Cooperative Agreement 98T98201

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WETLANDS REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM (WRMP) AS A REGIONAL MODEL OF THE CALIFORNIA WETLAND PROGRAM PLAN. THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT PROVIDES PARTIAL FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $235,742.00. PRE-AWARD COSTS ARE APPROVED BACK TO 06/01/2024. SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PLANNING A ROBUST REGIONAL MONITORING PROGRAM FOR TIDAL WETLANDS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY, INCLUDING: 1) ACTING ON FINDINGS FROM THE WRMP'S REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT ROADMAP TO BETTER ALIGN THE WRMP WITH REGULATORY NEEDS AND HELP ALLEVIATE THE COST OF PERMIT-DRIVEN MONITORING FOR WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECTS; 2) ACTING ON FINDINGS FROM THE PROGRAM'S EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ITS PEOPLE AND WETLANDS WORKGROUP TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH UNDERSERVED FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES AROUND DATA COLLECTION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS, AND; 3) DEVELOPING A BIENNIAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MONITORING ACTIVITIES.SUBRECIPIENT:GRANTEE WILL RECRUIT CBO (COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZERS ) CO-CREATORS FOR EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY-ENGAGED DATA COLLECTION, AND/OR INFORMATION COMMUNICATION RELATED TO THE WRMP. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE 1) ACTING ON FINDINGS FROM THE WRMP'S REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT ROADMAP TO BETTER ALIGN THE WRMP WITH REGULATORY NEEDS AND HELP ALLEVIATE THE COST OF PERMIT-DRIVEN MONITORING FOR WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECTS; 2) ACTING ON FINDINGS FROM THE PROGRAM'S EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ITS PEOPLE AND WETLANDS WORKGROUP TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH UNDERSERVED FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES AROUND DATA COLLECTION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS, AND; 3) DEVELOPING A BIENNIAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR MONITORING ACTIVITIES. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE DEVELOPING 3 WORKSHOPS TO ENGAGE REGULATORS IN ALIGNING WRMP MONITORING, WRMP REGULATORY ALIGNMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, INFORMATION DELIVERY REPORTS, TAILORED DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING FACT SHEETS AND WEB PAGES, PILOT PROJECT SCOPES, EQUITY AND RESILIENCE ANALYSES, AND AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE BAY AREA REGIONAL COMMUNITY OF WETLAND STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC ON THE WRMP WEBSITE, AND THROUGH THE WRMP NEWSLETTER, WHICH CURRENTLY GOES OUT TO GT;300 PEOPLE. SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM UPDATES WILL ALSO BE SHARED THROUGH THE SFEP ESTUARY BLUEPRINT NEWSLETTER, WHICH CURRENTLY GOES OUT TO GT;400 PEOPLE, AND ON SFEP SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. WRMP PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS WILL PRESENT UPDATES AT THE BAY DELTA SCIENCE CONFERENCE, THE STATE OF THE ESTUARY CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY MEETINGS, CALIFORNIA ESTUARINE MONITORING WORKGROUP MEETINGS, AND OTHER MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES AS APPROPRIATE. STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS WILL SUPPORT THE TRANSFER OF RESULTS THROUGH COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE WRMP TO THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. THE DATA FOR DECISION-MAKING MEMOS AND WRMP SCIENCE WEBINARS WILL SUPPORT THE TRANSFER OF SCIENCE INFORMATION IN A USABLE FORMAT FOR DECISION-MAKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOCUSED ON WETLAND RESTORATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS WILL FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF WRMP RESULTS TO REGULATORS WORKING ON TIDAL WETLAND ISSUES. TRAVEL COSTS WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE TRANSFER OF RESULTS, INCLUDING A PRESENTATION AT AN EPA WETLAND PROGRAM MEETING, WORKSHOP, OR WEBINAR, AS APPROPRIATE.