Section 3060.40 State Pheasant Fund Grant Program

Section 3060.40  State Pheasant Fund Grant Program

a)         Eligibility Requirements

1)         Eligible

recipients are limited to appropriate not-for-profit organizations.

2)         Eligible

projects are limited to projects with the purpose of wild pheasant

conservation.  The projects may include land acquisition, pheasant habitat

improvement on public or private land, pheasant research or education of the

public regarding pheasants and pheasant hunting.

b)         Application Procedures

1)         Grant

applications for funding assistance under this program shall be submitted to

the Department at One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, Illinois 62702-1271, Attention:  Office of Resource Conservation.  The application deadline will be

August 1.  Application forms and instructions are available through the

Department.  Applications received after the deadline will be returned to the

applicant and not considered by the Department.

2)         Applications

shall contain all of the following required information:

A)        the

name and address of the applicant

B)        the

name of a contact person

C)        a

daytime telephone number and e-mail address (if available) for a contact person

D)        a

comprehensive project description with justification, including:

i)          plan

for implementation

ii)         map

of project area

iii)        number

of acres to be improved

iv)        amount

of habitat to be established or managed, including species to be planted or

eliminated

v)         if

with cooperators, plat map showing each property to be developed and copy of a

farm program contract for each committed cooperator involved in the project or

estimated acreage

an

for implementation

ii)         map

of project area

iii)        number

of acres to be improved

iv)        amount

of habitat to be established or managed, including species to be planted or

eliminated

v)         if

with cooperators, plat map showing each property to be developed and copy of a

farm program contract for each committed cooperator involved in the project or

estimated acreage.  (Committed cooperators will be given priority over

estimated acreage.)

vi)        target

audience for education projects, with objectives, methodology,

measurable outcomes

and products resulting

from the project that can be used after completion

E)        comprehensive

plan for the operation and maintenance of the project, including supervision,

estimated costs (including any and all fees) and storage location, if

applicable

F)         a

comprehensive funding/budget summary, including:

i)          actual

cash contributions other than the grant amount

ii)         documented

purchase price of equipment or commodities

G)        description

of plan for general public access or use (or lack thereof)

H)        signature

of the applicant or authorized individual for applicant

c)         Project Evaluation and

Procedures

1)         All

applications received on time and containing the information required by the

application packet will be reviewed by Department staff.  Incomplete

applications will be returned to the applicant for completion and resubmittal.

Submitting an incomplete application does not extend the application deadline

beyond the designated deadline date.  All complete, eligible and timely applications

will be forwarded to the State Pheasant Committee for funding recommendations

y the

application packet will be reviewed by Department staff.  Incomplete

applications will be returned to the applicant for completion and resubmittal.

Submitting an incomplete application does not extend the application deadline

beyond the designated deadline date.  All complete, eligible and timely applications

will be forwarded to the State Pheasant Committee for funding recommendations.

2)

The State Pheasant Committee shall evaluate  and

prioritize each application according to the following criteria: completed

application, past grant performance of the applicant, eligibility, feasibility,

adverse impacts, quality of the proposed habitat, priority for the Department,

the applicant's cost-share match and the applicant's plan for general public

access to and/or use of the proposed habitat development or equipment purchase.

The Committee shall provide to the Director all eligible applications and a

prioritized list of recommended projects deemed to be consistent with the

purposes of the State Pheasant Fund.

3)         The

Director shall make the determination of what grants shall be awarded after

considering the recommendations of the State Pheasant Committee.  Applicants

shall be notified of the Director's decision.