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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Weed BoardEconomic Development Fund Discretionary Grant Program Organization: Deschutes County Weed Board of Orchard District Neighborhood Organization Description: This Board advises the Board of Commissioners on matters relating to noxious weeds and provides oversight of the County's vegetation management program. The Board works with the Bend Orchard District Neighborhood, which is a non-profit organization. Project Name: Let's Pull Together Project Description: Let's Pull Together is a countywide effort to raise awareness about noxious weeds and invasive species. Over the past seven years, it has grown from an Orchard Neighborhood Association's weed pull to what is now a statewide campaign. There are 17 weed pull sites identified countywide in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. Last year, more than 891 volunteers participated in Deschutes County. In the past, a stipend for the event organizer has come from State and Provate Forest Health Act grant funding. Project Period: March 1, 2010 — June 12, 2010 Amount of Request: $3,000 Previous Grants: • May 2007: $1,500 Let's Pull Together (Baney $1,000; Luke $500) • May 2008: $3,500 Let's Pull Together (Luke $2,000; Baney $1,000; Daly $500) Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION Direct Application to: Commissioner Tammy Baney Commissioner Dennis R. Luke Date: March Project Name: Project Beginning Date: Amount of Request: Commissioner Alan Unger All Three Commissioners x Let's Pull Together, County -wide weed pull March 1, 2010 I$3,000 Applicant/Organization: Address: Project End Date: Date Funds Needed: Deschutes County Weed Board for the Orchard District Neighborhood 1300 NW Wall Street Contact Name(s): Fax: Paul Stell Dann Sherwin 541 388 3613 Alternate Phone: Tax ID #: City & Zip: Telephone: Email: 541 948 4088 June 12. 2010 May 15, 2010 11 - 3687192 Bend 97701 541 388 5435 541 322 7135 oaul (a)bendnarksandrec. ore On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. Attach: Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status. * Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget. Tammy Baney: Dennis Luke: Alan Unger: Amount: Amount: Amount: Signature: Signature: Signature: On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. The Deschutes County Weed Board advises the BOCC on matters relating to noxious weeds and provides oversight of the County's vegetation management program. The non-profit Bend Orchard District Neighborhood Association works with the Weed Board as a mechanism through which private donations and sponsorships are channeled for Let's Pull together. The Weed Board Chair is Paul Stell, Natural Resource Manager for Bend Metro Park & Recreation District. Cheryl Howard is a founding member of the Orchard District Neighborhood Association, a Weed Board member and the Let's Pull Together event coordinator. Dan Sherwin is the Deschutes County Vegetation Manger. Along with other members of the Weed Board and many volunteers these are the lead people regarding the Let's Pull Together weed pull event and those requesting funds from the Deschutes County Economic Development Fund Discretionary Grant Program. The Weed Board supports the Vegetation Manager with several out reach efforts throughout the year, including the County Fair, Home and Garden Show, Sportsman Show, Riverfest, Neighborhood and Homeowner Association meetings, Farm Bureau, Cattlemen's Association, Soil and Water Conservation District and many other points of contact with the public. Let's Pull Together is the biggest outreach effort for the Weed Board and has been a tremendous success and a model for the state as featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting's Oregon Field Guide. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. Let's Pull Together is a (state) county -wide effort to raise awareness and educate the general public about noxious weeds and invasive species. Over the last six years it has grown from the Orchard District Neighborhood Association's first city wide weed pull to what is now a statewide campaign. Other counties have started their own weed pulls following Deschutes County's example. There are so far 7 identified and several to be determined (TBD) weed pull sites identified countywide in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. Last year over 891 volunteers participated in Let's Pull Together in Deschutes County. The event also continues to receive support from Central Oregon's legislators, city councils and mayors. Funding for Let's Pull Together in the past has come from sponsors and donors (see #6) as well as grants. A stipend for the event organizer has come from State and Private Forest Health Act grant funding. This program has been cut substantially and its future, like the Timber Receipt Replacement funding, is in serious doubt. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. Normally, preparations begin at the first of the year. Last fall Let's Pull Together organizer, Cheryl Howard was approached by SOLV (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism) and it appeared they might assist with funding Let's Pull Together as one of their statewide programs. That did not come to pass and valuable time was lost that would have been used to do the necessary solicitations for sponsorship of the weed pull on June 13 2009. Below is listed the sponsors and donors that have made the weed pull possible and are now being contacted again for this year's event. Ms. Howard has donated countless hours over the past 8 years to make the event happen. This year her personal situation has not allowed as much time for making all the contacts with the many businesses to enlist their support. However, the event is a very successful means for the Weed Board to get out a very positive message about invasive species and we wish it to continue. Following is an outline of Weed Pull Coordinator, Howard's scope of work for the 2010 Let's Pull Together. • Write press releases. • Coordinate media and advertising with city, county and all Deschutes County publishers and broadcasters. • Coordinate participating organizations, sponsors, in kind, support crews and site coordination • Coordinate diverse weed pull locations. • Provide direction and support for site coordinators and noxious weed experts, schools, park district, volunteer organizations. • Secure appropriate permits, waivers and insurance forms for each weed site, festivities from city/parks. • Coordinate all advertising, logo submission and design review with graphic design firm • Secure sponsorships and in-kind sponsorships. • Invitations to dignitaries (representatives, city council, chamber, etc.). • Coordinate weed pick up and disposal, all locations. • Secure BBQ's permits from the health department. • Rent or purchase tents, tables, hardware, food items, refreshments, disposal, entertainment, vendors, ADA accessibility plans, etc. • Volunteer recruitment • Secure prizes for festivities. • Coordinate and produce the program. • Event summaries and evaluations and paying all invoices and providing tax receipts and thank you letters to all sponsors and in-kind sponsors. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. Noxious weeds have a direct correlation with property values and environmental health. Agriculture and urban lands infested with weeds are not as productive or as appealing as a healthy landscape. Invasive species displace native plant communities and have a direct impact on wildlife. The primary engine in the Central Oregon economy is tourism. Weed infested landscapes detract from the natural beauty of Deschutes County. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. Raising awareness about noxious weeds will benefit everyone in Deschutes County, but specifically ranchers, farmers, real estate, COBA, tourism industry, fire fighters and wildlife. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. The budget for 2010 will probably be similar to the 2009 budget which was considerably less than in previous years due to the economic down turn. The budget is dependent on how many successful solicitations there are. The Orchard District Neighborhood Association continues to be the non-profit organization through which donors and sponsors can direct their support for the event. Sponsors 2008 2009 Bend Metro Parks 2000 2000. Bonneville Power 1500 2000 Brooks Resources Corporation 500 0 City Of Redmond 1500 Deschutes County 3500 Jack Robinson 8 Sons, Inc. 250 0 Miller Lumber 250 200 Moon Fire Sun 250 0 OLCA 250 250 PacifiCorp/Pacific Power 250 250 Round Butte Seed Growers 500 500 Silvan Power Company 1000 0 TransCanada 3000 1000 Crop Production Services 500 500 Wild Birds Unlimited 250 0 1000 0 Winter Creek Restoration 250 0 Oregon State Parks 0 Sun Mountain Fun Center 250 DuPont 0 Total Sponsorships 15750 7950 LPT Costs 2009 Print £t Ads Pronto Print 0 The Nugget 0 The Source Weekly 0 The Bulletin 1000 The Redmond Current 0 News Channel 21 0 Printing Signs x20 0 The Frontier 0 1000 BBQ 2009 Costco 1500 Redmond Lockers 675 Greg Cross 0 Culinary 250 Southwick 0 T-shirts 600@4.57 0 Tents £t Tables 1748 Press Pro's (Tickets) 0 Wrist Bands 0 Insurance 383 Disposal 59 Misc. BBQ 1500 Permits 40 7155 Our advertising budget was cut substantially in 2009; a cost savings effort that likely will not be repeated as many would-be volunteers reported that they did not know the event date, reducing our 09 numbers from the year prior by approximately 300. In 2010, LPT received a $5000 dollar grant from REI to be used for merchandise (purchased from REI) for volunteers (our tee shirts) for 2010. A $10,000 in-kind contribution by KOHD for noxious weed identification PSA's which will run for six weeks. The PSA's will be aired three weeks prior to the June 12, 2010 LPT event and for three weeks after to assist the general public in identifying the various common noxious weeds of Central Oregon during the bloom season. LPT will pay $1000 for the production of these PSA's. Overall, in-kind sponsorships yield about $20,000 for the event implementation. Prize sponsorships for our volunteer appreciation drawing during the festivities have a similar value. This has been a large part of the success, growth and anticipation of this event annually.