PEAK PUTTERS

Changes to NOVA rules. Read #2 carefully. Comments are from Tod Peterson of WOHVA:

The RCO is proposing three changes to the NOVA grant evaluation process.
1. Revise the Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship, and Planning criteria. This removes the stand-alone sustainability questions from the planning question and adds it to all project types. This seems reasonable on the surface.
2. Add a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) Priorities Question. This would add evaluation questions that would bias the outcome in favor of projects that benefit people of color, women, people over 46 years old and urban communities. I don’t think that adding this biasing benefits the OHV community (the people actually contributing to this fund) and may detract from the best use of our limited resources.
3. Establish a transparent evaluation pathway for Combination Projects. This clarifies the scoring methodology for combined acquisition and development project grants. It should be OK.

I did a little looking on the RCO website to add a little more information regarding Todd's # 2 comment

The RCO oversees the NOVA fund grants for the following Programs:

o Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account
o Boating Facility Program
o Boating Infrastructure Grants Tier 1 Category
o Land and Water Conservation Fund
o Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicle Activities
o Recreational Trails Program
o Washington Wildlife Recreation Program
 Critical Habitat Category
 Local Parks Category
 Trails
 Water Access

Grants are awarded to projects that score the highest in the standardize evaluation process within the applicable grant program.

One part of the many evaluation questions related to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Local Parks Grant Program includes the following additions for scoring new recreational facilities (e.g. parks)

• How will this project specifically provide a diversity of recreation opportunities that meet the needs of the state’s underserved populations which are:
o People with disabilities
o People of color
o Residents over 46 years old
o Women
o People who live in metropolitan18 communities

I did not see this evaluation question tied to any of the other grant program evaluation questions. Regardless, it does seem goofy to me to include these demographics to any NOVA process. After all, who determined that the folks above are underserved and what criteria was used?

Steve, may I pass your thoughts on to Tod? And thanks for taking time to look at it!

I'm not certain my comments are worth sharing to WOHVA Todd. He should k ow all of this already.