WESTERN WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE GRANT PROGRAM Program Overview

WESTERN WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE GRANT PROGRAM Program Overview & Application Process

WUI GRANT PROGRAM OVERVIEW Since 1999, the Council of Western State Foresters have awarded funding on a competitive basis to the western states and protectorates under the Western WUI Grant Program. Key program areas include: fuels reduction, restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems, planning, homeowner action, and prevention & education.

Western State Fire Managers, WUI Grant Committee This committee oversees the Western WUI Grant Program, and consists of fire management professionals representing each member state of the Council of Western State Foresters, plus the Pacific Islands. Member states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Pacific Islands include: Territory of American Samoa, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Territory of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern

Overview of Grant Process 1. Draft applications can be developed in pdf. A pdf of the FY 2022 State Fire Assistance WUI application is available on Forestry’s web site. The Division of Forestry will work with applicants to improve and strengthen applications if so desired. Final applications are submitted on the standard online WUI Competitive Grant Application for eligible projects. The Division of Forestry will set an internal state deadline for draft & final applications. You must contact [email protected] to receive a web link to an online application portal entering and submitting your final proposal. A project name is needed in order to establish a link. 2. The Division of Forestry reviews and prioritizes applications for submittal. No more than ten applications can be put forward from any western state to the Western WUI Grant Committee. Final online submittal to the Western WUI Grant Committee is done by the Division of Forestry only. 3. The Western WUI Grant Scoring Committee screens all applications and scores them based on program criteria, then recommends awards based on available funding in a report to the Council of Western State Foresters in the fall. 4. The CWSF approves final funding allocations and notification is made to the members of tentative award. (November-early December)

The Grant Application Each year, the application and guidance for the Western WUI Grant Program are announced, opening the grant period. This application is the only mechanism to convey all pertinent information about your project to the grant committee. Therefore, it is critical that applicants prepare the best possible application. Here are some things to consider when preparing your grant application:

Follow directions, completing the application as outlined in the guidance provided and within the space constraints. Use clear and concise language to explain the project, including key timelines, process, scope of work, budget, partners, and future maintenance. Clearly demonstrate ability to implement the project, if funded. Explain how the project meets the goals and criteria for the grant funding and how to maintain it in the future. Identify partners, funding sources, and responsibilities as an indicator of ability

BE COMPETITIVE! Remember, the Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program is a competitive process! Mathematical errors, using inappropriate match funding, or simply failing to adequately explain some facet of your project could mean the difference between a perfect score and something less. In any given year, there will be an average of 110 applicants, seeking

TIPS FOR GREAT APPLICATIONS 1. Work with partners to design the project and prepare the grant application together. 2. Follow the application guidance that is provided with the application. 3. Read & re-read; ask others to review as well. 4. “Score” your application as if you were on the committee. Ask others to do the same. 5. Ask for help from your state fire

APPLICATION SCORING & SCREENING AT THE WESTERN REGIONAL LEVEL

How are the applications screened? Before the applications are scored by the Western WUI Grant Committee, they are screened for eligibility on the basis of two key criteria: Is the 50-50 match requirement met? Is the proposed project eligible within the guidelines of the grant program? The answer must be “yes” to both of these questions for the application to be

How are the applications scored? The committee currently uses a 45point scoring process, allocated per the following criteria: 1. Budget line items clear and expenditures relevant to project goals & objectives? (5 points) 2. Project clearly defined? (5 points) 3. Planning Linkages clearly defined? (5 points) 4. Project Activities?(10 points) 5. Landscape Attributes clearly defined (5 points) 6. Project Collaboration clearly defined? (5 points) 7.Project Timeline (5 points)

IMPORTANCE OF APPLICATION SCORES All applications are considered for funding based on application ordinal score. Applications are scored by the Western WUI Grant Scoring Committee; made up a state representatives from the 17 western states and territories. All western states and territories forestry agencies have the opportunity to have a representative to participate in scoring. All applications are scored by 6 scoring committee members. Applications are ranked by using the average ordinal score. The lowest average ordinal score represents the best application. State priority is used to break any tie in ordinal ranking for the last application funded with funding. Mean raw score is used to This available is why application preparation is the break a tiekey between states same priority. to success inwith this the process.

ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR PROJECTS

ALLOCATION OF FUNDS Generally speaking, each year the Forest Service allocates approximately 12.5 million west-wide for these competitive projects. The applications with the lowest ordinal scores will receive funding until all funding is allocated No state can receive more than 15% of the total available funding. Each grant request will be limited to a maximum of 300,000

CWSF APPROVAL/FUNDING The Western WUI Committee forwards its funding recommendations to the Council of Western State Foresters for final approval. Once the allocations are approved and the funding is secured, individual applicants are notified of their award and enter into grant

TIMELINE Typically, final grant applications are submitted in late summer and funding is awarded the following spring or summer. The process takes approximately 5-8 months after the application deadline to

Thank you for your interest in the Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program. Best of luck in preparing your application For more information: [email protected] PowerPoint updated 6/2021