TO: Wildlife Conservation Commission
FROM: Dana Morrison, Secretary of the Wildlife Conservation Commission
REPORT BY: Pam Arifian, Planner III
SUBJECT: Grant Evaluation Process Improvements
RECOMMENDATION
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Grant Evaluation Process Improvements:
Review and discuss the merits of award decision making guidelines and processes for Solano County and Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Commissions (FWC), as well as the proposal for Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) prepared by Commissioner Xie as models for improving the decision-making process for Napa County’s WCC.
Action Item: Provide direction to Staff on process improvement items for future consideration and return for further discussion and action on a future meeting agenda yet to be determined.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The WCC has determined that improvements to the grant award decision making process are warranted, including improvements in the process, evaluation, and allocation mechanisms. The WCC will resume discussion of the merits of the Solano County and Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Commissions, and will review and discuss a proposal from Commissioner Allen Xie for a decision-making model. The WCC will provide direction to Staff on process improvement items for future consideration and return for further discussion and action on a future meeting agenda yet to be determined.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Not a “project” as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and, therefore, CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Bylaws task the Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) with supporting those proposals that advance the purposes listed in Section 13103 of the California Department of Fish & Game Code (CDFG). The current Grant Application Requirements document includes grant application process information, application format, eligibility criteria, and limited selection criteria priorities in addition to the CDFG Code Section 13103.
The existing practice is that Commissioners review the detailed grant applications (pre-screened by Staff for eligibility) in the agenda packet prior to the grant award meeting. The applicants are invited to give a brief (3-5 minutes) presentation to the WCC and then be available to answer questions following presentation. The Commission deliberates and votes on a motion(s) for funding allocation recommendations based on the selection criteria priorities listed at the end of Grant Application Requirements, along with the CDFG Code Section 13103.
The WCC recommendations for grant award allocation are decided upon by the Director of Planning, Building & Environmental Services, County Executive Officer, or Board of Supervisors, depending on total amount of each award, pursuant to Napa County Policy Manual Section 8A [Rev. 7/25/2023].
Based on informal feedback from Commissioners, grant applicants and recipients, the WCC has determined that improvements to the grant award decision making process are warranted, including improvements in the process, evaluation, and allocation mechanisms. The Commission discussed in past meetings ideas for improvements and learned about processes from similar Commissions in other counties and are resuming the discussion in this meeting.
The Solano County and Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Commissions application and decision making processes are attached, as well as Commissioner Xie’s proposal for decision making improvement. The WCC will resume discussion of the merits of each model and provide direction to Staff on process improvement items for future consideration and return for further discussion and action on a future meeting agenda yet to be determined.