DNR outlines plan to launch ENRTF community grants with expedited rounds, advisory council and fiscal safeguards
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Summary
DNR briefed the committee on implementing the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund community grants program, describing advisory council recruitment, expedited and standard grant rounds, no-match policy for applicants, use of fiscal agents, monitoring and clawback options for advances.
Department of Natural Resources officials told the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee on Feb. 19 that the department will open an application process next week to fill an advisory council that will help implement a new Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) community grants program.
Bob Meyer, assistant commissioner, said the program was established in special session law and requires the DNR to prioritize funding to communities adversely affected by pollution and environmental degradation, support aquatic invasive species management and fund certain trail maintenance. "We're in the implementation phase," Meyer said, adding the department will balance speed and fraud prevention as it moves to award funds.
Mary Robinson, the DNR's chief financial officer, described program design elements the department will follow, drawing comparisons to the Conservation Partners Legacy program. Robinson said the community grants program will not require local matching funds, will allow fiscal agents (larger organizations that can manage grants on behalf of smaller groups), and will offer both expedited small grant rounds and a standard round for larger projects.
Robinson said expedited rounds are intended to move quickly and therefore will not include capital projects or land acquisition; expedited grants were described in the report as having a lower fiscal cap (the presentation referenced expedited grants "up to 50,000" and standard grants "up to 750" in the agency's slide deck). The department also plans to provide technical assistance, application support and expanded administrative funding to help smaller organizations apply and manage grants.
On oversight, DNR staff said they will use pre-award financial reviews, grant monitoring and on-site visits as appropriate. Catherine Sherman Hohen, agency-wide grants manager, said large capital equipment purchases would be tracked through an asset management system and that smaller supplies and tools would be allowable under a supplies-and-equipment category. When asked about advances for expedited grants, Robinson said advances would be handled case-by-case and that the Office of Grants Management's standards would guide whether partial advances, phased payments, and clawback provisions are used.
Committee members pressed the agency about safeguards against fraud and about whether mandatory training would be required for fiscal agents; Robinson said training for fiscal agents is part of the plan and that the administrative 5% the department may use will pay staff who provide technical assistance and a grants-management system. Meyer said the department hopes to appoint the advisory council in March and to have some small grants out by midterm of the fiscal year.
The committee asked for and received clarifications on monitoring approaches and the department's intent to use both in-person verification and other verification methods depending on project type. DNR officials said they will continue working with the Office of Grants Management to finalize details on advances, clawback terms and monitoring protocols.
No votes were taken at the hearing; DNR officials said they will return with updates as implementation proceeds and the advisory council is formed.
