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RAMAPO CATSKILL LIBRARY SYSTEM
Construction Grant Workshop
Eligible Projects & M/WBE Review
June 18, 2015
2015-2018 Grant Timeline
06/??/15 Online grant application opens?
08/14/15 RCLS MANDATORY Workshop - application review 09/01/15 Grant application due to RCLS
10/12/15 To RCLS Board for approval of award amounts 10/20/15 RCLS submits grants to DLD
01/31/16ish DLD review of grants
02/01/16 to 30 days after grant award letter. Must comply with M/WBE
06/01/16ish DASNY finishes review of grants
06/30/16ish Grant award letters sent (180 days to start project)
08/30/16ish Initial 90% payment processed 06/30/17 One year extension request due
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Eligible Costs
Construction or acquisition of a library building Site grading
Renovation or rehabilitation of a library building that is owned or has a 10 year lease
Purchase and installation of equipment and furnishings within the context of a grant
construction project only
Supervision of the project Generator & exterior signage
Ineligible Costs
Routine maintenance
Architectural and engineering plans Building consultant studies
Interest or carrying charges on bond financing Purchase of books and other library materials Landscaping
Equipment/computers/furniture not within the context of a
grant
construction projectPage 5
Project Eligibility Scenarios
1) Replace sewer main and some interior piping @ $6,000? 2) Construct a solar powered carport charging station?
3) A roof replacement project that began 07/01/15 and was completed on 08/25/15 at a cost of $75,000?
4) Replacement of a 56 year old boiler essential to the operation of the library?
5) Last year you received a grant to construct a new
meeting room, this year you want a grant for furniture and AV equipment of $10,000?
6) The Project will support the fabrication and installation of custom millwork for the library?
50% or 75% Grant Award
RCLS has $591,714 to allocate to libraries.
If total grant applications are more than $1,183,428, which is double the allocation amount; then awards greater than 50% will not occur.
IF grant applications are less than $1,183,428, RCLS
will make the justification for the greater match amount based the National School Lunch Program numbers.
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Important Updates/Reminders For 2015
A library must have its own Employer Identification Number – not shared with the municipality.
Libraries using other grant sources of funds as their match MUST have such funds “in hand”.
Certificate of Occupancy required to close out grant if building permit is required.
Short Environmental Assessment Form changed to two separate forms now. It still requires two signatures and a map. There is a great new mapping tool.
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Important SHPO Updates For 2015
If an applicant is using an exemption from Appendix A, the applicant needs to certify on the application that SHPO has approved the use of the exemption. Applicants should contact SHPO by e-mail or phone to request approval of the exemption.
The SHPO approval process has been changed to an online process. There is an 11 minute video explaining the process at: http://www.nysparks.com/shpo/online-tools/
Minority or Women Business Equity Initiative
Only on grant awards of $25,000 or more Matching funds not subject to M/WBE
Must show 30% of grant award will be spend with
M/WBE certified vendors or submit a request for waiver Vendor must appear on the state’s M/WBE certification
database
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RCLS Construction Assurance Letter
The resolution should look something like this: The grant application and accompanying documents for a public library construction grant to be administered in accordance with the requirements of Education Law
§273-a (as Amended by Chapter 148 of the laws of 2014)
and Commissioner's Regulations §90.12 was read and duly adopted, and the conditions outlined in the RCLS Assurance letter have been accepted by the Board of Trustees of the ____________ Library.
Important Web addresses
DLD General Construction webpage
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/construc/14m/index.html
New SHPO Interactive Online Application Portal
https://cris.parks.ny.gov/Login.aspx
M/WBE Database webpage
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Contact Information
Stephen P. Hoefer Fiscal Officer
Ramapo Catskill Library System 845-243-3747 ext. 223
