Washington Council of Trout Unlimited

Grant Application and Evaluation Policy

2014

The purpose of this writing is to document the Washington Council of Trout Unlimited (WCTU) Grant Application and Evaluation Policies.

Each year the WCTU accepts grant applications from its Chapters, evaluates them and awards grants based on the quality of the application and the funding available to the Council. Each year the Council budgets monies for Chapter grants. Our bylaws do not allow the Council to award monies beyond that budgeted amount, nor does it allow awarding grant monies beyond the current “assets on hand”.

Steps for applying for a grant:

  1. Plan your project, determine costs and review the plans with a sponsoring Chapter President or State Council Officer.
  2. Access (WCTU website) and read the WCTU Grant Application Policy and Grant Evaluation Form.
  3. Fill out the Grant Application Form.
  4. Have sponsoring Chapter President or State Council Officer sign the Grant Application. (option: an email from the sponsor to the State Council Chair is acceptable)
  5. Submit the Grant Application to the current State Council Chair.

Then:

The State Council Chair will submit the application to the Grant Evaluation Committee members.

Grant Applications will be reviewed by the Grant Evaluation Committee as they are received.

The Grant Evaluation Committee members will have no more than two weeks to; evaluate, comment and approve or reject the grant. Grant Evaluation Committee members will send their evaluations and recommendations to the Grant Committee Chair with a cc the Council Treasurer and State Council Chair.

The Grant Committee Chair will provide the final team recommendation to the State Council Chair.

The State Council Chair will have the final authority to approve or reject the grant and will notify the Council Treasurer to issue a check to the to the grant requester.

The Council Treasurer will assign a control number to the Grant Request to identify the budget year from which the funds will be disbursed and to provide evidence to the requesting Chapter that the Grant Request is in the approval process.

Chapters may apply for grants using the WCTU Grant Application Form available on the WCTU website.

The Council Officers appoint a “grant evaluation” committee consisting of subject-matter-expert Trout Unlimited (TU) members in good standing. The committee evaluates, scores and provides comments on the projects and makes recommendations for grants to the Grant Committee Chairperson and State Council President. The State Council President has the final authority to approve or reject a grant application.

Each year the State Council Officers will allocate a portion of the total budget for Grant Applications. The State Council Treasurer will manage those funds and assure the budgeted limit is not exceeded. For budgeting purposes, if you know you will be submitting a grant request in the next calendar year, you should forward the amount of your planned request to the Council Treasurer by December 1st.

Grant Applications rejected for lack of current year funding may be resubmitted for consideration in the subsequent year budget cycle.

Grant applications will be reviewed and funded in the order received until the annual grant budget is exhausted.

Any Trout Unlimited member in good standing can apply for a grant. Grants will only be considered that are sponsored by a chartered Washington State Trout Unlimited Chapter and signed by the current Chapter President or sponsored and signed by a State Council Officer.

The Evaluation Committee may recommend to partially fund (or not fund at all) a grant request based on the following factors:

Available funding,

the need to fund several Chapter grant requests with limited available funds,

a large grant request that would deplete most of the annual budgeted grant funds,

a grant request that is determined by the Evaluation Committee to be requesting funds in excess of the projects value to Trout Unlimited,

a project that is determined to be out-of-step with Trout Unlimited goals and values.

The Evaluation Committee and the Washington Council Trout Unlimited President have the final authority on decisions to fund grant requests and determine the amount of funds awarded to any single request. Chapters are always encouraged to seek matching funds from other sources to allow WCTU funds to be shared with as many Chapters as possible. The requesting Chapter must also demonstrate commitment to the project through financial donations or volunteer hours. The commitment does not necessarily need to be equal to the request from the State Council.

The Grant Application Evaluation Worksheet used by the Grant Evaluation Committee to “grade” applications is also posted on the WCTU website. Those applying for grants are encouraged to read the evaluation form to assist them in preparing an application that addresses the graded criteria.

Grant applications to fund Youth Fish-In type events are required to fill in fewer questions than conservation type grant requests and evaluators use a less stringent evaluation process for these type requests. See Grant application form and Grant evaluation form for details.

More than one grant request on a single project, in a given calendar year, will not be considered. Chapters are encouraged to submit a grant for the entire cost of the project, rather than several piecemeal requests.

Grant requests that include significant volunteer involvement will be given extra consideration.

Grant requests that include funding for “salaries” or agency “fees” will not be considered.

The State Council Chair or State Council Treasurer have the authority to ask for an accounting of grant fund dispersal or call for an audit of grant spending. Chapters must keep good accounting records of how grant funds are spent. Within 60 days of the completion of the project, a summary report should be submitted to the Council Chairperson and the Grant Committee Chair.

Projects in varying areas of Chapter activities will be considered for grants. Those include, but are not limited to; restoration, conservation, protection and improvement of scientific knowledge related to Salmonids and their environment, educational projects, kids events, and events that provide positive exposure for Trout Unlimited. Best-science, best-practices, subject-matter-experts, teaming with other organizations and agencies are always encouraged as part of TU projects. Projects should always include good advertising/exposure for Trout Unlimited before and during the event. Membership promotion should be part of the event.

Members of the Grant Evaluation Committee are at the disposal of any Chapter to assist with the grant writing / preparation process or to act as a project grant application adviser.

This document revised 8/5/2014.