PLJV ConocoPhillips Grant Program AN ENDURING CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

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1 PLJV ConocoPhillips Grant Program AN ENDURING CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

2 Overview For the past 23 years, ConocoPhillips has contributed over $2.3 million to help fund more than 250 conservation projects through an annual, competitive matching grant program administered by the PLJV. That money has been leveraged more than four-fold by JV partners, providing a significant boost to local conservation efforts. The program is an important source of non-federal funds and best used as match for federal granting programs such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants.

3 Past Recipients A ConocoPhillips grant helped support 197 acres of wetland restoration in the Jamestown Wildlife Area in Kansas, an important migration stopover in the Central Flyway, and boosted the wetland restoration occurring through standard NAWCA grants to 2,770 acres.

4 Past Recipients A 2010 ConocoPhillips grant funded the removal of invasive plants, including the aerial spraying of salt cedar, along major tributaries of the Canadian River in Texas.

5 Past Recipients ConocoPhillips grants helped match standard NAWCA grants to acquire 4,805 acres of Drummond Flat, a wetland that Ducks Unlimited and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation have been working to acquire and restore.

6 Past Recipients A ConocoPhillps project at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas matched a small NAWCA grant to restore and enhance wetland habitat, which benefits many birds currently considered PLJV priority species, such as the Northern Pintail, Mallard, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Whooping Crane, and American White Pelican.

7 Past Recipients ConocoPhillips grants have been awarded to support the development of Prescribed Fire Councils in Oklahoma and Kansas, which are helping landowners put fire back into the natural cycle of the plains.

8 The Basics Each year, PLJV requests $100,000 in funding from ConocoPhillips, which is then offered through a granting process to partners The maximum grant is $25,000, although multi-year $25,000 grants have occasionally been awarded Habitat projects are prioritized, but grants are also given for applied research and outreach projects that lead directly to habitat delivery Projects are to be completed in one year; extensions are not encouraged but can be requested and are approved by the Management Board Grant proposals must address PLJV planning and habitat implementation recommendations

9 The RFP The annual RFP is announced in early fall. Grant proposals must describe the need, activities, methods, timelines, objectives, measures of success, and budget. A 1:1 match is required and can be either federal or non-federal funds. The RFP and instructions can be downloaded from the ConocoPhillips Grant Program page on the PLJV website: Proposals are due in November

10 Review Process Two PLJV staff, a Science Advisory Team member and two Management Board members review and score all proposals before the winter Management Board meeting Reviewers are guided by a series of questions with an overall proposal score developed by each reviewer The reviewers rotate each year

11 Approval Process At the winter meeting, the Management Board reviews the status of current projects and decides which new projects to fund. Current projects may be given extensions or are determined to be complete. In some cases, projects are "reverted" meaning the grantee has stated they cannot complete the project. In that case, funding goes back into the pot and is granted back out. Before voting on which new proposals to fund, board members view a table with all the proposal scores and rankings, ask questions of the review team, and massage the list into a slate of approved projects that work within the budget.

12 Your Role Circulate the ConocoPhillips grant RFP among your staff and partners Consider serving on the review committee Review the synopsis of proposals, provided in your packet, prior to the winter meeting (full proposals available upon request) and have an idea of what you think should be funded Come to each PLJV meeting able to relay the status of any ConocoPhillips projects your state or organization may be working upon