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Metro East Park and Recreation DistrictGrant Programs


FY2023 Grant Programs
Frequently Asked Questions


For FY 2023, MEPRD is offering a total of three (3) grant opportunities. A brief description of each program is listed below. For more information about a particular program, click on the icon located beside it to be redirected to the corresponding grant program homepage.

FY23 Park and Trail Grant Program  
FY23 Community Planning Grant Program  
FY23 Event Sponsorship Grant Program  

MEPRD grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants for eligible projects or events. Applications must be complete and meet all requirements.

Application submittal dates and deadlines are program specific. All MEPRD grant programs are accepted, processed, and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications for the FY23 Park and Trail Grant will be accepted and processed on an ongoing basis beginning 7/13/2022, at 7:30 a.m.8/31/2022, at 3:00 p.m., for projects that qualify for Grant Round #1. If any FY23 Program Funds remain unpledged at the close of Grant Round #1, the residual funds can then be applied for by any eligible applicant with any eligible project type under Grant Round #2. If funding is available, MEPRD will begin accepting applications for Grant Round #2 on 9/1/2022, at 7:30 a.m.5/31/2023, at 3:00 p.m. (or until 100% of FY23 Program Funds are depleted, whichever is sooner). MEPRD will not accept applications for Grant Round #2 any sooner than 9/1/2021, at 7:30 a.m.

Applications for the FY23 Community Planning Grant and the FY23 Event Sponsorship Grant will be accepted on an ongoing basis between 7/13/2022, at 7:30 a.m.5/31/2023, at 3:00 p.m., or until program funds are 100% pledged, whichever is sooner.

The FY23 Park and Trail Grant Program operates within two (2) consecutive grant rounds, with 100% of FY22 Program Funds initially reserved for projects that meet the minimum criteria for Grant Round #1. If any funding remains unpledged at the close of Grant Round #1, any eligible applicant with any eligible project type may apply for the residual funds on a first-come, first-served basis under Grant Round #2.

To qualify for Grant Round #1, your proposed project must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  1. The primary project scope must be for the development or acquisition of a “Regional Trail Segment” and/or a “Dedicated Regional Trail Facility,” as defined within the FY23 Application (see page 6). In addition, the value of the primary project scope components must be greater than or equal to 75% of the total eligible project cost.
  2. The site of the project (any eligible project type) must be within the boundaries of a qualifying project location as shown on the “MEPRD Park Funding Per Capita by Project Location” table within the FY23 Application (see page 7); or the project must be located in an unincorporated and rural area within MEPRD’s jurisdiction.

To check whether your project falls within any of these qualifying locations, go to the Park and Trail Grant Program page and look for the “Tools & Resources” section; there you will find a number of resources at your disposal to help assist you, including: Urban/Rural Areas Map, MEPRD Park Funding Per Capita Table, as well as direct links to Madison/St. Clair County’s GIS Map with current municipal boundaries.

MEPRD "park project locations" are based on municipal boundaries. We suggest using the corresponding county's GIS Viewer to lookup the "park project location," or municipality, your proposed project site is located.

Instructions:

  1. Click the appropriate link above to open your county's GIS viewer.
  2. Use the map to locate the parcel containing your project site.
  3. Click on the parcel to open a pop-up with additional information, and look for the 'municipal place'. This is the "park project location" for your project. Hint: Parcels within a municipal boundary are also color-coded.
  4. If the parcel does not list a municipal place, then the project is considered to be in "Unicorporated Madison/St.Clair County."

If you need further assistance, call us at (618) 346-4905 or send a message to info@meprd.org. We would be more than happy to discuss your project and help you figure out which grant round you are eligible to apply for!

MEPRD grant funds are paid out after the project or event is complete, the Project/Event Sponsor has submitted a reimbursement request packet, and MEPRD verifies that the project/event meets the agreed-upon requirements and is supported by financial documentation.

For FY23, applicants may receive up to 40% of the total eligible project cost, with a maximum award of $300,000 for regional trail segment projects and a maximum award of $100,000 for park projects and all other eligible project types. Actual grant reimbursement amount is dependent upon documentation of final project costs, which may be less than originally requested. In no case will the grant payout exceed the original request, even if final project costs are higher than budgeted. This is why it is important to have an accurate estimate when submitting your grant application.

Under the FY23 Park and Trail Grant Program, Standard applicants must contribute ≥ 50% of MEPRD’s grant award, and Rural/ Economically Distressed Applicants must contribute ≥ 25% of MEPRD’s grant award. Force account labor, non-public grants, non-public funds, non-public donations from others, and grants and funds from any 501(c)3 nonprofit organization may be used to satisfy these matching requirements but must be properly documented. Public funds from outside sources may be used towards a project, but may not be used to satisfy the local match requirement.

Download the Funding Scenarios Calculator on our website at: www.meprd.org/park-trail-grant.

Your application should estimate the expected out-of-pocket cash expenditures for the event. Your reimbursement request form should include the actual out-of-pocket cash expenditures for the event. The value of donated time, labor, materials, supplies, and equipment should not be included in the total.

It is important to keep an accurate record of all costs related to your project, to include contracts, pay requests/invoices, cancelled checks, and documentation of other grant payments. This enables us to verify all funding sources related to your project, which must be clear in order to calculate MEPRD’s reimbursement amount.

We highly recommend all newly awarded grant recipients to download the current “Grant Reimbursement Form” from our website and familiarize yourself with the documentation checklist and requirements for reimbursement, and to also download the “Project Expense Summary Record” to keep record of eligible expenses, invoices, and proof of payment documentation as the project progresses. These steps will go a long way in helping to make the reimbursement process far more simple and less time consuming for you!

Both the Grant Reimbursement Form and Project Expense Summary Record are available to download on our website at: www.meprd.org/funding.

All grant awards are conditional on the event or project being completed in accordance with the approved application. Moreover, Park and Trail Grant applicants may become ineligible for consideration of grant assistance for the next two consecutive grant programs if a project is not completed due to lack of performance, insufficient funds, or other violations of the project agreement.

This is a request for a park and trail grant that is contingent on the applicant's successful award of a single named round of a single named grant. The named grant must be an active (not presumed) state or federal grant that is available to others, competitive in nature, and awarded within one (1) year of MEPRD’s contingent award notification. If awarded the contingent grant, the applicant shall proceed with the project. If not awarded the contingent grant (or partially awarded), the applicant may choose to cancel MEPRD’s contingent award without penalty or proceed with the project. In no case shall the project scope be revised.

Eligible events include virtual and/or in-person walking, running, and/or biking events, to include biathlons and triathlons. The event must promote or make use of public parks, trails, or outdoor recreation facilities in Madison and/or St. Clair counties. An in-person event utilizing public streets is also eligible.

Virtual events are eligible under the FY23 Event Sponsorship Grant Program. An eligible virtual event should encourage the use of, or incorporate, public parks, trails, or outdoor facilities in Madison County, IL and/or St. Clair County, IL for event participation. Virtual event activities (such as a scavenger hunt or another location-specific activities) must be located within MEPRD’s jurisdiction. Virtual events cannot exceed 31 consecutive calendar days.

Yes, but one phase must be substantially complete before the next phase may begin, and each phase must have distinctly separate bid packages and dates (i.e., no two phases of the same project funded in part by MEPRD may start simultaneously). Note that no more than one application request may be submitted per site/parcel/location per round, even if submitted by different Project Sponsors.

Applicants receiving a Park and Trail Grant complete their projects in accordance with the approved application and project agreement. Scope changes are highly discouraged and must be approved by MEPRD in writing. Unauthorized scope changes will not be reimbursed.