Descriptions of Previous Projects

FY 2003 - 2004 Great Lakes National Program Office Funding Guidance - Four Requests for Proposals

V. GENERAL CRITERIA

All Proposals will be evaluated for conformity with the Proposal Requests, applying any Specific Criteria described in the RFPs and the following General Criteria. Does the project Proposal: (i) State a Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action? (ii) Have Scientific/ Professional Merit? (iii) Demonstrate Innovation? (iv) Demonstrate Performance Capability? (v) Involve Diverse Stakeholders? (vi) Have the appropriate Geographic Scope? (vii) Disseminate Results effectively? (viii) Outline an Appropriate Budget? (ix) Leverage additional resources? (x) Most closely match GLNPO’s mission, instead of that of Other Funding Sources? We especially welcome projects which address Environmental Justice and have community-based support. Applicants with a history of performance problems (such as delays in completing quality system documentation, delivering progress or final reports, or closeout documents) will receive less consideration than Applicants with a good performance record.

Rationale/Relevance/Bias for Action: Funding will be directed to Proposals showing the most potential, whether direct or indirect, to protect and/or restore the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem, emphasizing the projects proposed in this Funding Guidance. Successful Proposals will explain how they address issues most relevant to Great Lakes policymakers in a value-adding way or result in practical activities which promise measurable progress to protect and/or restore the Great Lakes Basin.

Scientific/Professional Merit: Soundness of approach is a key consideration, including design, objectives, and scientific viability of the project.

Innovation: We favor projects which do not duplicate prior efforts or which build upon prior efforts in value-adding ways.

Performance Capability: The experience and resources (including facilities, equipment, and instrumentation, if applicable) of applicants should be shown to be appropriate to perform the work proposed. Applicants with existing EPA projects should be up-to-date on reporting and other requirements.

Stakeholders: Plans to work with appropriate partners and customers, for instance government agencies, community groups, businesses, or stakeholders for Lakewide Management and Remedial Action Plans, will be considered.

Geographic Scope: Projects which aim to serve environmental needs identified by Lakewide Management and Remedial Action Plans will be considered on this basis. Support from LaMP and/or RAP committees will be considered.

Disseminate Results: Plans to disseminate project results will be considered. Broad public dissemination is favored.

Appropriate Budget: Applicants must suggest a budget reasonably in keeping with the level of work proposed and with expected benefits.

Leveraging. We favor projects which leverage additional resources from other organizations. The leveraged amount will be considered.

Other Funding Sources: Projects for which funding could reasonably be expected from other sources will receive less consideration. Some NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and Natural Resources Conservation Service and USEPA funding opportunities are described in the 2002 Great Lakes Roadmap to Federal Funding Opportunities at < http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/2002guid/Roadmap2002b.pdf >.

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means that no group of people, including racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups, should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or the execution of Federal, State, local, and Tribal programs and policies.