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[logo] 2006/2007 Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that the EPA Headquarters contact for the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program has been changed to Erin Collard. Erin can be reached at (202) 566-2655 or by email at: collard.erin@epa.gov. Also, please notify Erin if you have difficulties submitting your proposal via the grants.gov web site.

Capacity Building

Introduction to the Targeted Watershed Grant Program

What is the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program?

The Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is an EPA program designed to encourage successful community-based approaches and management techniques to protect and restore the nation's waters. It is a competitive grant program based on the fundamental principles of cooperative conservation: collaboration, new technologies, market incentives, and results-oriented strategies. Successful watershed organizations are those that have the institutional ability to achieve on-the-ground, measurable environmental results. The program embodies the principles of cooperative conservation by strengthening shared governance and citizen stewardship—the major themes of the recent White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation and the new Executive Order.

How does Capacity Building fit in?

Through the program, EPA awards grants and cooperative agreements directly to watershed organizations for on-the-ground project implementation activities, and to training and service organizations to assist in building the capacity of watershed organizations so that these organizations are best positioned to implement restoration and protection efforts and produce measurable environmental results. Successful capacity building proposals will strengthen the capacity of local governments, watershed groups and others involved in watershed management to achieve their water resource objectives by providing information, technical and scientific expertise, training and education.
The goal of the capacity building component of the Targeted Watersheds Grant program is to assist local watershed organizations across the country to develop and successfully implement watershed plans. Over the last decade and a half, it has become evident that addressing many of the problems facing the nation's water resources requires the involvement of local citizens who have a vested interest in the creeks, rivers, lakes, estuaries, wetlands, and groundwater resources in their neighborhoods and towns. Organized, sustainable groups that include partnerships with an array of governmental and non-governmental entities are the most successful in protecting and improving water resources and achieving on-the-ground results. Even well-established watershed organizations benefit from continuing education in areas such as organizational and leadership development, sustainable financing, monitoring and assessment, establishing performance measures, data management, and innovative approaches and technologies. This funding will assist local watershed organizations to better address water resource issues.

What do you expect to accomplish?

Affecting any environmental change requires a significant investment and commitment from a lot of people, and the Agency believes the watershed approach - an approach that integrates many aspects in the management of water quality—is the best road to take toward affecting change. Targeted Watersheds capacity building funds will provide tools, training, and technical assistance and will support community efforts to expand and improve existing watershed protection measures. The objective is two-fold: 1) to promote the organizational development and growth of local watershed partnerships and stakeholders committed to improving and maintaining the natural and economic resources of their watersheds, and 2) to provide training and technical assistance to these groups so they can better address watershed-based problems and help develop sustainable solutions. The program will strengthen partnerships between state, tribal and local governments, communities, the private sector and non-profit organizations, and private citizens; enhance and integrate public and private land stewardship; promote on-the-ground conservation results and progress; and facilitate the exchange of information and advice.

What are "Outputs and Outcomes"? Is this something new?

While the concept is not new to the program, the terms outputs and outcomes are derived from the Agency's increased focus on environmental results (EPA Policy Order 5700.7 Environmental Results). Therefore, a high priority is to support projects that are likely to achieve quantifiable outcomes within the project period. Applicants for the FY 2006 funds must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined "outputs" and to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined "outcomes".
All proposed projects must be linked to environmental results and demonstrate how they will contribute to the ultimate goals of clean and safe water and healthy communities and ecosystems. Environmental results are used as a way to gauge a project's performance and are described in terms of output measures and outcome measures. The term "output" means an activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or provided over the period of time or by a specific date. The term "outcome" means an environmental result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be short-term (i.e., changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, skill), intermediate (i.e., changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), or long-term (i.e., changes in condition of natural resources).
In addition to environmental outcomes, other relevant outcomes can be behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature and need to be identified. An example is increasing the watershed approach information available to local and state decision-makers who write and implement laws, ordinances, and permits. In this context, certain efforts designed to increase the watershed approach knowledge of decision-makers can be viewed as environmental outcomes (results) if the grantee can show or measure the improvement in the knowledge of decision-makers who are in the position to create institutional changes that are necessary to restore or protect the environment. In such instances, "outcomes" are not measured typically by environmental or water quality indicators, but rather by institutional indicators related to the adoption and application of laws and regulations, and the active management of programs necessary to provide environmental protection.
Please refer to the RFP for a more complete discussion and examples of outputs and outcomes as they relate to this program.

Can you give an example of how the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program incorporates this watershed approach?

Both the watershed approach and the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program focus on multi-faceted plans for protecting and restoring water resources. The Capacity Building awards will enable training organizations to increase the ability of local watershed groups to undertake successful watershed projects. For example, the service organizations can provide training to allow watershed organizations to successfully monitor water quality, undertake restoration projects or manage their funding requirements. They could also increase watershed information available to local and state decision-makers who are responsible for implementing laws and ordinances.

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The 2006/2007 Request for Proposals

How much money is available this year?

Up to $3.2 million is anticipated to be available for FY'06/07 awards. The Agency anticipates that a typical award will be about $450,000 to $800,000 depending upon the availability of appropriations, the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the project.

What types of activities is EPA looking for?

EPA is requesting capacity building proposals with either a national scope (i.e., serving watershed organizations nation-wide), or with a geographic or ecoregional scope. In general, EPA will consider any activity that will result in the increased capacity of local watershed groups and will ultimately result in measurable environmental improvement. Such activities can include, but are not limited to, establishing regional roundtables, creating (point and nonpoint) education programs for local land use decision-makers, expanding train-the-trainer programs, serving as leadership coaches, wholesale dissemination and use of existing watershed tools, or creating subaward (also called mini-grant) programs. Proposals for actual watershed restoration work or otherwise on-the-ground projects are ineligible.
Examples of capacity building efforts on a national scale could include developing standardized performance outcomes, compiling and maintaining a national registry of watershed service providers, evaluating lessons learned from earlier efforts and distributing the results nationwide, assisting groups with assessing and improving their leadership and organizational sustainability, or serving as a clearinghouse for information and communication needs among watershed service organizations.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "ecoregion"?

The scope of the geographically based cooperative agreements will be flexible because different parts of the country have different needs. Throughout the past year, EPA has worked to engage both watershed organizations and training organizations in an effort to assess the needs of these groups and identify areas where the Targeted Watersheds Grant program will most efficiently increase local watershed protection. Specifically, EPA is looking for projects that will address a geographic area, or projects that can serve these needs nationwide. For this grant cycle, proposals based on meeting the organizational needs of watershed groups in the Great Plains/Arid West, or Appalachia will be encouraged.

How do I know if my proposal is in the "arid wes" or "Appalachia"?

For the purposes of this announcement, the Great Plains/Arid West consists of the western half of the continental United States, up to and including the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and excluding humid regions in the Pacific coastal states. Appalachia is defined as the area encompassing the Appalachia Mountain Range where the watersheds have been historically impacted by acid mine drainage.

Does my proposal area have to cover the whole area?

No, a subset within these regions is fine.

What if my proposal area is in New England? Am I still eligible?

Yes. Although EPA is placing additional emphasis on the Great Plains, the Arid West and Appalachia, project proposals from all regions of the country are eligible. The Agency is specifically focusing on the arid west and coal country because this is where there is a strong need for services. Proposals for services within these three areas will be looked at first, however, a strong proposal from another area of the country should be able to successfully compete for funds. The Targeted Watersheds Grants Program is interested in all projects that will make effective, tangible contributions to the transfer of knowledge, skills and capacity to watershed organizations.

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Eligibility

How can I tell if I am eligible to apply for this funding?

State, local, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, U.S. territories or possessions, interstate agencies and private nonprofit institutions/organizations are eligible to apply. For-profit commercial entities, non-profit lobbying associations and all federal agencies are ineligible.

The Targeted Watersheds Implementation Grants applicants need to be nominated by their Governor (or Tribal Leader); does my organization have to be nominated to apply for a Capacity Building Grant?

No, watershed service organizations do not need to be nominated to apply. Any watershed service organization that meets the requirements outlined in the Request for Proposals may submit a proposal package.

What else do I need to do to be eligible?

To get in the door and into the review process, you must meet the threshold criteria. In order to be eligible for funding consideration under this announcement, applicants must meet all of the following criteria. Failure to meet any of the criteria will result in disqualification of the proposal from consideration.
  1. Applicant must meet eligibility requirements as explained in the announcement.
  2. Minimum match of 25% of the total project cost is required
  3. Proposals must contain the five required components
  4. Proposals for watershed restoration or other site-specific implementation projects will be rejected.
Please refer to the Request for Proposals for details on these criteria.

Can organizations submit multiple or repeat proposals?

An organization may submit more than one proposal if the proposals are for different projects. No organization will be awarded more than one grant for the same project during the same fiscal year. Applicants who received one of these grants in the past may submit a new proposal for a different project. All proposals will be considered new and will be evaluated based upon the specific criteria set forth in the solicitation. Due to limited resources EPA does not sustain projects beyond the initial grant period. This grant program is geared toward providing seed money to initiate new projects or to advance existing projects that are "new" in some way. If you received a grant from this program in the past, it is essential that you explain how your current proposal is new.

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Match Requirement

Is there a match requirement?

Yes, a minimum non-federal match of 25% of the total cost of the project is required. The match may be in the form of cash or in-kind services. Monies from other federal sources, unless specified by law, may not count toward the match.

Regarding the 25% match requirement, is that 25% of the requested amount, or 25% of the requested?

In the solicitation announcement, EPA states that the match must cover 25% of the total cost of the project(s). This means that EPA will support 75% of the project. The purpose of the match is to increase the overall scope of the project(s). For example, a $600,000 grant could be used to support a $800,000 project proposal. In another example, if the total cost of the project is $600,000, the applicant must be able to provide $150,000 in matching funds or services. In this example, the proposal request would be for $450,000 over the two year funding period.

Will a higher match get higher points?

Not necessarily. In awarding points, EPA reviewers will be looking at the source(s) of the match, the commitment level, and the breadth of financial support to the project.

Can the match be outside the scope of the project(s) or does it have to be related?

The matching funds have to be directly related to the project(s) proposed for funding.

Regarding in-kind contributions, can services from activities that are on-going or have been completed count toward the match requirement?

The value of the in-kind services must be an estimate of future services that will utilized in implementing the project. Services that have already occurred can be helpful in determining what the estimate should be but cannot count toward the 25% match requirement.

The solicitation announcement states that federal funds cannot be used toward the match unless authorized by the statute governing their use. What does this mean?

This means that funds obtained via another federal grant for work within your watershed cannot be factored into the 25% match calculation. These funds can certainly be used to support or supplement the work being done, but cannot be considered "matching funds."
There are some federal statutes, however, that allow awarded funds to be used as matching dollars. (The Clean Water Act is not one of them.) For example, P.L. 638, administered through the Bureau of Indian Affairs specifically states that federal tribal money disbursed under the statute can be used for matching purposes. If a nominee wishes to use federal funds as part of the match requirement, it is incumbent upon them to provide the citation in the law that allows them to do so.

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Putting Together Your Proposal Package

What kind of materials do I need to submit?

To be considered for a capacity building award, EPA requires that each submission contain a set of common elements. Each proposal package must contain the five components listed in this section.
  1. Cover page. The cover page should indicate: (1) Project title; (2) Organization contact information, i.e., name, affiliation, address, telephone, and e-mail of the person with whom the Agency should correspond; (3) tax status or other description of organization; (4) Internet web site (i.e., URL) of the organization; and (5) whether the project is national in scope or focuses on one or more of the three specific ecoregions (i.e., Great Plains, Arid West, and/or Appalachia) or focuses on another ecoregion of the nation.
  2. Abstract. Provide a brief (approximately 150-word) summary of the proposal.
  3. Proposal Narrative.
    1. - Project need.
    2. - Project plan.
      1. - Partnering.
      2. - Financial Integrity/Budget.
    3. - Anticipated Environmental Results.
    4. - Peer Outreach and Information Transferability.
    5. - Programmatic Capability/Technical Experience
  4. Standard Budget Form SF 424A.
  5. Signed SF424.

Is there a limit in how much material I can provide?

Yes, the entire proposal package should not exceed 10 pages in length using a recommended conventional 12-point font. All materials including cover page, project narrative, budget, tables, timeline, charts, graphs and pictures should be included within the 10 pages. Any information provided beyond the stated page limit will not be reviewed.

My organization has done a lot of work so far. Can we include other materials, such as watershed assessments, tables or graphs, pictures of outreach campaigns, etc. as appendices?

Because of the volume of material the Agency receives and to maintain an equitable and level playing field for everyone, appended materials other than those specified in the solicitation will not be reviewed.

Are letters of support required for the Capacity Building Grant proposal package? Will the letters count against the 10 pages reserved for the proposal package?

Letters of support are not a required component of the Capacity Building proposal package. Per section IV—C of the RFP, all materials including the proposal narrative and any tables, charts, graphs and pictures must be included within the 10 pages. Any information provided beyond the stated page limit will not be reviewed.

In the past, EPA required that the complete packages be submitted electronically. How should I submit my package this year?

Applicants must submit their proposal either in hard copy form or electronically via the federal government's grants web site ( http://www.grants.gov ). All paper copies must be submitted along with a CD. All electronic submissions through Grants.gov must be according to the instructions provided in the announcement. Please refer to the Request for Proposals for details pertaining to either method of submission.

What is "www.grants.gov"?

The federal government provides the option for an applicant to apply for a grant and submit materials through a standardized electronic grants application system. Grants.gov allows an applicant to download a proposal or application package template and complete the package offline based on prescribed instructions. After an applicant completes the required proposal or application package, it can submit the package back through Grants.gov, which transmits the package directly to the funding agency. In addition, Grants.gov provides "one-stop" shopping for all open grant opportunities and allows one to receive regular automatic e-mail notifications of new grant opportunities as well as modification to existing ones. Beginning in January 2007, all grant applications to EPA will be required to be submitted through Grants.gov. The URL for Grants.gov is http://www.grants.gov/.

How quickly do I have to assemble my materials? What is the submission deadline?

You will have 60 days in which to prepare and submit your proposal package. All submissions must be received by EPA no later than 5:00 pm eastern daylight savings time on October 16, 2006.

Are there any forms required?

The Agency is requiring that two forms be submitted as part of the proposal package. A signed SF 424 form is now required at this stage. In addition, all applicants must provide a detailed breakdown of cost by category for each project on a Standard Budget Form 424A. Both forms can be found on-line at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm or by mail upon request by calling (202) 564-5320. Selected watershed organizations will have 60 days to submit a final workplan and all other required forms.

What happens after the deadline? When will the final decision be made?

All proposal packages will be pre-reviewed, or screened, by EPA staff to determine if they are eligible, complete, and prepared in accordance with the instructions provided in this notice. All eligible proposals will be reviewed and scored by EPA watershed experts. Recommendations are then presented to the Selection Official for the final decision on all proposals to be funded.
Barring any unforeseen delays, EPA expects to announce selections by the end of calendar year 2006 and make awards early in 2007. The exact amount of funds to be awarded, the final scope of activities, the duration of the projects, and specific role of the EPA Project Officer will be determined in the pre-award negotiations between the selected applicant and EPA.

Who do I contact if I am having trouble submitting my proposal through www.grants.gov?

For all issues and concerns regarding submissions through www.grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726. The Contact Center hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 am to 9 pm Eastern Standard Time. You may also send email to www.grants.gov.

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