New program will allocate more than $4 million to boost recreational and outdoor access opportunities in Sierra-Cascade
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is accepting concept proposals for its Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Grant Program. This program will distribute approximately $4.1 million of remaining Proposition 68 funds to projects that enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism within SNC’s Sierra-Cascade service area.
“Proposition 68, passed by voters in 2018, recognized the importance of recreation and tourism to California’s economy and ecology and the SNC has successfully distributed just under $26 of the $30 million allocated to us by the state to many quality projects and efforts that support and expand equitable outdoor access and tourism throughout the Sierra-Cascade,” said Angela Avery, executive officer of the SNC. “Now that the Board has approved the guidelines for the next cycle of funding, we can continue to build upon the success of our partners’ past work and keep expanding and improving vital economic and environmental goals throughout our region.”
Additional information about available funding can be found on the SNC Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Directed Grant Program web page.
Program goals and process
The program aims to support innovative, collaborative efforts to enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities and increase equitable access to public lands in the Sierra-Cascade. It supports planning projects and implementation projects, but project types may not be combined.
All grant awards will be limited to no more than $500,000.
Examples of potential planning project activities include the development of a recreation and tourism collaborative or partnership that identifies and prioritizes site-improvement projects across a large geographic region or other studies/surveys necessary for the implementation of a future on-the-ground recreation project.
Implementation projects are the execution of on-the-ground projects, such as trail building and/or improvements, accessible trails or recreation access points, and site improvements that minimize impacts to natural resources.
Additional considerations in grant awards include projects that engage California Native American tribes and those that benefit disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be a public agency, nonprofit organization, or a tribal entity. Projects must be located within, or provide services to, the SNC’s service area as defined by SNC governing legislation – an area including the mountains and foothills of Sierra Nevada range, much of California’s Cascade range, the Mono Basin, Owens Valley, and parts of the Klamath Mountains.
To initiate consideration of a project, an applicant should contact the appropriate SNC Area Representative or other SNC staff. The Area Representative will assist the applicant to determine if the project meets SNC criteria. If it is determined that SNC will consider partnering on the project, the Area Representative will share the Concept Proposal Form with the applicant and assist in developing the project. Upon review of the Concept Proposal, applicants may be directed to develop a Final Proposal in conjunction with SNC staff.