Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program Overview

WESTERN WILDLAND URBAN WESTERN WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE GRANT PROGRAM INTERFACE GRANT PROGRAM Program Overview & Application Process

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

Western State Fire Managers, WUI Grant Committee 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 Mariana Islands, and Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Overview of Grant Process Overview of Grant Process 1. 1. Draft applications can be developed in pdf. A pdf of the FY 2022 State Fire Assistance WUI 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 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 applicants to improve and strengthen applications if so desired. Final applications are submitted on the standard online WUI Competitive Grant Application for eligible projects. 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 The Division of Forestry will set an internal state deadline for draft & final applications. You must contact must contact Darren.finley@alaska.gov Darren.finley@alaska.gov to to receive a web link to an online application portal 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 entering and submitting your final proposal. A project name is needed in order to establish a link. link. 2. 2. The Division of Forestry reviews and prioritizes applications for submittal. No more than ten 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 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 Committee. Final online submittal to the Western WUI Grant Committee is done by the Division of Forestry only. Division of Forestry only. 3. 3. The Western WUI Grant Scoring Committee screens all applications and scores them based on 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 program criteria, then recommends awards based on available funding in a report to the Council of Western State Foresters in the fall. Council of Western State Foresters in the fall. 4. 4. The CWSF approves final funding allocations and notification is made to the members of The CWSF approves final funding allocations and notification is made to the members of tentative award. (November tentative award. (November- -early December) early December) 5. Members notify individual applicants once funding is secure and available. (early summer) 5. Members notify individual applicants once funding is secure and available. (early summer)

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

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

BE COMPETITIVE! BE COMPETITIVE! Remember, the Western Wildland Urban Interface Remember, the Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program is a competitive process! Grant Program is a competitive process! Mathematical errors, using inappropriate match Mathematical errors, using inappropriate match funding, or simply failing to adequately explain funding, or simply failing to adequately explain some facet of your project could mean the some facet of your project could mean the difference between a perfect score and difference between a perfect score and something less. something less. In any given year, there will be an average of 110 In any given year, there will be an average of 110 applicants, seeking 4 applicants, seeking 4- -5x more funding than is 5x more funding than is available. available. Success depends upon a solid application! Success depends upon a solid application!

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

APPLICATION APPLICATION SCORING & SCREENING SCORING & SCREENING AT THE WESTERN AT THE WESTERN REGIONAL LEVEL REGIONAL LEVEL

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

How are the applications scored? The committee currently uses a The committee currently uses a 45 allocated per the following criteria: allocated per the following criteria: 1. 1. Budget line items clear and expenditures relevant to project Budget line items clear and expenditures relevant to project goals & objectives? (5 points) goals & objectives? (5 points) 2. 2. Project clearly defined? (5 points) Project clearly defined? (5 points) 3. 3. Planning Linkages clearly defined? (5 points) Planning Linkages clearly defined? (5 points) 4. Project Activities?(10 points) 4. Project Activities?(10 points) 5. Landscape Attributes clearly defined (5 points) 5. Landscape Attributes clearly defined (5 points) 6. Project Collaboration clearly defined? (5 points) 6. Project Collaboration clearly defined? (5 points) 7.Project Timeline (5 points) 7.Project Timeline (5 points) 8. Project Sustainability clearly defined(5 points) 8. Project Sustainability clearly defined(5 points) TOTAL TOTAL AVAILABLE AVAILABLE POINTS POINTS = = 45 45point scoring process, point scoring process, 45

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

ALLOCATION OF FUNDING ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR PROJECTS FOR PROJECTS

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

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

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

Thank you for your interest in the Thank you for your interest in the Western Wildland Urban Western Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program. Interface Grant Program. Best of luck in preparing Best of luck in preparing your application your application For more information: Darren.finley@alaska.gov Darren.finley@alaska.gov For more information: PowerPoint updated 6/2021 PowerPoint updated 6/2021