Or. Admin. Code § 695-035-0040

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 11, November 1, 2024

Section 695-035-0040 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Small Grant Program Grants

(1) Prior to the disbursement of any Small Grant Project funds, the Grantee must sign a Small Grant Project agreement containing such terms and conditions as may be deemed necessary by the OWEB Director to ensure that the expected benefits of the project are realized, and that applicable legal requirements and any special conditions of the Board with regard to particular grants are met.

(2) Each Small Grant Project awarded will be limited to a maximum of $15,000 per project, per landowner, per OWEB fiscal year, including technical assistance and fiscal administrative expenses.

(3) The Board will only enter into new Small Grant project agreements with a grantee once that grantee has addressed to OWEB's satisfaction all active Small Grants with outstanding advances and all expired Small Grants with outstanding advances.

(4) Fiscal administrative expenses included in each Small Grant Project may not exceed 10 percent of the OWEB grant amount for direct project costs. However, project grants for a total of $2,000 or less may include fiscal administrative expenses up to $200, not to exceed the total amount awarded.

(5) A change in fiscal agent requires an amendment to the original grant agreement, and must be requested in writing of the OWEB Small Grant Program.

(6) Travel expenses directly related to project implementation are eligible for funding under the Small Grant Program, subject to OWEB review and approval. Travel expenses will be reimbursed only in accordance with rates approved by the Department of Administrative Services and which are in effect at the time the expense was incurred. The Grantee must identify the reason or purpose for all travel expense reimbursement requests. No mileage reimbursement will be paid for the use of motorcycles or mopeds. The Small Grant Program will not reimburse for meals, lodging, or out-of-state travel.

(7) Equipment purchases directly related to project implementation are eligible for funding under the Small Grant Program, subject to OWEB review and approval. However, OWEB discourages the use of limited Small Grant Project funds on equipment purchases, and instead encourages Teams to work with applicants to obtain equipment through other means, such as borrowing or renting. Following project completion, equipment purchased with OWEB funds will reside with any of the following: watershed council, soil and water conservation district, tribe, local government, or a school district. These entities will make the equipment available to each other at no cost, other than nominal maintenance costs.

(8) Small Grant Project award recipients must provide evidence of at least 25 percent secured match for the Small Grant Project award prior to disbursement of grant funds by including a signature of commitment from the entity(ies) providing match on the OWEB Secured Match Form. Match must be current and specific to the Small Grant Project. The same match may not be used for multi-phased projects, unless it is divided among the phases. Applicants may attach the completed match form to their application or they may submit the form with their first grant award payment request. Disbursement of the final grant award payment requires evidence of actual match contributed, shown on the Actual Match Form. Match may include labor, volunteer time, technical assistance, materials or services provided, donated property, or cash. OWEB funding may not be used as match for a Small Grant Project funded by OWEB.

(9) All Small Grant Projects will be completed within 24 months from the date of Team approval of the application. No project completion extensions beyond 24 months will be allowed.

(10) Upon project completion, the Grantee will provide OWEB and the Small Grant Team with a copy of the Project Completion Report and color photographs with captions. Final project accounting and reporting are due no later than 60 days following the project completion date.

(11) The following standards will be applied to each Small Grant Project payment:

(a) OWEB will not pay for activities that were not covered under the project grant agreement, or did not receive prior approval from OWEB per OAR 695-035-0030(5).

(b) Each Small Grant award will be disbursed in no more than two payments.

(c) The Board will retain ten percent of project funds until the final report, as required in the grant agreement, has been approved.

(d) The first payment may consist either of an advance of up to 60 percent of the Small Grant award upon presentation of a detailed estimate of expenses for a specified time period, or of a reimbursement of expenses to date upon presentation of receipts and invoices.

(e) No funds will be released until evidence is submitted to OWEB that all required permits and licenses for the project have been granted.

(f) Receipts for the full advance amount are due within 120 days of the date OWEB issues the advance check.

(g) The second and final payment will not be disbursed until OWEB receives from the Grantee through the designated fiscal agent:

(A) Receipts and invoices for expenditures of previous fund releases, and receipts and invoices supporting the new fund release request;

(B) A spreadsheet documenting all project expenses;

(C) A completed Actual Match Form, showing all project match, which must total at least 25 percent of the amount of OWEB funds actually spent on the Small Grant Project;

(D) A satisfactory Project Completion Report and color photographs with captions of the project site; and

(E) A current Oregon Watershed Restoration Reporting Form, showing among other things, evidence of actual match contributed.

(12) Two years following receipt by OWEB of the project completion report, the individual designated in the project application will provide OWEB and the local Small Grant Team with a Year-Two Status Report. Applicants may budget for this as an expense to OWEB in the application (not to exceed $200), or they may put the amount toward the required 25 percent match funds by showing the amount in the cost share column.

Or. Admin. Code § 695-035-0040

OWEB 4-2004, f. 11-2-04, cert. ef. 2-1-05; OWEB 3-2005, f. & cert. ef. 6-8-05; OWEB 2-2018, amend filed 04/27/2018, effective 4/27/2018; OWEB 2-2024, amend filed 10/29/2024, effective 7/1/2025

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 541.906

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 541.890 - 541.969