showing among other things, evidence of actual match
			 contributed.