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County Conservation Aids

County conservation grants provide financial assistance to enhance county/tribal fish and wildlife programs.

This Fish and Wildlife Management Grant Program was created to assist counties in the improvement of the fish and wildlife resources. The fund was established by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1965 as an alternative to bounty payments on coyote, foxes and bobcats. Every year since the bounty program was canceled, a state allocation equal to the average annual bounty payment has been earmarked as matching money for a growing list of county-sponsored fish and wildlife habitat projects.

After the state budget is approved, funds are allocated to each county in proportion to the ratio of the size of each county to the total area of the state.

READ PROGRAM GUIDANCE BEFORE COMPLETING AN APPLICATION Program Guidance & Instructions for Applying! The deadline for CCA applications is October 1.

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Who can apply

Eligible applicants

County and tribal governing bodies participating in the county fish and wildlife programs are eligible for this program.

Eligibility

Category

Project Description Codes

1

Development project -- The development of structures, utilities, facilities or landscaping necessary for outdoor recreation use of an area

 

1A

new trails

1E

gun range development

 

1B

new fish cribs

1F

parking lot development

 

1C

stream crossing

1G

constructing new fishing piers

 

1D

kayak and boat launches or dock

1H

new boat launch ramp

 

 

1J

new accessibility upgrades

2

Habitat projects -- The implementation of a specific activity or set of activities to restore or enhance wildlife or fish habitat, natural communities or shorelines

 

2A

burning

2F

site preparation, seedling purchase, seedling planting

 

2B

prairie planting

2G

dredging

 

2C

food plots

2H

prairie restoration

 

2D

stream restoration

2J

mowing

 

2E

streambank stabilization

2K

invasive species removal

3

Stocking projects -- The placement of fish or wildlife into their natural environment to improve population numbers.  

 

3A

fish stocking

3B

wildlife stocking

4

Maintenance projects – Repair or refurbishment of structures, fixtures, or substrates to restore to functional condition in a routine, scheduled, or anticipated fashion

 

4A

repairs to trails

4E

gun range repairs

 

4B

repairs to culverts

4F

repairs to boat docks/ boat launch ramps

 

4C

flowage maintenance

4G

accessibility upgrades

 

4D

barrens maintenance

 

 

5

Miscellaneous projects -- Any project that does not fit in categories 1 through 4.

Allocation

Annual allocation of state funds

After the state budget is approved, funds are allocated to each county in proportion to the ratio of the size of each county to the total area of the state.

The revenue to operate the program comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and state sales tax on hunting and fishing equipment. The program allocates funds to each county in proportion to the ratio of the size of each county to the total area of the state. After annual allocation, unused funds revert to five regions available to county and tribal government within region boundaries.

Annual allocation

The statewide allocation for the current fiscal year is $148,500. Funds were allocated as indicated in the following table.

County Allocation ($) County Allocation ($) County Allocation ($)
Adams 1,713 Iowa 2,030 Polk 2,577
Ashland 2,576 Iron 2,060 Portage 2,175
Barron 2,372 Jackson 2,664 Price 3,432
Bayfield 3,993 Jefferson 1,560 Racine 914
Brown 1,396 Juneau 2,142 Richland 1,558
Buffalo 1,899 Kenosha 742 Rock 1,927
Burnett 2,348 Kewaunee 884 Rusk 2,452
Calumet 840 La Crosse 1,251 St. Croix 1,988
Chippewa 2,806 Lafayette 1,715 Sauk 2,245
Clark 3,271 Langlade 2,328 Sawyer 3,463
Columbia 2,099 Lincoln 2,446 Shawano 2,443
Crawford 1,451 Manitowoc 1,575 Sheboygan 1,357
Dane 3,282 Marathon 4,314 Taylor 2,627
Dodge 2,422 Marinette 3,755 Trempealeau 1,971
Door 1,322 Marquette 1,236 Vernon 2,147
Douglas 3,544 Menominee 960 Vilas 2,550
Dunn 2,302 Milwaukee 638 Walworth 1,494
Eau Claire 1,747 Monroe 2,442 Washburn 2,293
Tribal 780 Oconto 2,728 Washington 1,148
Florence 1,324 Oneida 3,259 Waukesha 1,537
Fond du Lac 1,938 Outagamie 1,685 Waupaca 2,028
Forest 2,730 Ozaukee 627 Waushara 1,696
Grant 3,047 Pepin 634 Winnebago 1,308
Green 1,563 Pierce 1,559 Wood 2,165
Green Lake 1,006        

Applying

Application process

Download the County Conservation Aids (CCA) Application & Grant Agreement Form #8700-045A [PDF].

Complete the form online and contact appropriate DNR staff for potential permits that may be needed and if project is occurring on DNR owned land, you will need to obtain approval from the property manager.

Submit the form by clicking the Submit by Email button at the top of the form on page 1. Your application will be received and reviewed for funding.

Grant Project Resolution Form

Submit a copy of the Authorizing Resolution with any attachments to DNR Grant Program Manager via email at DNRCountyConservationAids@wisconsin.gov or postmarked no later than October 1.

The deadline for the CCA grants is October 1.

A letter of final award notification will be sent out to all applicants by October 31.

Bobbi Winebar
Grant Program Manager
WI Dept of Natural Resources
2984 Shawano Avenue
Green Bay, WI 54313
920-461-2595

Applicant share of project may include:

  • personnel, equipment and materials;
  • direct cost supported by time sheets, vouchers, or similar documents;
  • actual cost of force account labor and equipment (DOT rates apply); and
  • actual fringe benefits paid as part of the direct labor costs.

Matching requirement

If an applicant receives a grant of federal pass-through funds from the DNR, the applicant may use those federal funds to match the 50% cost-share required by the County Conservation Aids (CCA) program. An example of a federal pass-through grant is the Recreation Trails Aids program. State funds cannot be used as match for a CCA grant.

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Reimbursement

Reimbursement information

No expenditure made prior to the effective date of the appropriate DNR regional grant specialist approval will be allowed. All work must be done within the project period, except pre-approval engineering can be paid if specified in the agreement.

Local equipment rates may be used but may not exceed the WI Department of Transportation (WisDOT) equipment rate effective the year of the project activities. (Note: Rates are formulated under Wis Stat. § 84.07 and can be found in chapter 5 of the State Highway Maintenance Manual published by the WisDOT.) The WisDOT rates may be used if you do not have a locally established rate. If special equipment is rented from a vendor, the actual rental rate may be used. Links to WisDOT Equipment Rates are below.

The DNR preferred timeline for submitting payment reimbursement claims is no later than six months after the end of the project period. However, payment reimbursement claims must be submitted within one year of the project ending date or the project will be canceled. The county or tribal government may submit claims to the DNR grant specialist for payment on the following two DNR forms within six months of the project end dates. Instructions for completion and provisions of expenditure proofs are included in the forms.

The county and tribal government must maintain records for audit requirements a minimum of three years after the final payment.

Laws

Grant related statues and administrative codes

Contact

Contact information
For general question about the County Conservation Aids Grant Program, acceptance of grant award or reimbursement questions, please contact the CCA Grant Program Manager:
Bobbi Winebar
Grant Program Manager
WI Dept of Natural Resources
2984 Shawano Ave
Green Bay, WI 54313
920-461-2595