Proposition 1 Regionwide Grants

Purpose

Priorities for RMC Prop 1 Grants: 1. Ecosystems and watershed protection and restoration projects 2. Expand access to diverse populations 3. High-need project implementation

Description

Proposition 1 allocation to the RMC is pursuant to Chapter 6 Protecting Rivers, Lakes, Streams, Coastal Waters and Watersheds and sets forth thirteen specific purposes and all grant funds must achieve at least four or more of the following objectives in order to receive funds: 1. Protect and increase the economic benefits arising from healthy watersheds, fishery resources and instream flow. 2. Implement watershed adaptation projects in order to reduce the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems. 3. Restore river parkways throughout the state, including but not limited to projects pursuant to the California River Parkways Act of 2004, in the Urban Streams Restoration Program established pursuant to Section 7048 and urban river greenways. 4. Protect and restore aquatic, wetland and migratory bird ecosystems including fish and wildlife corridors and the acquisition of water rights for instream flow. 5. Fulfill the obligations of the State of California in complying with the terms of multiparty settlement agreements related to water resources. 6. Remove barriers to fish passage. 7. Implement fuel treatment projects to reduce wildfire risks, protect watersheds tributary to water storage facilities and promote watershed health. 8. Protect and restore rural and urban watershed health to improve watershed storage capacity, forest health, protection of life and property, stormwater resource management, and greenhouse gas reduction. 9. Protect and restore coastal watershed including but not limited to, bays, marine estuaries, and nearshore ecosystems. 10. Reduce pollution or contamination of rivers, lakes, streams, or coastal waters, prevent and remediate mercury contamination from legacy mines, and protect or restore natural system functions that contribute to water supply, water quality, or flood management. 11. Assist in the recovery of endangered, threatened, or migratory species by improving watershed health, instream flows, fish passage, coastal or inland wetland restoration, or other means, such as natural community conservation plan and habitat conservation plan implementation. 12. Protect and enhance an urban creek as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 7048 and its tributaries pursuant to Division 22.8 (commencing with Section 32600) of, and Division 23 (commencing with Section 33000) of, the Public Resources Code and Section 79508. 13. Assist in water-related agricultural sustainability projects that promote water conservation. Applications: Applications will be submitted in two phases: a Concept Proposal and a Full Application. Applicants will first submit a Concept Proposal that will be reviewed by RMC staff for consistency with RMC goals, any specific program priorities, and the strength of the proposed project. In addition, RMC staff will look at all Concept Proposals for location, need, project type, readiness, threats, cost, and cost share. RMC staff will offer applicants feedback regarding alignment with priorities, overall merit, and any ineligible costs. RMC staff will select Concept Proposals to move forward and will invite selected applicants to submit Full Applications.