Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Kansas City Urban Conservation Grant program supports conservation efforts of local communities. Eligible partners in the Kansas City metropolitan area (in Missouri) may receive funding for partner- and volunteer-based habitat improvement projects.
Projects should be relevant to three broad goals:
Terrestrial and aquatic habitat improvement in urban areas
Engaging urban residents in conservation through volunteer efforts to improve habitat
Coordinating efforts among similar organizations which share the common goal of improving urban habitats and supporting conservation efforts
Grant awards
The maximum request for grant awards is $30,000 (the total budget) and a minimum of $1,000. Partial project funding may be granted. Indicate in the application whether partial funding would be accepted. . Preference will be given to projects which utilize match or in-kind contributions. There is only $30,000 in the entire grant program. While a request of $30,000 is permissible it would have to be an extraordinarily special project to receive all of our funds. Most grants awarded are between $3,000 and $11,000. Grant funds will be distributed in the fall of 2018.
Eligible Organizations
Applicants should be (1) government entities (e.g., municipal and county parks departments, public schools) or (2) non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporations.
Eligible practices
Land management activities that improve or protect habitat are eligible, e.g. native vegetation establishment, innovative stormwater management practices, and invasive species control. Outreach activities/events and trail development may be eligible for funding if part of a larger habitat improvement project. Preference will be given to project sites located in Cass, Clay, Jackson or Platte Counties.
Funding for equipment purchases must not exceed $1,000.00. Equipment purchases over this amount may count toward in-kind contributions.
Grantees will be required to sign a grant agreement, submit progress reports that include both a financial and narrative summary on progress toward project completion, and comply with all terms of the agreement. Projects must be completed within 2 years of signing the grant agreement.
Proposal ranking
Proposals will be ranked by the Urban Conservation Grant Selection Committee based on the following criteria (100 points possible):
Value and quality of habitat restoration or improvement activities based on the following criteria: (25 points)
Rare or remnant habitats
Scale of project
Projects that demonstrate concepts new to the region
Project sites in Cass, Clay, Jackson or Platte Counties
Project completion and long term management plan (25 points)
Include a detailed and realistic timeline of project activities and how funds will be spent on a quarterly or seasonal basis.
A long term plan should be included which describes management activities following completion of grant project to maintain habitat improvements.
Partnerships and matching resources (20 points)
Partners are defined as those organizations and entities that contribute financially or in-kind to the project. This does not include contractors who will be paid for services.
Priority will be given to projects that have at least one non-MDC funding source, or that provide a detailed list of in-kind contributions such as volunteer time, equipment use, and materials.
Volunteer roles and support (15 points)
Priority will be given to projects that involve area residents in project activities.
Projects will be awarded a greater number of points for having identified volunteers who are committed to project implementation and on-going maintenance.
Volunteer labor should be counted as in-kind project contribution; calculate value of volunteer labor at $15.00/hour.
Visibility and outreach potential (15 points)
Projects that are accessible to the surrounding community and have high visibility receive a greater number of points.
Projects that have potential for outreach and education use also receive higher points.
Proposal deadline for FY 2019 funds
Proposals must be received by 5pm on May 30, 2018.
Grant proposals may be sent as a pdf document to stephen.vanrhein@mdc.mo.gov or mailed to:
Stephen Van Rhein
Missouri Department of Conservation
4750 Troost
Kansas City, MO 64110
Assistance and questions
Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the grant program coordinator prior to submitting an application to discuss a potential project and the application requirements.
Grant program coordinator contact:
Stephen Van Rhein, Community Conservation Planner
email: stephen.vanrhein@mdc.mo.gov
Missouri Department of Conservation
Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center
4150 Troost
Kansas City, MO 64110
Phone: 759-7305 ext. 1128
MDC reserves the right to modify its procedures, standards and policies from time to time without prior notice and without the consent of applicants or others. While it is not the intent of MDC to inconvenience or disadvantage applicants, MDC believes it must retain the ability to adjust to changing legal, factual and experiential circumstances in discharging its statutory responsibilities and fulfilling the goals of the grant program.
In addition and for the same reasons, MDC reserves the right to reject any and all applications and to award such grants as MDC may determine to be appropriate from time to time. The points set forth in this application are not totally determinatives as to whether a grant is awarded. And MDC reserves the right to consider other factors in awarding grants.
Proposal format and requirements
Proposals must be received by 5pm on May 30, 2018. Please limit grant applications to 5 pages or less (not including maps or letters of support) and use the following format for grant applications:
Project title:
Lead organization:
Project manager: primary project contact name, email, address and phone number
Project location: Include a map/ aerial photo or sketch of the project site (hand drawn maps are acceptable) to allow the selection committee to visualize project. Clearly identify project components in the map or sketch. If the project is located on a property not owned by the lead contact, include a letter from the property owner stating support for the project.
Project description: Give a detailed description of project objectives, activities, land management practices, and an associated timeline. If the project involves plantings, include a list of plant species to be used. If this is a project which received previous MDC Community Stewardship Grant funding, provide information on previous years’ project accomplishments.
Measurable outcomes: Identify specific, measurable outcomes that can be used to track progress, such as number of acres improved, number of trees planted, or number of volunteer hours attained.
Project partners: List partner organizations and entities and describe the contribution (financially, in-kind, or volunteer) of each partner to the project. Do not include paid contractors as partners unless services are donated.
Project budget and grant request amount: Include an itemized budget that indicates the source and intended use of funds. Include values for matching funds, in-kind contributions, and volunteer efforts. Indicate whether partial funding would be accepted.
Long-term maintenance/ management plan: Describe how improvements will be maintained or managed following initial project completion. If the project includes honeysuckle or other exotic plant removal, describe how the area will be retreated to control regrowth.
Organization(s) and contact information: Identify project’s lead organization and partner organizations. Include organization contacts (e.g., staff names, titles, addresses, phone and email). Schools must include a letter of support from the school principal and identify a staff member as the lead project contact.
Fiscal responsibility: Identify grantee fiscal agent and signature authority for grant agreement, and list nine-digit Federal Tax Id Number. Provide a list of organization’s board members and officers if applicable.
Letters of partner commitment: If the project is located on a property not owned by the lead contact, include a letter from the property owner stating support for the project. Include other letters of support as applicable.