Section 51.04. Application procedures and organization eligibility for grant assistance.

 

(1)   Application procedures.

(a) Nonprofit conservation organizations that apply to the department for urban greenspace grants under s. 23.09 (19) , Stats., subch. XIII , aids for the acquisition and development of local parks under s. 23.09 (20) , Stats., and subch. XII , acquisition of development rights grants under s. 23.09 (20m) , Stats., and subch. XV , and urban rivers grants under s. 30.277 , Stats., and subch. XIV , shall follow application procedures listed under s. NR 51.906 .

(b) Except as provided in par. (a) nonprofit conservation organizations shall use all of the following procedures when submitting applications to the department:

1. Applications for funding under this chapter shall be submitted to the appropriate region office on forms provided by the department. The department may request more detailed information and may withhold evaluation of the application until the additional information requested has been received.

2. Sponsors shall submit applications on the prescribed department form. The department may approve applications when submitted, year-round, to the extent that funds are available, or if substantially oversubscribed for available funding, the department may establish application deadlines for subchapters of the stewardship program in order to evaluate and prioritize competing applications.

3. The department shall provide written notification to sponsors of the department decision regarding their applications after all application materials have been received and acted upon by the department.

4. The department may provide a conditional decision to approve a project or award a grant, but withhold a final decision or grant payment until identified contingencies are satisfied.

(2)   Organization eligibility.

(a) An organization shall be eligible for the stewardship program once it has provided evidence satisfactory to the department that it is a nonprofit conservation organization under s. NR 51.002 (21) . Evidence shall include all of the following:

1. Most recent IRS Filing (Form 990). Organizations not required to file Form 990 shall provide most recent year-end financial statements.

2. A copy of the most recent audit. Organization shall comply with annual Single Audit requirements as specified in OMB Circular A-133.

3. Most recent annual financial statements consisting of income statement and balance sheet.

4. A copy of the nonprofit conservation organization's by-laws.

5. A copy of the nonprofit conservation organization's articles of incorporation.

6. A copy of the IRS letter of tax-exempt status determination.

7. A description of endowment funds, if applicable.

8. Other materials in support of the nonprofit conservation organization's eligibility including brochures about the organization, newsletters, annual reports, copy of land acquisition policies, criteria for evaluation of land, or other materials.

(am) By April 30 of each year, the department shall establish and publish on its stewardship grant web site a cumulative federal and state funds threshold amount for which organizations will be required to annually submit items in pars. (2) (a) 1. , (2) (a) 2. , and (2) (a) 3.

(b) Organizations shall have their boards of directors adopt a resolution indicating the organization's commitment to continual progress toward implementation of Land Trust Standards and Practices . Organizations shall submit the adopted resolution to the department.

(c) An organization shall request grant eligibility on a form provided by the department.

(d) The department may award a grant under this chapter to a sponsor after the sponsor has provided evidence satisfactory to the department that it has the financial capacity and the ability to acquire property and provide for its long-term management and maintenance.

(e) The department may periodically review an organization's eligibility.

Cr. Register, October, 1990, No. 418 , eff. 11-1-90; am. (2), (6) (a) 2., 4. b., (b) 2. and (c) 1., cr. (6) (a) 4. c., r. (6) (a) 7., 10., 11., (b) 8. and (c) 10., renum. (6) (a) 8., 9., 12., (b) 9., 10., (c) 11. to 13. to be (6) (a) 7., 8., 9., (b) 8., 9., (c) 10. to 12. and am. (6) (a) 7., Register, June, 1994, No. 462 , eff. 7-1-94; r. and recr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482 , eff. 3-1-96; emerg. am. (1) (a), r. (3), renum. (4) to be (1) (d), eff. 9-1-00; CR 00-135 : am. (1) (a), r. (3), renum. (4) to be (1) (d), Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01; CR 10-127 : am. (title), (2) (a), renum. (1) (a) to (d), (2) (b) to be (1) (b) 1. to 4., (2) (d) and am., cr. (1) (a), (b) (intro.), (2) (am), (b), (c), (e) Register February 2012 No. 674 , eff. 3-1-12.

Note

Copies of application forms and instructions are available from the DNR, Bureau of Community Assistance, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Copies of IRS Form 990 are available online at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f990.pdf . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 To view the department website, please go to: http://dnr.wi.gov . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 To obtain a copy of a sample resolution and learn more about the Land Trust Standards and Practices , please go to: http://www.landtrustalliance.org . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1