02 NCAC 60B .0807. AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL GRANT PROGRAM

The expanded Forestry Title of the 1990 Farm Bill includes authorization of President Bush's America the Beautiful tree planting program.  Congress appropriated funds for the Department of Agriculture, and these funds are allocated to the states through the U.S. Forest Service.  The Division allocates funds to communities and organizations through matching, competitive grants.  The following procedure is used to allocate grants:

(1)           A request for proposals, which advises of participation requirements, is advertised statewide through available means.  Proposals are sent to the Urban Forestry Program Director, Division of Forest Resources, P. O. Box 27687, Raleigh, NC 27611‑7687.

(2)           Funding criteria are established in the Request for Proposals.  All proposals received are reviewed, evaluated and a priority ranking assigned by the Division with input from the North Carolina Urban Forest Council and Extension Forest Resources in conformity with the Urban and Community Forestry Federal Assistance Management Handbook.  This Handbook is available in the Division of Forest Resources Central Office, 512 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC.  This Handbook is adopted by reference in accordance with G.S. 150B‑14(c).

(3)           Recommended grantees are forwarded to the Department for final approval.

(4)           Grants are awarded based on the highest rating in priority until funds are exhausted.  In case of a tie between communities that causes the fund to be exceeded, a prorated cost share will be granted, not to exceed available funds.

(5)           Grant recipients are advised as to length of grant period and timetable to submit verification of compliance including the 50 percent match.  If grant objectives are not met, the entire amount must be returned.

(6)           The Division will establish a system to account for work accomplished by grant recipients.  Full use will be made of all Federal granting procedures.  Complete documentation of all costs related to the grant project must be provided to the Division within 15 calendar days after the termination date of the grant period.

(7)           Tree planting projects must meet current standards to the extent such standards have been developed by urban forestry professionals for the specific sites involved.

(8)           Grant recipients must provide the Division with copies of landscape designs, street tree management plans, and other similar activities.

(9)           Reasonable consultant costs can be included in the grant request.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 106-22; 143B‑10(j);

Temporary Rule Eff. May 31, 1991 for a Period of 180 Days to Expire on November 27, 1991;

ARRC Objection Lodged June 21, 1991;

Eff. November 1, 1991;

Transferred from 15A NCAC 09C .1007 Eff. May 1, 2012.