Vermont
Housing &
Conservation
Board

Guidelines for the Award of Associated Costs for Agricultural Conservation Projects

9/12/01

The Board's enabling legislation encourages the use of private or other funding sources in completing eligible projects. It is the policy of the Board to "leverage", to the greatest extent possible, other sources of funding so that the public funds available to the Board can be used to conserve the greatest number of eligible projects. While the Local Conservation Program is the only program with a prescribed match requirement, the Board encourages leverage on all types of projects including the donation of in-kind services, cash, bargain sales, land or easements. At the same time, the Board recognizes the need to cover reasonable associated costs for those projects which do not offer the opportunity of additional funding sources. The Board may award grants for the purpose of developing projects and to cover reasonable associated costs based on the following guidelines.

PRE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

1. Project Feasibility Fund

Staff may grant applicants with up to $8,000 from the Project Feasibility Fund to assist in the development of projects. General planning projects are not eligible for these funds. (Please see Project Feasibility Fund Policy)

2. Project Related Capacity Grants

The Board may, in unusual circumstances, grant eligible applicants a Project Specific Capacity Grant where funds are needed to support staff and to conduct feasibility work prior to submitting an application to the Board. Prior to awarding funds, an applicants must demonstrate that it has secured site control acceptable to VHCB staff. General planning projects are not eligible for these funds (Please see Capacity Grant Policy)

3. Farm Appraisal Fund

Staff may approve grants in the amount of 50% of the cost of the appraisal of a farm project that has been approved by the Board as a pre-application.

ASSOCIATED COSTS GRANT GUIDELINES

The Board encourages applicants to provide in-kind services to the greatest extent possible and encourages the use of other sources to fund associated costs. The amount of other funding sources or the extent to which VHCB funds have leveraged donations of services or interests in land may improve the chances of being funded by the Board.

Associated costs include staff costs, legal and closing costs, and the costs of mapping and documentation. Additional line items such as surveys or management plans may be approved when the Board finds such work is required to complete a project.

Farmland projects of statewide significance are eligible for associated costs of up to $14,500. Local farmland conservation projects are eligible for associated costs of up to $12,000. Both statewide and local farmland conservation projects are eligible for up to $6,000 for Stewardship costs.

VHCB staff will have the flexibility to recommend a additional funds on projects that are particularly complicated (such as those with complicated titles, multiple parcels, multiple towns or similar complications).

The Board will use these fee levels as a guideline and reserves the right to evaluate all project requests on a case-by-case basis.

Please use the following budget format.

PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS TO VHCB

Describe any predevelopment costs already funded by VHCB not included in above expenses (Feasibility Grant, appraisal) ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

TOTAL PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS: __________

VALUE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS/ACREAGE CONSERVED