RPOSD » Competitive Grant Programs

Competitive Grant Programs

Measure A

Competitive Grant Programs

Measure A

The implementation of RPOSD’s Competitive Grants is guided by the work of the Steering Committee, as outline in the Proceedings, and their recommendations regarding competitive grants can be found under Section 4.3 of the document. Applications for the first two RPOSD’s competitive grant programs funded by Measure A, Recreation Access and Youth & Veteran’s Job Training and Placement, can be expected to be available starting September 2019. Regional Recreation Facilities, Multi-Use Trails and Accessibility and Natural Lands, Local beaches, Local Water Conservation and Protection are projected to follow starting September 2020. Each program will operate according to its own cycle and schedule, so it is important to refer to each category listed below for specific details.

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FAQ regarding Recreation Access & Youth and Veteran Job Training and Placement Competitive Grant Programs as of January 21, 2020.

	Question	Answer
1	Is the neighborhood council a government agency?	No, neighborhood councils are not eligible as government agencies, generally they are appointed bodies that assist the City or County with informed decisions and recommendations about specific communities within the City or County. RPOSD recommends that Neighborhood Counsels partner with other eligible agencies. Refer to the Guidelines for eligible agencies. Recreation Access Guidelines page 8 and Youth & Veteran Job Placement Training Guidelines page 7 & 8.
2	Are organizations able to apply for two competitive grants at the same time (i.e. Recreation Access and Youth + Veteran Job Training and Placement)?	Yes, an applicant can apply for two separate competitive grants as long the application is for a project or program that matches criteria of each competitive grant program.
3	Can we apply multiple times?	Yes an eligible organization or agency can submit more than one application for the same competitive program, provided that each application is for a separate project or program .
4	Is there a separate application for Metro?	No, there is not a separate application for accessing the Metro funding. There are three Metro questions included on the Recreation Access application. See the Recreation Access Guidelines page 12 & 13. A selected project or program may be required to provide additional information to Metro.
5	Please provide more detail on the third party evaluation requirement for Recreation Access.	For the Recreation Access Program, per the Measure A Grants Administration Manual (GAM, page 2-57) Applicants must find and include in their grant application, someone who can evaluate their program from beginning to end. The evaluator may be an internal or third-party source. Applicants are required to provide details describing their evaluation process and how the program will be measured to determine success; including what outcomes will be measured, how they will be measured, how often, and then articulate and summarize the success of the program/project. This can be done by the organization or by a third party/outside evaluator. (Reference the Recreation Access Guidelines page 10, question 6.
6	Is the grantee expected to find a third party evaluator?	Yes, for the Youth and Veterans Job Training and Placement competitive Grant Programs, the applicant is required to have a plan for evaluation as well as an identified outside/third-party evaluation of the project/program identified in the application. This program is looking to create a training &/or education pipeline and a connection to jobs in the Park and Recreation field. Workforce development and evaluation of these programs is necessary to measure success in reaching the goal of the Measure A funded programs. For the Youth and Veteran Job Training and Placement Program, see the Grants Administration Manual (GAM, page 2-62, Award Size) as well as the Youth and Veteran Competitive Grant Guidelines page 11, question 6.
7	Is there an age range for the youth program?	Yes, there is an age range for the Youth and Veteran Job Training and Placement Competitive Grant Program. Please see the Guidelines (page 6, Education and Skills Training Program) Youth participants must be 18-25 years of age.
8	How many veterans would the grantee be contractually required to serve?	RPOSD does not have a requirement or thresholds to meet for the number of participants that are veterans. Refer to the Measure A Grants Administration Manual, Section 2.2.5 for additional information.
9	Can my agency train and place youth and veterans within the agency to do assignments like fundraising, grant writing, community engagement, pre-project planning assistance in acquisition, development, and community needs assessment?	A project/program designed to train and place youth and veterans to do assignments like fundraising, grant writing, community engagement, pre-project planning assistance in acquisition, development and community needs assessment within the applicants agency would be considered an eligible project/program if the work of the agency and these efforts have a nexus with park projects.
10	What costs may be included in the program budget?	For the Program Grants in these two Competitive Grant Programs Eligible Costs include: Community Engagement, Grantee Labor, Insurance, Overhead Rate, Fixed Assets with a Life of < 5 years, Incidentals, Non-Fixed Portable Equipment, Consultant Services, Portable Equipment, Interpretive Displays, Rental Equipment, Signage, Training Materials, Transportation. For a list of eligible costs, see the Grants Administrative Manual, Section 3.4.4 Grant Administration page, for table of Eligible Costs by Grant type.
11	Can funds be used for restoration projects that increase the public use and interest to visit?	The Recreation Access Program is a program based grant about people in High and Very High Need areas having access to parks and recreational opportunities. A program that brings people to an area for education about the area and to participate in a restoration project/program could be designed to fit this program, if it is focused on the people and their experiences and education outcomes.
12	Is CEQA an eligible cost?	CEQA does not generally apply to the proposed projects/programs in these two Competitive Grant Programs
13	Is the cost of building a park on school property an eligible cost?	Recreation Access grants fund programs and people not development or building park amenities or a park. Costs associated with creating and operating a recreation access program(s) to provide program opportunities to the community on off school times, are eligible costs.
14	If my agency have an existing program that funds high and very high need areas, can a grant fund existing staff and program expenses? Or will the agency have to show that we increased access even more?	An agency/applicant who has existing eligible programs are expected to articulate why RPOSD funding is needed for an already existing program. The application will also need to define what the outcomes will be and what difference the funding will have on increasing people’s access to parks.
15	Would funding be authorized to spend on project based work based learning?	Applicants are expected to articulate how their proposed program will lead to jobs or careers in the parks and recreation field. This could be work based learning, with specific goals/outcomes that are measurable and measured.
16	How much of funding can be used for business engagement?	Funds can be used for Community Engagement.Recreation Access Guidelines Community Engagement pages 16 & 17 and Evaluation Criteria page 21 -23: Youth & Veteran Job Training and Placement Program Community Engagement pages 9 & 17-18: Evaluation Criteria page 21-22. Please refer to the Measure A Grants Administration Manual for eligible/ineligible expenses.
17	Will we be notified when the eligible costs/ineligible costs are posted? When do you expect that to be posted?	Eligible/ineligible costs are posted on our website in the Grants Administration Manual (GAM pages 3-27). Eligible Costs include: Community Engagement, Grantee Labor, Insurance, Overhead Rate, Fixed Assets with a Life of < 5 years, Incidentals, Non-Fixed Portable Equipment, Consultant Services, Portable Equipment, Interpretive Displays, Rental Equipment, Signage, Training Materials, Transportation.
18	Would temporary facilities that are required for the program be an eligible expense? (i.e. temp facilities that would directly serve to provide and increase access to a park site)	It is possible that temporary facilities that are required for the program that the applicant is seeking grant funds for could be an eligible expense. Please refer to the GAM for information about eligible expenses page 3-27. Eligible Costs include: Community Engagement, Grantee Labor, Insurance, Overhead Rate, Fixed Assets with a Life of < 5 years, Incidentals, Non-Fixed Portable Equipment, Consultant Services, Portable Equipment, Interpretive Displays, Rental Equipment, Signage, Training Materials, Transportation.
19	When is the next round for these competitive programs?	The Recreation Access Grant Cycle will occur every two years; the Youth and Veterans Job Training and Placement Program will occur every three years. This is outlined in the GAM, pages 2-55 and 2-59.
20	How will grants be awarded?	The District has Evaluation Criteria for each of its Competitive Grant Programs, developed in the Steering Committee process. There will be an administrative review of each application and those that are complete and eligible will move to the Evaluation Panels that complete the evaluation process for each program and create the list of potential grants and amounts to be awarded, that will be finalized by the Director. Our goal is to allocate as much of the money in each Grant Program and within the funding brackets. This process is outlined and posted on our website.
21	Will RPOSD request I lower my grant proposal amount?	RPOSD’s goal is to fund the amount that an applicant requests. If, in the process, there are residual funds that would allow for partial funding of an additional grant on the ranked list, RPOSD may confidentially contact the applicant and discuss a smaller grant amount and potential impact to the project.
22	Is access to a privately held site be included?	This question is not clear, there are open space parks and recreational opportunities within LA County that would have entry costs and could be an appropriate use of Measure A funds, however there are also those that would not be appropriate. Please discuss the specifics with RPOSD staff.
23	Can the location of a pop up recreation program change?	If a proposal is for Pop-Up recreation, yes, programs may move around to different sites, the focus would still be sites within High and Very High Need Study Areas or people who live in those communities. Provide a robust explanation to include why this program meets the program goals and why it is a great idea.
24	Are program proposals limited to the project site/location or does it also apply to target population?	Either way, grant proposals should articulate which program site in High or Very High Need Study areas they will be in or the communities of High or Very High Need that the program will serve.
25	What would the park ID be if the program spans multiple cities/parks?	For those programs that will utilize multiple cities/parks, the applicant(s) will be required to provide the specific information in their application related to each of the multiple locations that the proposed program will serve.
26	Is there a place on the RPOSD website for us to view the maps of high/very high needs communities? And are there any additional writings available on the criteria RPOSD uses to define high/very high needs communities?	The information about the 2016 Countywide Park Needs Assessment can be found at the Parks Needs Assessment (PNA) Website at https://lacountyparkneeds.org/ On this site you can find the report for each Study Area that includes the map for the entire county as well as for each study area regardless of its need. The criteria utilized to define park need is found within the report, also on the PNA website. The RPOSD website, https://rposd.lacounty.gov , under the Grants/Manage Your Measure A Grant Tabs, you will also find a link to the PNA.
27	Will there be another workshop for other future competitive funds?	There will be workshops for all Competitive Grant Programs RPOSD is responsible to run. These workshops will occur based on the Grant Calendar, found on the RPOSD website and in the GAM. RPOSD expects to conduct new workshops Category 3 & 4 for Natural Lands, Local Beaches Water Conservation and Protection Programs AND Regional Recreation, Multi-use Trails and Accessibility Program beginning in the fall of 2020. Please make sure that you are on our mailing list to receive the notices.
28	When will the other competitive programs open?	Competitive grant programs from Categories 3 and 4 are slated to start accepting applications in the fall of 2020. There is a calendar that shows how often each of the programs will be offered in the GAM on pages 3-1 and 3-2.
29	As applicants develop their grant narratives, is there a point person or procedure to ask if our proposal ideas would be eligible?	RPOSD grant staff and the Administrator are willing to have this discussion for guidance purposes as long as it’s within the first 4 months of the application period. For the Recreation Access and Youth and Veteran Job Training and Placement Competitive Grants Programs the deadline is January 30, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
30	Does it benefit an applicant point-wise to conduct community engagement meetings before applicant submission and grant award? Since it seems there is no reimbursement of pre-award activities.	Community Engagement before a project/program is fully developed is the best case scenario, however RPOSD does not fund activities that happen before a grant is awarded. You can find the specifics regarding the Community Engagement and Evaluation Criteria for the program in question. Recreation Access Guidelines Community Engagement pages 16 & 17 and Evaluation Criteria page 21 -23; Youth & Veteran Job Training and Placement Program Community Engagement pages 9 & 17-18: Evaluation Criteria page 21-22.
31	Would it be advantageous for applicants to create a separate transportation budget and describe it separate from the Recreation Access?	It would not be advantageous for applicants to create a separate transportation budget and describe it as separate from Recreation Access. Do not leave the transportation piece out of the Recreation Access application, RPOSD is looking for a fully developed program that benefits the community members. If your question is related to the Metro funding, please see the information on Metro’s program, read Metro’s Transit to Parks Strategic Plan. For eligibility information read Metro’s Congestion Management Air Quality Program.
32	May I submit letters of recommendations with my application?	Letters of recommendation or support can be uploaded at specific places within the application, in the Grant Management Systems. There is an opportunity to upload other documents as well.
33	We were interested in applying for our existing environmental education programs, nature works, which serve Avalon school and mainland ABCUSD youth (through course Catalina and our course Catalina Field School). Are we able to apply for our existing program or are we required to show how funding will increase the current number of students that we serve?	An agency/applicant who has existing eligible programs Applicants are expected to articulate why RPOSD funding is needed for an already existing program. The application will also need to define what the outcomes will be and what difference the funding will have on increasing people’s access to parks. Applicants are expected to articulate how the additional funding from Measure A will improve their existing program.
34	Could a proposal include fixed signage or exhibits without including a program? Signage and exhibits would increase the public awareness and understanding of public land, or park amenity.	A proposal for Recreation Access grant could include fixed signage or exhibits, however a program is a requirement of the Program. A Recreation Access Program proposal must include a program, for example, educational and interpretive programs that promote park use.
35	I’m already registered in Grants Management System, do I have to re-register for these programs.	Once registered in the Grants Management System (GMS), you do not have to do it again. You will see these funding opportunities on the WebGrants landing page, if your agency or organization is eligible and in Good Standing. You may add agency representatives on the GMS.
36	Is the program designed to where we can recognize employers who support our veterans?	The intent of this program is to provide education and skills training and certification, and job placement for youth or veterans. If applicants wish to provide information on how they would recognize employers who support our veterans, they are encouraged to do so.
37	On page 24 of the Recreation Access Grant Guidelines, payment section indicates retention of 10% will be held from each payment. What does this mean?	A 10% retention is held from each approved payment to ensure that the program is completed. The grantee is more likely to complete the project and the grant’s final paperwork if they are still owed funds. Measure A also allows up to 50% of the grant award in an advance of funds and this can be requested by grantees.
38	Info presented that is not in the Guidelines, such as “Do not leave any field blank” should be provided in writing on the FAQs portion	RPOSD is completing updates to the Guidelines, Agenda, this information will be included in one of these documents. This information is also available on RPOSD’s website and the Grants Management System (GMS) grant application’s instructions and HELP text.
39	How does Measure M fit with Measure A’s Recreation Access program?	Measures A and M have separate funding sources. RPOSD is partnering with Metro at the direction of both governing boards, Board of Supervisors and Metro Board of Directors. Metro has their own grant evaluators who will review those Measure A Recreation Access applicants who indicate interest in Measure M funding.
40	What does RPOSD envision with Recreation Access programs?	Recreation Access Programs will establish or continue building upon existing programs to increase the ability of residents to access public lands, park facilities, and park amenities, as well as recreational opportunities including education, interpretative services, safety information, transportation and other activities that increase the accessibility for County residents especially those in High and Very High need Study Areas.
41	Are there programs that have been successful in receiving all level grant awards that are available for view on the website?	There are no programs that have been successful in receiving all level grant awards, as this is the first round of Measure A competitive grants. RPOSD will keep an ongoing posting of grant awards as we move forward on the website.
42	What type of financial statements or financial documents are acceptable and should these documents be audited copies?	To be registered, all agencies must provide and audited Financial Statement. However if an organization doesn’t conduct a formal audit they must submit a financial document that has been approved by their governing body. This could be an annual report that shows all assets of the organization or an alternative financial reporting that includes all the financial business of the organization that is done regularly to the governing body.
43	How many grants will be awarded?	There will be at least 1 grant awarded in each award bracket (small, medium and large). The District intends to award all funds. At least 30% will be set aside to provide funding for approved projects in High-Need or Very-High-Need study Areas with the remaining up to 70% for projects all study areas.
44	Will the funding for the Recreation Access Program pay for equipment/hardware for the actual program, i.e. skate park, etc.?	Yes, equipment/hardware for the actual program, i.e. skate park, etc., are eligible expenses in this Grant Program. The application should be inclusive of all elements of the program.
45	How does Metro funding work? Do I have to apply for Metro funding?	To be considered for the $1M available from Metro, applicants must fill out the Metro questions within the Recreation Access Grant Program application. Metro will evaluate and select from submitted Recreation Access application using their own evaluation criteria. Metro will communicate directly with you if they have follow-up questions or comments and will provide the information of the outcomes from this process. For more information, contact Jacob Lieb with Metro, Liebj@metro.net Applicants are not required to apply for Metro funding.
46	Will the District fund existing Recreation Access programs?	Yes, with an established program the applicant will need to articulate why and how this increases already established access. One purpose of Recreation Access funding is to establish or continue building upon established programs to increase the ability of residents from multiple groups to access public lands, park facilities, and park amenities. This includes education, interpretive services, safety information, transportation, and other activities that increase the accessibility for County residents, especially those in High-Need or Very-High-Need Study Areas.
47	Will the program fund acquisition of real property?	No, this program will not fund acquisition of real property. These two funding opportunities are for programs that educate, train and/or increase people’s recreational access to parks. It is about funding people programs.
48	Does the District accept programs with other funding sources?	Yes, the District encourages multiple funding sources and hopes that grantees use Measure A funding to leverage other funding. However, this is not a requirement of the programs.
49	How will the application be evaluated?	There is a two round process. Round 1, Administrative Review of each application to verify Good Standing, completeness and adherence to category and project requirements. Round 2, Evaluation Panel Review. Each application will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria and scores. The evaluation criteria are listed in the Guidelines document for each program.
50	What is the policy for procuring the 3^rd Party Evaluator?	Each agency will be responsible for following their agency’s policies for procurement of a 3rd party evaluator.
51	Is there a minimum threshold for number of points that an agency must meet? How will the points be used?	No, there is no minimum threshold for points, the District’s first review will be to ensure that the application is complete and responsive to all questions and items required for the application. Any application found to be non-responsive or incomplete will not be scored. The Evaluation Panel(s) will score each application utilizing the evaluation criteria, once they have a reached a single score for each application, they will be placed in the funding brackets. The Evaluation Panel(s) will make recommendations to the Director for award of funds in each Competitive Grant Program.
52	Are IT projects eligible?	If the applicant can make the connections for an IT project that fits the requirements of the Competitive Grant Program, the District will evaluate the project application.
53	Will the age group for youth (18-25) ever change?	No, this age group is found in the language of the Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, River Protection, and Water Conservation Measure (Measure A).
54	If the Veteran is not a resident of LA County, if they are couch surfing in a different County, are they still eligible to be part of the program?	The requirement is for the program to be in LA County. Refer to the Guidelines’ “Community Engagement” section for more information about engaging the community.
55	Are veterans who did not receive an honorable discharge qualified for this program?	Per the Measure A Grants Administration Manual, Veterans are those who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who were discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
56	Is Foothill Transit eligible to apply for the Recreation Access Program Funding?	Yes, all Public Agencies can apply for this funding.
57	Is it a requirement that we pay our youth participants for the RPOSD grant the $15.00 LA County minimum wage (starting in July 2020)? Presently we would pay the California minimum wage of $13.00.	Please follow the local and state laws as required by your business.
58	I believe Glendale Youth Alliance has renewed its registration. Will we get confirmation this was completed? Also, I sent the questions below and did not receive a reply. Should I direct my question to a specific department?	Yes, once your registration has been reviewed and approved by one of our Grant Officers you will be contacted and advised via email.
59	Recreation Access – $7.2 million is the amount stated as being available for this round. I understood from the grants workshop, that grant awards would be paid over a 3-year period. Is the $7.2 million figure the amount that is available for the entire 3-year grant period?	Yes.
60	Will there be more funding added in years 2 and 3, beyond the original $7.2 million?	NO, this will be the only funding available until the next Competitive Grant Cycle
61	After this round, will there be another (round) opportunity to apply again next year? Or will the next round open in 4 years?	This funding will not be available or another 3 years
62	If we believe that we are a good fit for both Recreation Access and Youth & Veteran Job Training & Placement, may we apply for both grants? Will this affect our chances of getting funded in either grant program?	Yes, you can apply for both Competitive Grant Programs; applying for both will not have any effect on your organization being awarded 1 or both of these Programs.
63	Will the RPOSD provide a list of available job titles so that we can tailor our workforce training programs to these specific jobs?	This Competitive Grant Program focuses on funding programs that are formally training people for jobs in parks. There are many job titles that will fit into this category, many of the Cities and the County agencies with Park or Community Services Departments call them different things with the same work defined. One aspect of a program that the District is looking for is preparing the participates for the application and test taking that are required to get a job with a public Park or Community Services or Agency/Department.
64	What are the current job titles at RPOSD that providers can train and provide placement opportunities for?	Since it such a wide field we expect that the applicant’s training/educational program will define this.
65	If workforce-trained participants are placed outside of RPOSD, but in similar industry, will they count as placement?	We are not looking to fund programs that train participants for our staff, as the District is a grantor of funds, not an operator of parks or parkland. We are looking for the participants to be trained and eligible for jobs with the various park agencies found within LA County.
66	Certifications – how is the parks department defining Certifications. Does a certification need to come from a body that has the authority to issue a certification – college/ university, governmental agency issuing certifications or professional organizations such as the National Association of Social Workers or could the applying organization create its own training program and issue its own certifications?	A certification is a credential that you earn to show that you have specific skills or knowledge. They are usually tied to an occupation, technology, or industry. Certifications are usually offered by a professional organization or a company that specializes in a particular field or technology.
67	For the Youth and Veterans Job Training and Placement Competitive Grant Program, can Parks give guidance on desired outcome measures i.e. % of people gaining employment, % of people completing training program etc.?	The District cannot provide guidance on desired outcome measures. It is up to each applicant to articulate how the program meets the stated goals and objectives.
68	Recreation Access Competitive Grant Program – Can a bus be purchased with the funding if the Program calls for it? Also, if a bus can be purchased what stipulations are there if the program is not funded in future round of grant cycles?	No, the purchase of vehicles is an ineligible expense. But, use of vehicles and/or equipment owned by the grantee may be charged to the project for each use. Rental rates published by the CA Department of Transportation may be used as a guide.
69	If part of a project includes going to private land that is open and free to the public, does that count, or do we have to only provide access to strictly public land, beaches, parks, facilities, etc.?	If the private land is publicly accessible, it is eligible.
70	May multiple Department within one city apply?	Yes, assuming everyone is already registered in the Grants Management System. But they cannot submit applications for the same program(s).
71	How long is the funding Cycle for Recreation Access Competitive Grant Program?	As per the Recreation Access Competitive Grant Program dated September 2019 (Page 18): Grants for this competitive grant round will be awarded in the summer of 2020 and funded projects must be completed by summer of 2023
72	Do we have an option to sub-contract out specialized services such as (Naturalist, Transportation, Training Curriculum…)	Each applicant is responsible for following their agency’s policies related to aspects of their project. To ensure eligibility of expenses, the District instructs each applicant to submit a proposed detailed budget when submitting their application.
73	We plan on taking youth from a Very High need area on trips to public lands. Some of the trips are within LA County, others are further afield such as Josua Tree. My question is, are those trips outside of LA County eligible for funding under this RFP? All the youth taking the trips will be from LA County Very High need area.	Any Measure A funds awarded are to be spent within the Los Angeles County boundary.