Urban Streams Restoration Program

Urban Streams Restoration Program is sponsored by Department of Water Resources. The Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP), established by Water Code section 7048 which declared that urban creek protection, restoration, and enhancement are best undertaken by local agencies and organizations with assistance from the State.

The USRP funds projects and provides technical assistance to restore streams impacted by urban development to a more natural state. The USRP goals include: (1) protecting, enhancing, and restoring the natural, ecological value of streams; (2) preventing future property damage caused by flooding and bank erosion; (3) promoting community involvement, education, and riverine stewardship.

A major objective of the USRP is to bring people together around projects that foster community relationships while ensuring the community’s interests are incorporated into the project’s planning, design, and outcomes. Local community-supported projects can support local economies, renew a community’s understanding of the value of streams, and make them a centerpiece for the community while expanding their contact with nature.

USRP requires a public outreach and education component that is designed to encourage community participation in the planning process, public support for long-term management for a minimum 10-year timeframe, and to increase the public’s understanding of the project’s benefits to the environment and the sustainability of California's water resources.

These activities may include but are not limited to: community organizing, resource interpretation, multilingual translation, natural science, community education, and communication-related to water, parks, climate change resiliency, and other outdoor pursuits. Eligible projects must be consistent with the goals of the USRP outlined in Water Code sections 7048 and Proposition 4.

The USRP has set aside over 40 percent of the grant funds ($15 M) allocated to program to support projects that provide direct and meaningful benefits to Disadvantaged Communities, Severely Disadvantaged Communities and Vulnerable Populations. Eligible project types include, but are not limited to: o Bank stabilization and revegetation.

o Recontouring of channels to improve or reestablish floodplain function and localized flood protection. o Installation of bioswales prior to water reaching urban streams. o Removing of culverts or storm drains to stabilize channels to achieve flood control objectives and daylighting of streams.

o Purchase of lands or structures on lands to allow for floodplain reconnection and floodwater detention or wetlands/tidal zone restoration. The USRP may also fund planning-only grants for projects with an intended construction component. Concept proposals will be reviewed monthly.

Applicants will be invited to submit quarterly full proposals following the concept review.

Urban Streams Restoration Program # Guidelines and Proposal Solicitation Package Department of Water Resources Division of Multibenefit Initiatives Statewide Restoration Initiatives Branch This page intentionally left blank. 1 | P a g e 1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................

4 2 FUNDING ............................................................................................................................ 4 2. 1 Funding Overview .......................................................................................................................

4 2. 2 Funding Sources ........................................................................................................................... 5 2.

3 Implementation Grants ................................................................................................................. 5 2. 4 Technical Assistance ....................................................................................................................

5 2. 5 Direct Expenditures ....................................................................................................................... 6 3 USRP ELIGIBILITY AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS .........................................

6 3. 1 Applicant Eligibility ....................................................................................................................... 6 3.

2 General Grant Requirements ....................................................................................................... 6 3. 3 Eligible Costs .................................................................................................................................

7 3. 4 Indirect costs .................................................................................................................................. 7 3.

5 Ineligible Costs .............................................................................................................................. 9 3. 6 Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality ....................................................................................

10 3. 7 CEQA Compliance and Tribal Consultation ........................................................................... 10 3.

8 Labor Compliance and Prevailing Wages Provisions ........................................................... 11 3. 9 Competitive Bidding and Procurement ...................................................................................

11 3. 10 Signage or Acknowledgement of Credit ............................................................................... 12 3.

11 Easements .................................................................................................................................. 12 3. 12 Monitoring and Maintenance Plan ..........................................................................................

12 3. 13 Income Restrictions .................................................................................................................. 13 3.

14 Indemnification .......................................................................................................................... 13 4 URBAN STREAMS RESTORATION PROGRAM ............................................... 13 2 | P a g e 4.

1 Program Priorities ....................................................................................................................... 13 4. 2 Grant Eligibility ............................................................................................................................

14 5 GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS ........................................................................ 16 5. 1 Applicant Assistance Workshops ............................................................................................

16 5. 2 Online Concept Applications ..................................................................................................... 16 5.

3 Application Package ................................................................................................................... 17 5. 4 Program Schedule .......................................................................................................................

18 6 REVIEW CRITERIA AND AWARD PROCESS .................................................... 18 6. 1 Acceptability and Completeness ..............................................................................................

19 6. 2 Concept Review Criteria ............................................................................................................. 19 6.

3 Full Application Review Criteria ............................................................................................... 20 6. 4 Funding and Awards ...................................................................................................................

22 7 GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS ........................................................................ 23 7. 1 Agreement Execution .................................................................................................................

23 7. 2 Invoicing and Payments ............................................................................................................. 23 7.

3 Reporting ...................................................................................................................................... 24 7. 4 Amendments ................................................................................................................................

24 7. 5 Project Closeout .......................................................................................................................... 25 7.

6 Audits and Record Keeping ....................................................................................................... 25 7. 7 Urban Stream Restoration Program Contact Information ....................................................

26 APPENDIX A – SAMPLE DOCUMENTS AND FORMS .............................................. 27 A1. Example Authorized Resolution Template .............................................................................

28 A2. Environmental Information Form ............................................................................................. 30 A3.

Project Scope of Work Template .............................................................................................. 32 A4. Example Project Schedule ........................................................................................................

36 3 | P a g e A5. Example Project Budget ............................................................................................................ 37 A6.

Private Property Owner Consent Letter (if applicable) ........................................................ 38 A7. Example Property Acquisition Cost Schedule (if applicable) .............................................

39 A8. Example Willing Seller Letter Template (if applicable) ........................................................ 41 A9.

Grantee Identification and Notice of Funding Requirements ............................................. 42 A10. Land Tenure/Site Control Requirements and Property Data Sheet .................................

44 A11. Advance Payment Procedures ............................................................................................... 46 APPENDIX B – Definitions and Acronyms .................................................................

51 4 | P a g e The Urban Streams Restoration Program Guidelines (Guidelines) and Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) establish eligibility requirements and the process used to solicit applications, evaluate proposals, and award funding for the stream restoration projects.

The Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP), established by Water Code section 7048, declares that urban creek protection, restoration, and enhancement are best undertaken by local agencies and organizations with assistance from the State. The USRP funds projects and provides technical assistance to restore streams affected by urban development to a more natural state.

The USRP goals include: (1) Protecting, enhancing, and restoring the aesthetic, recreational and natural ecological value of streams; (2) Preventing future property damage caused by flooding and bank erosion; (3) Promoting community involvement, education, and riverine stewardship.

A major objective of the USRP is to bring people together around projects that foster community relationships while ensuring the community’s interests are incorporated into the project’s planning, design, and outcomes. Local community-supported projects can support local economies, renew a community’s understanding of the value of streams, and make streams a centerpiece for the community while expanding local contact with nature.

The USRP objectives defined in the Water Code direct program staff to connect with communities and encourage community participation in project development and stewardship. The USRP receives funds from various sources. Each funding source has requirements as to what projects or activities may be funded as well as how the funds may be used.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will allocate available funding based on the requirements of each funding source and how those funds may best be used. Under no circumstances may an applicant or funding recipient request a different funding source be used for its proposal or project. The allocation of funds from a specific funding source to a specific proposal or project is within the sole discretion of DWR.

5 | P a g e Currently, the USRP has funding available from the following sources: • The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 4; Pub. Resources Code, § 90000 et seq.) # 2.

3 Implementation Grants DWR funding applications under the USRP shall be awarded through a competitive process. These Guidelines apply to all applications submitted during a solicitation period, and such applications will be evaluated using the criteria presented in these Guidelines. DWR will not revise the grant application package requirements during any period in which grant applications are being solicited.

Sample grant application documents and templates can be found in Appendix A. # 2. 4 Technical Assistance The USRP will consider requests for technical assistance based on the USRP’s staff availability to provide technical assistance .

Technical assistance is defined as a range of multidisciplinary services that are provided by USRP staff to support development of a project that meets the USRP’s goals. Entities that have received technical assistance from the USRP will have greater priority for project implementation grants in future solicitations.

Examples of technical assistance activities include, but are not limited to: Planning and Design: Project concept development; project design or design criteria including habitat design and plant selection; cost estimates; hydraulic modeling and project management.

Environmental and Scientific: Watershed science; environmental planning; permit preparation; coordination with local, State, and federal regulatory agencies; protected species surveys and monitoring; construction monitoring; environmental compliance; iterative performance assessment; data collection; and study design.

Long-term Management Planning: Development of long-term restoration management (monitoring and maintenance) planning and monitoring methods to include in long-term management plans. 6 | P a g e Outreach: Education and capacity building in local communities, curriculum development, meeting facilitation, and educational development. # 2.

5 Direct Expenditures In addition to soliciting competitive grant applications, DWR reserves the right to use any or all of funds for direct expenditures that fulfill the requirements and intent of the legislation and DWR priorities. Direct expenditures must address an interest of the State and the USRP and may be proposed and approved at any time by DWR. Direct expenditures must meet the USRP eligibility criteria.

# 3 USRP ELIGIBILITY AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS The following are general requirements to apply for and receive funding under the USRP. # 3. 1 Applicant Eligibility Tribes, local public agencies, special districts, joint powers authorities, and certified nonprofit organizations (see definition Appendix B) are eligible applicants who can receive funding under the USRP as specified below.

For-profit corporations, non-public entities, and individual landowners are not eligible. The eligible applicant serves as the project applicant, fiscal agent and project sponsor. Local community groups, volunteer restoration groups or other informal organizations may participate in the program by forming a partnership with an eligible applicant.

Community-based or volunteer groups that are not themselves eligible applicants may still lead on-the-ground work, planning, or stewardship activities if they partner with one of the eligible applicants listed above. # 3. 2 General Grant Requirements All applicants that are awarded funding must comply with the State’s general grant requirements.

Before proceeding with the application process, applicants must consider their ability to comply with these requirements.

For a complete list of the general terms and conditions and eligible and non-eligible activities and costs included in all DWR grant agreements, please refer to the Funding Agreement Template, the “Funding Agreement (Contract) Template,” which is posted on the USRP Grants website and provides all of the details associated with contracting with the State, including a complete list of eligible project costs, procedures for disbursement of funds, and operation and maintenance requirements.

It is required that applicants review these terms to ensure acceptability before completing an application, since the terms will not be modified except under 7 | P a g e extraordinary circumstances. If an applicant cannot abide by the general terms and conditions set forth in the Funding Agreement Template, DO NOT submit an application.

Only costs incurred within the term of the executed grant agreement will be eligible for reimbursement. Eligible costs incurred will only be paid in arrears (via reimbursement through invoicing), except as set forth in Appendix A11. Typical activities that may be funded are listed below: • Engineering and design.

• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document preparation and compliance. • Environmental permitting and compliance. • Acquisition of a conservation easement or other title restriction.

• Acquisition of real property where stream and riparian habitat restoration will take place. • Project implementation (includes construction). • Community education and outreach including but not limited to Title 1 school field trip transportation and curriculum development.

• Workforce training directly associated with the funded project. • Compensation for Tribal members providing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in support of project planning, design, implementation, monitoring, stewardship, or other eligible project activities. Expenses incidental to but directly related to the funded project.

• Long-term management plan development. The USRP may allow for indirect cost reimbursement for projects that are providing direct and meaningful benefits to disadvantaged or vulnerable communities and Tribes. The applicant must state the requested indirect cost rate in its full application and may only select one method for USRP consideration.

Whichever of the four methods by which indirect costs may be reimbursed are at the sole discretion of the applicant. Food and beverages, 8 | P a g e fundraising, lobbying and entertainment may not be included as indirect costs. Indirect costs are also called overhead.

The methods and required documentation requirements are: • At the rate set forth in the applicant’s negotiated federal indirect cost rate pursuant to its negotiated cost rate agreement. The applicant must submit a copy of the rate agreement. The rate agreement must be current and effective at the time the application is submitted, and signed by both the applicant and the applicable federal agency.

• The federal de minimis indirect cost rate, which is up to 15%. The applicant may request a rate pursuant to this provision without submitting any information or documentation regarding indirect cost rates. • At a rate negotiated by the applicant with another state agency within the last five years.

The applicant must submit a copy of the rate agreement. The rate agreement should be current and effective at the time the application is submitted. If it is no longer in effect, the applicant will need to certify that the agreement submitted is the most recent version and state the reason(s) that the rate agreement is no longer in effect/was not renewed.

The rate agreement, whether current or not, must be signed by both the applicant and the applicable State agency. • At a rate proposed by the applicant. The applicant may submit an indirect cost rate proposal for consideration by DWR if it does not have an existing indirect cost rate agreement with any federal or state agency.

Applicants requesting reimbursement for indirect costs must calculate their indirect cost rate by adding together all of its indirect costs and then calculating the indirect cost rate by dividing total allowable indirect costs by total allowable direct costs. All of the costs and grants/projects involved in this calculation must be documented.

Documentation of this indirect cost rate must be maintained for the term of any funding agreement using the indirect cost rate (i.e., three years after final payment under the funding agreement).

The applicant will need to submit a letter certifying: (1) the rate being requested; (2) that it was calculated using the method stated above and does not include any ineligible costs (e.g. food, beverages, fundraising, lobbying, or entertainment costs); (3) the records calculating the requested indirect cost rate shall be maintained for the term of any funding agreement executed with DWR.

If an applicant is approved for indirect costs, the rate will be a separate line item in the funding agreement’s budget and will be stated as a specific dollar amount. Any cost that is billed as a direct cost may NOT be included in indirect/overhead. Any increases in funding will increase the indirect cost dollar amount at the same rate as the original award.

Funds may not be “shifted” from other line items into the indirect costs line item of the budget. During the life of the 9 | P a g e grant, the grantee’s indirect cost rate will remain the same, regardless of any changes in a grantee’s indirect cost rate agreement(s) with other entities or a change in the federal de minimis rate.

Any indirect costs incurred by a funding recipient’s partners, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, etc. shall be deducted from the funding recipient’s indirect cost allocation set forth in the funding agreement’s budget line item for indirect costs.

Any indirect costs incurred by a funding recipient’s partners, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, etc. will NOT be considered direct costs for purposes of reimbursement under the funding agreement. Any such indirect costs will be rejected and not be considered eligible costs. Costs that are generally not eligible may include, but are not limited to, the following: • Costs incurred outside the term of the grant agreement.

• Purchase of equipment that is not an integral part of the project. • Establishing a reserve fund. • Purchase of water supply.

• Replacement of existing funding sources for ongoing projects (e.g., other grant programs, bridge loans, etc.). • Expenses incurred in preparation of a proposal/application for the USRP or any other program. • Payment of principal or interest of existing indebtedness or any other interest payments.

• Costs incurred as part of any necessary response and cleanup activities required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Hazardous Substances Account Act; or other applicable law. • Routine operation and maintenance costs.

• Monitoring and assessment costs for efforts required after project construction is complete, unless required and stated in the work plan.

• Costs associated with fundraising or lobbying efforts including financial campaigns, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred to raise capital or to obtain contributions for the project or any 10 | P a g e • Support of existing agency requirements and mandates (e.g., punitive regulatory agency requirements).

• Purchase of real property in excess of the minimum required acreage necessary to operate as an integral part of the project as set forth and detailed by engineering and feasibility studies; or, previously purchased real property. • Construction of trails, paved surfaces, roads, bike paths, or similar infrastructure.

While planning of conceptual design for the USRP funded grant, these features may be included only when they are immediately adjacent to the stream restoration. # 3. 6 Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Applicants will be subject to State and federal conflict of interest laws.

Failure to comply with these laws, including business and financial disclosure provisions, will result in the application being rejected and any subsequent Grant Agreement or contract being declared void. Other legal action may also be taken. Applicable statutes include, but are not limited to, Government Code section 1090 and Public Contract Code sections 10410 and 10411.

Applicants should note that by submitting an application they are waiving their rights to the confidentiality of that application. All proposals, as well as all project materials maintained by the State are subject to disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Gov. Code, § 7920. 000 et seq.)

All applications will be public documents. # 3. 7 CEQA Compliance and Tribal Consultation All activities funded pursuant to the USRP must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub.

Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) Any work that is subject to CEQA and funded under a grant agreement shall not proceed until documents that satisfy the CEQA process are received by DWR and DWR has completed its CEQA compliance. Alternatively, the grantee shall notify DWR if they believe their activities will not be considered a project under CEQA or if their activities qualify for a CEQA exemption.

DWR must ensure the adequacy of the CEQA documents or CEQA exemption before it can provide funding; therefore, early coordination between the lead agency and DWR during the preparation of the CEQA documents will help expedite DWR’s review and approval process.

If CEQA compliance by the grantee or lead agency is not complete at the time a 11 | P a g e funding agreement is executed by the parties, once DWR has considered the environmental documents, it may decide to require changes, alterations, or other mitigation to the project or to not fund the project. Should the State decide to not fund the project, the funding agreement shall be terminated.

Any work subject to CEQA that proceeds prior to DWR’s review and approval process being completed will not be reimbursed and the amount will be reduced from the award amount. DWR recognizes the need for consultation regarding projects that affect California tribal communities.

As such, the lead agency is required to consult with federally recognized Tribes and non-federally recognized Native American Tribes listed on the California Tribal Consultation List maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission pursuant to the procedures set forth in Public Resources Code section 21080. 3. 1.

That section requires the CEQA lead agency to consider project effects on Tribal cultural resources and to conduct consultation with California Native American Tribes. # 3.

8 Labor Compliance and Prevailing Wages Provisions All grantees are bound by the provisions of the Labor Code regarding prevailing wages and shall monitor all contracts subject to reimbursement from any agreement with the State to assure that the prevailing wage provisions of the Labor Code are being met. Current Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) requirements may be found at: http://www. dir.

ca. gov/lcp. asp .

For more information, please refer to DIR’s Public Works Manual at: http://www. dir. ca.

gov/dlse/PWManualCombined. pdf . Before submitting an application, applicants are urged to consult with their legal counsel regarding Labor Code compliance.

DWR will not advise applicants on Labor Code compliance. The grantee will also affirm that it is aware of the provisions of Section 3700 of the Labor Code, which require every employer to be insured against liability for workers’ compensation or to undertake self-insurance. 3.

9 Competitive Bidding and Procurement A grantee’s contracts with other entities for the acquisition of goods, services, and construction of public works with funds provided by the State must be in writing and shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding the securing of competitive bids and undertaking competitive negotiations.

If a grantee does not have a written policy to award contracts through a competitive bidding or sole source process, then the Department of General Services’ State Contracting Manual rules must be followed, and these are available at: https://www. dgs. ca.

gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services- Resources-List-Folder/State-Contracting . Applicants with questions regarding competitive bidding requirements should be directed to their counsel. DWR will not advise applicants on competitive bidding requirements.

12 | P a g e To the extent feasible, DWR encourages the use of services of local and minority owned businesses. # 3. 10 Signage or Acknowledgement of Credit To the extent practicable, a project supported by funds from the USRP will include signage and other relevant forms of acknowledgement informing the public that the project received funds from DWR, and the specific source of bond funds.

Specific verbiage will be included in the final grant agreement, depending on the funding source utilized. The Grantee will prepare and execute a title restriction, conservation easement, or other legal instrument that adequately describes and protects the project improvements funded through the grant award for the subject property in perpetuity, as approved by the State.

The easement or other title restriction must be in the first position, ahead of any recorded mortgage or lien on the property unless this requirement is waived by the State.

Where the Grantee acquires an easement under this Agreement, the Grantee agrees to monitor and enforce the terms of the easement, unless the easement is subsequently transferred to another land management or conservation organization or entity with State permission, at which time monitoring and enforcement responsibilities will transfer to the new easement owner.

Failure to record a title restriction or easement acceptable to the State prior to Project construction may result in termination of the Agreement and require the repayment of all grant funds disbursed to be repaid to the State. # 3.

12 Monitoring and Maintenance Plan All grantees will be required to submit a Monitoring and Maintenance Plan (Plan) that reflects the realistic long-term monitoring and maintenance needs of the Project and should acknowledge recommended activities even if each will only be performed pending the availability of future funding for such purposes.

The Plan will include project information, potential project performance risks, things to be monitored, methodology, the frequency and duration of monitoring and the sampling location for the monitoring activities and list all maintenance activities suited for the project.

The Plan shall also address how the grantee or other responsible party shall access the project site if the site is not owned by the grantee or party responsible for implementing the Plan. The grantee shall maintain and operate the project throughout its life, consistent with the purposes for which the grant was made.

The grantee is responsible for all operations and maintenance costs of the facilities, structures, and 13 | P a g e improvements; the Department of Water Resources is not liable for any costs of such maintenance, management, or operation. The Plan must meet USRP’s requirement to include public support for long-term management for a minimum 10-year timeframe. # 3.

13 Income Restrictions Any capital asset acquired or constructed in any part with grant funds may not be used to generate income of any kind. This includes but is not limited to, revenue derived from leases, rentals or any other fee-based use of the asset.

The grantee shall agree that any refunds, rebates, credits, or other amounts (including any interest) accruing to or received by the grantee pursuant to public funding shall be paid by the grantee to the State, to the extent that they are properly allocable to costs for which the grantee has been reimbursed by the State pursuant to a grant agreement.

As part of the funding agreement, the grantee shall indemnify and hold harmless the State, its officers, agents, and employees from any and all liability from any claims and damages (including inverse condemnation) arising from the planning, design, construction, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation of the project, and any breach of the funding agreement.

# 4 URBAN STREAMS RESTORATION PROGRAM The USRP will set aside a minimum of $15 million to fund projects that provide direct and meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities (DAC), severely disadvantaged communities (SDAC) or vulnerable populations (VP). Direct and meaningful benefits will be evaluated using the Prop. 4 Benefits Assessment document.

DACs and SDACs can be identified using the Climate Bond (Prop 4) Disadvantaged and Severely Disadvantaged Communities Map. Tribes are considered vulnerable populations and will be identified using the California Tribal Consultation List maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC).

Highest priority will be given to projects that provide for climate resiliency through restoration actions in areas demonstrating the greatest climate hazard exposure and social vulnerability to flooding, as identified through the “Flood” hazard on the Climate Vulnerability Map.

Projects located near a DACs, SDACs or VPs may be considered to serve that community if they reduce downstream flooding impacts within a 5-mile radius, or if the applicant provides additional justification and supporting documentation. 14 | P a g e The USRP has reserved a minimum of 35 percent of funding to both small and large projects.

“Small projects” are defined as those with a total project cost (i.e., including funding match) of less than $1 million. If an insufficient number of qualified projects are available to fully meet the allocation requirement, USRP may grant funds to any project that is otherwise qualified, in order to ensure that all available funds are used efficiently.

Priority will be given to: • Projects with innovative green infrastructure and bioengineering solutions (using natural infrastructure or leveraging ecosystem services) that reduce flooding and erosion problems and utilize native plants. • Projects that improve riverine habitat connectivity (aquatic or terrestrial), support biodiversity, and help wildlife adapt to climate impacts.

When using the habitat mapping tool, applicants should focus on the riverine connectivity layers. If using the Terrestrial Habitat Connectivity Mapping, be sure to turn on the “Potential Riparian Connections – CEHC” layer, which highlights areas along streams and rivers where riparian habitat can be restored or reconnected.

• Projects that used the direct input from the community and Tribes on project planning and design and direct outreach and education components to schools in underserved communities. • Projects that consult and utilize the services of the California Conservation Corps (CCC).

• Multibenefit projects that address multiple needs such as increasing access to open space, green workforce development, water quality improvements, flood control and wildfire resilience. • Projects that leverage private, federal, and local funding or produce the greatest public benefit. • The geographic scope of the USRP is statewide.

• Requires a partnership of two applicants (sponsor and co-sponsor): one Eligible Applicant listed under Section 3. 1 of these Guidelines and a local community group. The USRP recognizes partnerships when there is a signed MOU between authorities representing the partners included in the application.

• Requires a public outreach and education component that is designed to encourage community participation in the planning process, public support for long-term management for a minimum 10-year timeframe and increase the public’s understanding of the project’s benefits to the environment and 15 | P a g e the sustainability of California's water resources.

These activities may include but are not limited to: community organizing, resource interpretation, multilingual translation, natural science, community education, and communication related to water, parks, climate change resiliency, and other outdoor pursuits. • Eligible projects must be consistent with the goals of the USRP outlined in Water Code sections 7048-7049.

Eligible project types include, but are not limited to: o Bank stabilization and revegetation. o Recontouring of channels to improve or reestablish floodplain function and localized flood protection. o Installation of bioswales or other green infrastructure prior to water reaching urban streams.

o Removing of culverts or storm drains to stabilize channels to achieve flood control objectives and daylighting of streams. o Purchase of lands or structures on lands to allow for floodplain reconnection and floodwater detention or wetlands/tidal zone restoration.

o Projects that organize volunteers for local community groups to clear trash and perform revegetation, erosion control and broader stream restoration and flood-mitigation work in conjunction with a larger stream restoration activity. o Projects designed to develop and implement stream restoration and/or flood plain/wildlife corridor restoration plans.

Planning projects must contain an action component indicating that on-site work will be performed. o Projects designed to use bioengineering techniques to install plant materials, large woody debris, rock, biodegradable fabrics, mulch, fencing, irrigation or drainage systems necessary to control erosion, stabilize banks, improve channel capacity, and diversify habitats.

o Projects designed to remove culverts or storm drains as needed to stabilize and restore channels while preserving or accomplishing flood control objectives.

o Projects designed to carry out nonstructural flood control actions that contribute to the goal to protect, restore and enhance natural stream environments, including the acquisition of land, and the elevation, relocation and/or flood proofing of public or private structures in conjunction with restoration activities.

o Stream restoration projects that provide education development 16 | P a g e and field experience for students in watershed sciences. o The USRP may also fund planning-only grants for projects that would serve disadvantaged or underserved communities once completed. Eligible planning grants may include any combination of the technical assistance activities listed on section 2.

4, including project development activities that occur prior to the initiation of construction. o Exclusively educational or fish and wildlife enhancement projects (though projects that address flooding or erosion and include educational and habitat benefits are more competitive and eligible than a single purpose project). o Lake or reservoir enhancements.

o Wetlands or marsh projects, except where restoration will reduce flooding or erosion or address sediment problems on an adjacent urban stream. o Mitigation for other projects (though USRP can fund restoration activities which are above and beyond mitigation requirements at the same site if clearly distinguished from required mitigation work). o Projects focused on flood reduction by hardscaping streams.

# 5 GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS # 5. 1 Applicant Assistance Workshops USRP staff will conduct workshops to address questions and provide general assistance to applicants in preparing applications. The dates and locations of the workshops will be announced via USRP’s listserv and on the USRP website at: https://water.

ca. gov/Work-With-Us/Grants-And-Loans/Urban-Streams . # 5.

2 Online Concept Applications All applicants must submit a concept application online. Section 6. 3 includes a preview of the concept application form to help applicants prepare responses in advance.

Program staff will evaluate the concept applications based on proposed project alignment with Program priorities, geographic distribution, eligible activities, and project readiness. USRP staff will evaluate concept applications and request a full application from selected applicants. All application candidates may have a consultation session with staff to discuss reviewer comments prior to the full application deadline.

17 | P a g e # 5. 3 Application Package DWR uses the Grants Review and Tracking System ( GRanTS ), a web-based tool for managing grant proposals and related documents, and all applications must be submitted online. The system can be accessed from the following link to the homepage: http://www.

water. ca. gov/grants/ .

Any interested party or organization can register with GRanTS at any time. If an applicant has questions or problems with GRanTS , please call (888) 907-4267 or email GRanTSadmin@water. ca.

gov . Concepts must be submitted using the GRanTS tool. If