Monitoring Grants

Overview

In accordance with ORS 541.956(4), the board will consider only grant applications that:

Describe current watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available;
Establish trends about watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available; or
Evaluate the specific effects of a restoration or acquisition project or program by comparing similar watershed components before and after implementation of a restoration or acquisition project or program, and making monitoring results publicly available.

Projects that will not inform the development of restoration or acquisition projects or programs and have the sole purpose of theory testing, evaluation of experimental designs, or the production of generalizable knowledge are ineligible. Monitoring applications must describe the specific habitat, stream, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, fish, other animals, invasive species, soil, and/or water quality and quantity variables measured. Applicants must explain the monitoring question and provide information about local assessments or plans tied to the project, and provide information about complementary monitoring efforts conducted by partners as part of a broader plan.

Eligible Monitoring Types

If you have questions about the eligibility of your monitoring proposal, please contact Ken Fetcho and/or the Regional Program Representative for the region in which the monitoring will take place.

Description. Monitoring made at a regular interval to determine long-term patterns of a parameter(s), and to assess conditions relative to specific criteria. A component may involve collecting baseline data, if none exists.

Activities. These can include monitoring or surveys targeting habitat, stream, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, juvenile fish, adult fish, other biologicals, invasive species, soil, water quantity, and water quality.

Description. Monitors effectiveness of a restoration project(s) in meeting its biological and ecological objectives. A component may involve collecting baseline data to establish representative conditions before restoration is implemented.

Activities. These can include habitat surveys, stream surveys, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, juvenile fish, adult fish, other biological monitoring, invasive species, soil surveys, water quantity, and water quality.

Description. Measures environmental parameters to determine the effectiveness of restoration actions in creating desired habitat condition change(s) at a large geographical scale.

After grant applications are submitted:

OWEB staff check project eligibility in each application.
Oregon Plan Monitoring Team reads applications and meets to review applications based on criteria described in administrative rules. They recommend one of the following for each grant: a) Fund, b) Fund with conditions, c) Do not fund, or d) Defer to staff or the Board with an explanation if there is a policy issue or budget issue that needs to be addressed. Review Teams prioritize projects recommended for funding based on:

How well the project meets the criteria established in OARs 695-025-0120 and -0140,
Certainty of project being completed successfully, and
Benefit to watershed function, habitat, and water quality.

OWEB staff summarize Oregon Plan Monitoring Team comments into evaluations and recommend projects for funding to the board. OWEB staff post evaluations and staff recommendations online.
The OWEB Board awards grants.

Applications are accepted in the Spring of each year and are submitted entirely through our online system. Information about current grant deadlines can be found on the home page of this website.

Obtain a login (username and password).
If your organization already has an OGMS login, skip to step 2.

An OGMS login is required to access the online grant application. Only one login per organization is allowed. If no login exists for an organization, please email Leilani Sullivan to request one. Include the following in your email:
Organization name and address
Grantee Contact Information: name, title, email address, and phone number for the person who will receive all communication from OWEB and sign any grant agreements.
Payee Contact Information: name, email address, and phone number for the person who keeps records and submits payment requests and documentation.
FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number). OWEB may enter into agreements only with legally established entities. OWEB will review potential applicants prior to creating an OGMS login.
Per federal guidance, all OWEB grantees must be registered at the System for Award Management (SAM) before receiving a grant agreement. Entities will received a non-proprietary identifier (called the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).) This identifier is assigned by SAM (sam.gov is a free service) and entities must update their registration annually.

Log in to the Online Application.
Guidance to help you fill out the application is always available in the top navigation bar of the online application. An application template is also available after you log in and choose "Create a New Application."

OWEB strongly encourages interested applicants to hold a pre-application consultation call with your OWEB project manager and Effectiveness Monitoring Coordinator.