Project Eligibility and Program Priorities

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is actually an umbrella for several subprograms, two of which have multiple components with their own clearly defined goals and criteria. See detailed information about the different components of the programs under Stewardship programs and priorities.

The Department may award a grant for a project that benefits the public and meets the criteria of one or more of these subprograms. Both fee simple and easement acquisitions are eligible for funding.

Grant applications from NCOs are evaluated against a set of scoring and ranking criteria. Applications compete against others for funds from the same subprogram (Natural Area projects will compete with Natural Area projects, for example). These ranking criteria were developed based on priorities defined in statue and code for each subprogram. In general terms, ranking criteria include measures factors including:

Whether the project has regional, statewide or local significance.
Whether a property is part of an existing project (that may be pursued in collaboration with others), where the acquisition of adjacent parcels will provide greater benefit for natural resource conservation than single parcel projects.
Whether the project has been identified as important in a landscape scale natural resource protection plan. Examples of such include Smart Growth plans, comprehensive outdoor recreation plans, the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan and the Department’s Land Legacy Report.
The degree to which the site is threatened by development or other conversion of land use.
Likelihood of success. Whether an organization has the capacity to complete and maintain the project. An organization will not receive funding until there is a sound land management plan that ensures the long-term viability of a project.

Eligible parcels that are not awarded grants in the fiscal year in which they are submitted may be reapply in following fiscal years.

Ineligible Projects

Property that is not eligible for grants includes:

Property that was acquired more than one year before a grant application is submitted for that property.
Property that has restrictions or other covenants that prevent or limit the property from being managed for the conservation or public recreational purposes of the Stewardship Program or that would preempt the Department’s reversionary interests in the property.
Property that is used or may be used for licensed game farms, deer farms, shooting preserves, forest nurseries or experimental stations.
Property that will not be used for nature-based outdoor recreation. “Nature-based outdoor recreation” is defined as activities where the primary focus or purpose is the appreciation or enjoyment of nature. Typical activities are hiking, bicycling, wildlife or nature observation, camping, nature study, fishing, hunting, picnicking, cross-country skiing, canoeing and multi-use trail activities. Ineligible activities are activities where the primary focus is not appreciation or enjoyment of nature, such as sports that require extensively developed open spaces, such as dedicated sports fields, swimming pools, and tennis courts.
Property where negotiations were not conducted on a “willing seller – willing buyer” basis. (More applicable for local government grants where the local government has the right to condemn land.)

Last Revised: Thursday June 30 2011