RRG Planning Grants

Eligible Applicants:

• Cities, Towns, Counties, other political subdivisions
• Tribal governments in Montana
• Divisions of state government

These governmental entities have included: cities, towns, counties, conservation districts, irrigation districts, joint boards of control, water and/or sewer districts, school districts and universities, other special districts, regional water authorities, and state agencies. 

Eligible Projects:

Eligible funding types are specified in MCA 85-1-602. Grants may fund the following types of projects: 

• Feasibility, design, research, and resource assessment studies. 

• Preparation of construction, rehabilitation, or production plans. 

Examples of Eligible Projects:

• Preliminary Engineering Reports
• Technical Narratives 
• Watershed Restoration Plans
• Watershed Restoration Project Plans
• Updates to existing PER’s and Technical Narratives
• Capital Improvement and Growth Plans
• Design-Only
• Asset Inventory/Asset Management Plans
• Other: Groundwater Monitoring Plans, Hydrogeologic Assessments, Source Watershed Assessments, Sampling & Analysis Plants, Surveys, and other Technical Reports

RRGL Planning Grant Funding Limits: 

• Preliminary Engineering Report ($40,000)
• Technical Narrative ($30,000)
• Watershed Restoration Plan ($40,000)
• Watershed Restoration Project Plan ($30,000)
• Update to existing PER or Technical Narrative ($20,000)
• Capital Improvement Plan or Growth Plan ($20,000) 
• Design Only Documents ($20,000) 
• Asset Inventory/Asset Management Plans ($20,000)
• Other - Groundwater Monitoring Plans, Surveys, Etc. ($20,000)

Additional Considerations:

• DNRC allows only one grant per planning effort. An applicant may submit more than one application per cycle for clearly distinct projects per cycle. However, DNRC may award only one planning grant per
  applicant per cycle in order to achieve geographic balance in the promotion of renewable resource grant funds. DNRC recommends that applicants submit one priority application per cycle.
  • Applicants who submit more than one planning grant application will be asked to prioritize their
    applications due to DNRC’s goal for geographic spread of grant funding in Montana.
  • To achieve adequate geographic spread, applicants who were awarded grant funding in a
    previous cycle within the same biennium, may not receive funding for their current application.
• DNRC may not reimburse the full planning grant amount if the agency determines a grant recipient’s final planning document does not meet the standards described in the RRG Planning Grant Guidance. 
• RRG Planning Grants can only reimburse eexpenses for ttechnical or engineering services. 
• No match required.

Application Review and Award 
DNRC solicits, evaluates, and ranks each application.  Funds are awarded based on rank and available funding.

Start Up Information 

1. Uniform Budget Spreadsheet - Excel Spreadsheet Form
2. Scope of Work - Guidance Document
   • Planning Grant Scope of Work examples - Coming soon! 
3. Funding Commitments - Guidance Document 
4. Grant Management Plan
5. *Conditions of Award as identified in your DNRC award letter

Memorandum of Understanding - Example

Guidance for Sponsored or Partner Grants

Grant Management

Reimbursements 

• Reimbursement requests are accepted via Submittable with a “request form” which the recipient can initiate at any time under their submission (see Filling out Forms) 
  • Please note that the DNRC will reimburse the Planning Grant recipient a maximum of 50% of the total grant amount for incurred expenses once the grant receipt submits a draft planning document. DNRC will reimburse the balance of the grant funds upon receipt of an approved final planning document.
• See the DNRC Reimbursement Guidance Document but please note that some matters identified in this document may not apply to RRG Planning grants (i.e. progress reports) 

Reporting 

• DNRC does not require quarterly or more frequent progress reports for Planning Grants.

Amendments

• DNRC Grant Amendment Request Process - Guidance Document

• Alternatives Analysis Guidance 
• Preparation of Preliminary Engineering Report 

Additional Funding Opportunities

• WASACT Funders Table
• MCEP Planning Grant Page