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PIC grantee Rigler classroom

Partners in Conservation (PIC) Information

This program provides funding to support conservation projects and conservation education in the District. In order to be eligible for funding, projects or events must be located within the District (Multnomah County lying east of the Willamette River) and fit one or more of the following categories: soil erosion prevention/control, soil health, water quality, water conservation, or watershed health.

Eligible applicants include:

• Nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) status is not required if there is a qualified fiscal agent)
• Educational institutions
• Government agencies
• Native American tribes
• Business or commercial property owners

Examples of projects eligible for funding include:

• On-the-ground conservation or restoration projects
• Sustainable agriculture or gardening projects
• Engineering of a conservation project
• Pollution prevention projects
• Sustainable stormwater management projects
• Monitoring projects
• Education of youth and/or adults.

Funding limits and required contribution:

Last year, PIC grants were awarded to 28 projects totaling over $600,000. This year, the District has approximately $550,000 to award among all projects (combined).

The maximum grant amount for this funding cycle is $100,000. Normally we ask the applicant to secure at least a 1:1 match (for every dollar of District funding, applicant must match with at least one dollar of non-District funding) to support the project, but for this cycle we are allowing applications of up to $10,000 without any match requirement. Payment for approved expenses will be made by the District on a reimbursement basis, and applicants are still expected to secure a 1:1 match (funding and/or in-kind contributions) for applications over $10,000.

We specifically encourage projects that serve or engage disadvantaged populations and diverse communities. We also encourage multi-year projects with a plan for long term maintenance and viability. In all cases, projects must show a clear public benefit in either soil erosion prevention/control, soil health, water quality, water conservation, or watershed health.

There are a few changes to the guidelines and application process so please read the application and instructions carefully.

Application process, deadlines:

The application forms have changed, so please be sure to use the most recent forms. In order to simplify and streamline the process, we have eliminated the Pre-Application step. The application may be downloaded from our website. The deadline for Applications is 4:00 pm on Monday, January 16, 2012. We anticipate that applications will be decided upon at the District Board meeting in early May 2012.

Download PIC Guidelines:  PIC Guidelines (56.5 kB)

Download PIC Application:  PIC Application (109.5 kB)

Download PIC BUDGET FORM:  PIC Budget Form (31 kB)