Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board
1. What is the Watershed Improvement Review Board?
The Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) is a 15-member board composed of representatives of environmental, agricultural, commodity, and water-related organizations and groups; a representative from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; a representative from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; two state representatives; and two state senators.
2. Why was the WIRB formed?
The authorizing legislation for WIRB is codified in Chapter 466A of the Iowa Code. The purpose of the program is to award grants to improve water quality and flood prevention. Eligible applicants are local watershed improvement committees, soil and water conservation districts, counties, county conservation boards, public water supply utilities and cities. The Iowa Legislature makes annual appropriations to the Watershed Improvement Fund. These funds are administered by the WIRB.
3. What is a local watershed improvement committee? How can I get involved?
A local watershed improvement committee is a formally organized, nonprofit entity as recognized by the Iowa Secretary of State (http://www.sos.state.ia.us/business/nonprofits/index.html ). This committee must have a majority of its members representing a cause of the water quality problem, or impairment in the watershed which is being addressed by the committee. Anyone affected by, or affecting water quality within a specific watershed, may be able to join with others locally to establish their own committee to improve water quality or prevent flooding in the target watershed. An entity created by a 28E Agreement is not an eligible applicant for this program.
4. Does a watershed improvement committee need to be a Federal tax exempt nonprofit?
No. Federal tax-exempt status is allowed, but not a necessary characteristic of, the nonprofit. However, a local watershed improvement committee should check into the ramifications of not having Federal tax-exempt status.
5. How long does it take for the Secretary of State to provide certification for my group’s nonprofit status?
The Secretary of State will respond to requests for nonprofit status within four to five working days of receiving the appropriate materials by returning a certificate of acknowledgement. The new nonprofit organization’s identification number will be posted to the Secretary of State website a few days later.
6. How can a local watershed improvement committee, a soil and water conservation district, county, county conservation board, public water supply utility or a city apply for funds from the Watershed Improvement Review Board?
A Request for Applications (RFA) will be announced from time-to-time. The frequency of RFA announcements will vary with the availability of funds and the number of applications received and funded previously from the same appropriation. A news release will be submitted to statewide media outlets. Additional announcements will be sent to existing mailing lists of individuals, partner groups, organizations, and agencies. To be added to an electronic mailing list, contact jerry.neppel@iowaagriculture.gov or call 515-281-3599.
7. What types of projects are eligible to be funded?
Many types of water quality improvement and flood prevention projects may be eligible. Ranking criteria for projects are detailed in the specific Request For Applications from which funds are being requested.
8. Will matching funds and/or in-kind contributions be required of applicants?
Local match and/or in-kind contributions are not required to be supplied by applicants. However, leveraging of funds and local commitment are two criteria the Board is using to evaluate applications.
9. How many funds can be requested? How long can a project be funded?
The maximum amount requested per application is limited to 10% of the annual appropriation to the fund from the legislature. For example, if $5 million is appropriated to the Watershed Improvement Fund, the maximum allocation for an individual application that year is $500,000. Projects can be funded on a single application for multiple years. The allowable length of projects is specified in the RFA. If a multi-year project is funded, the WIRB will set aside funds for the entire project length to ensure the project can be completed as initially proposed eliminating the need to request funding in subsequent years.
10. How quickly after the Request for Applications closes will applicants find out if they are awarded Watershed Improvement Funds?
Eligible applicants that have been selected to receive a grant by the WIRB shall be notified not more than 60 days from the date that the Request for Applications closes.
11. What reports and documentation will be required to be submitted by applicants whose application was selected for funding?
The types of reports and frequency of report submission will be specified in the grant agreement. However, the minimum frequency of reports will be every six months including a progress report, statement of expenditures, progress toward deliverables, monitoring methods and results, and the timeline for project completion. Brief annual reports are also required. The financial ledger to be used will be provided by the WIRB. A final report summarizing expenditures, performance measures established in the grant agreement, deliverables, monitoring methods and results, and findings of the project will be submitted at the end of the grant agreement. These reports will be the primary means the Board will use to provide oversight of the applicants receiving grants. The Watershed Improvement Fund is administered on a calendar year basis. In addition to progress reports, a project-length plan of work is required.
12. How will funds be obtained by a grant awardee from the WIRB to implement an approved project?
State warrants will be issued to the recipient by the State Treasurer at the direction of the WIRB. The WIRB will submit to the recipient a funding request form at approximately six-month intervals. The applicant determines the quantity of funds needed based upon the plan of work for the upcoming six-month period and returns it to the WIRB for approval for payment. Thus, the recipient is requesting funds in advance of their actual expenditure. The WIRB does expect funds requested will be expended in the timeframe for which the funds are requested. The Board reserves the right to hold back funds if previously requested funds were not expended as planned or until reports acceptable by the Board are submitted by the recipient. The Board also reserves the right to hold back 10% of the total grant agreement amount until the final report is submitted and accepted by the Board and the project is properly closed out.
13. What happens if an approved project needs to be amended or is unable to meet the grant agreement terms and obligations?
The WIRB understands that occasionally projects and plans need to be adjusted during the implementation phase. If a grant awardee determines that the project cannot be implemented as agreed to in the grant agreement, the awardee should contact the WIRB as soon as possible to negotiate new terms of the agreement. An applicant awarded Watershed Improvement Funds that fails to meet the terms and obligations of its grant agreement shall reimburse the state for the portion of the grant received attributed to this failure. Expenses incurred prior to the execution of a grant agreement are not reimbursable.
14. What is the difference between the Watershed Improvement Fund and other existing water quality or flood prevention funds?
The Watershed Improvement Funds were appropriated from the Iowa legislature for the first time in 2005. The self-governing, independent Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) is responsible for distributing these funds to eligible applicants.
Other programs are available in Iowa offering funds to improve water quality or flood prevention on a watershed basis. The most common of these programs include:
EPA Section 319 Funds. These funds are provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for distribution through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. These funds are used for various nonpoint source pollution control activities including water quality improvement and watershed projects. EPA Section 319 funds are appropriated by Congress to the EPA, a federal agency.
Water Protection Fund (WPF). WPF funds are appropriated by the Iowa Legislature through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) account. This program is administered through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conservation (IDALS-DSC) to address ground and surface water quality concerns from point and nonpoint sources of pollution.
Watershed Protection Fund (WSPF). WSPF funds are appropriated by the Iowa Legislature and are administered by the IDALS-DSC. These funds provide state support to locally-led watershed protection initiatives. These funds are used to help develop projects that use integrated approaches to meet multiple purpose objectives.
For several years, the managers of these programs (EPA Section 319, WPF, WSPF) have worked, and continue to work, collaboratively to develop well-designed, effective, water quality improvement projects efficiently using available resources and funds.
Watershed Development and Planning Assistance Grants. These funds are appropriated by the Iowa Legislature and are administered by the IDALS-DSC. This program is funded through the Watershed Protection Fund (WSPF). The purpose of this program is to help soil and water conservation districts and their partners defray some of the expenses of completing watershed planning activities including watershed assessments.
Watershed Planning Grants. These funds are provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for distribution through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and are a portion of the EPA Section 319 Funds. These funds assist a variety of local watershed groups defray some of the expenses of completing watershed planning activities including watershed assessments in watersheds of impaired waters or draining to impaired waters of the state.
Technical assistance on watershed planning and identifying potential sources of technical and financial assistance for watershed groups can be obtained through your Regional Coordinator. Contact information for your Regional Coordinator can be found in the following brochure.
15. Are there example documents or forms available to help applicants complete a grant application?
Yes. The RFA includes a sample budget sheet filled in to assist applicants see the type of information to include. Another source may be a copy of the applications awarded grants from the previous RFA. Copies of these grant applications can be obtained by contacting Jerry Neppel by telephone at: 515-281-3599, or by email at: jerry.neppel@iowaagriculture.gov .
16. Are maintenance agreements or performance agreements required? What restrictions can be included in a performance agreement? Who will be responsible for spot checking practices applied using Watershed Improvement Funds?
The administrative rules enacting the WIRB and the Watershed Improvement Fund do not require maintenance or performance agreements. The agreement or contract expending funds is between the end user of the funds and the WIRB recipient (i.e. a soil and water conservation district, a local watershed improvement committee, etc.). Therefore, the WIRB recipient can stipulate the terms of maintenance or performance agreements.
WIRB recipients who include maintenance and/or performance agreements when disbursing funds to end users is one example of how these recipients could demonstrate cost effectiveness and accountability of Watershed Improvement Funds in their applications.
WIRB recipients are responsible for the Watershed Improvement Funds they disburse. Therefore, they are responsible for documenting and certifying that practices were built using the appropriate standard and are maintained per the maintenance or performance agreement. They are also responsible for documenting activities planned were completed and met the intended purpose.
Maintenance agreements are typically used for structural (long-term) practices. Performance agreements are typically used for management practices. Examples of maintenance and performance agreements are available from the Division of Soil Conservation.
17. How much variation in spending Watershed Improvement Funds does the WIRB applicant have compared to the approved budget in the grant agreement?
The amount of variance allowed between expending funds and the budgeted amount specified in the grant agreement is plus or minus 10% of the budgeted line item amount. Under no circumstances can funds be expended for more than the total approved grant agreement amount.
For example, if the budgeted amount in line item 1 is $1,000. This means the variation allowed by the WIRB recipient for line item 1 is between $900 and $1,100 without requesting an amendment from the WIRB. Expenses beyond this range need to be approved by the WIRB prior to these expenses being incurred.
Additionally, WIRB applicants requesting to expend funds on line items not specified in the grant agreement will need to get approval from the WIRB prior to expending any funds on the proposed line item and may require an amended grant agreement be signed by the WIRB applicant and the WIRB.
18. Does the WIRB applicant need to submit Form 1099 to those receiving Watershed Improvement Funds?
Yes. The WIRB applicant (i.e. soil and water conservation district, local watershed improvement committee, etc.), needs to prepare and distribute to those individuals or groups receiving Watershed Improvement Funds a Form 1099 when required by law. This will require the WIRB applicant to obtain from those individuals or groups an employer identification number (EIN) or a social security number.
All accounting functions will be completed by the WIRB applicant. Completing Form 1099 for those receiving Watershed Improvement Funds is an accounting function.
19. Can an individual apply for a grant from the WIRB?
No. An individual is ineligible to apply for a grant directly from the WIRB. Eligible applicants for submitting an application for implementing a water quality improvement or flood prevention project are listed in Question 2 above or can be found in Iowa Code Chapter 466A.4. However, an individual may be able to apply to the WIRB applicant selected to receive a grant from the Watershed Improvement Fund.
20. Are activities such as upgrading, expanding or adding additional wastewater treatment capability of an existing wastewater treatment facility eligible for Watershed Improvement Funds from the WIRB?
The purpose of the Watershed Improvement Fund is to assist eligible applicants implement watershed-based water quality improvement or flood prevention practices. Although upgrading, expanding, etc. an existing wastewater treatment facility may improve water quality, it is probably beyond the scope of this program. Other programs exist to assist with these types of projects including the State Revolving Loan (SRF) and programs available through the USDA Rural Development Agency.
21. Are there any restrictions on the cost-share rates offered to landowners to implement water quality improvements or flood prevention practices?
Neither the WIRB nor the Watershed Improvement Fund have explicit restrictions as to the cost-share rate offered to install practices. However, project applications that leverage funds from other programs and local sources rank better during the evaluation process.
22. Can an unincorporated unsewered community apply for a Watershed Improvement Fund grant?
Unincorporated communities are not eligible applicants for this program. An unincorporated community could become eligible by forming a nonprofit organization and meeting the other requirements as a local watershed improvement committee, or by incorporating as a ‘city’.
23. How can projects document water quality improvements and flood prevention?
The WIRB does not require specific models or methodologies be used to document water quality improvements or flood reduction calculations. Methodologies used by applicants should be scientifically sound, adapted to the local conditions, and are able to appropriately document the desired outcomes of the project. All project managers are encouraged to seek out the assistance of their Regional Coordinator for this type of technical assistance. Contact information for your Regional Coordinator can be found in the following brochure.
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