CFLR Program Frequently Asked Questions
Question
Do time and money spent on project planning and development count as matching funds?
Answer
Funds from any source spent on planning are not a part of the cost of carrying out or monitoring ecological treatments, and do not go towards covering the required 50% plus match. PL 111-11, Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, TITLE IV--FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION, Section 4003(c)(3)(A) states "the appropriate Regional Forester shall -- (i) include a plan to use Federal funds allocated to the region to fund those costs of planning and carrying out ecological restoration treatments on National Forest System land,..." Whereas Section 4003(f)(1) states "...'Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund', to be used to pay up to 50 percent of the cost of carrying out and monitoring ecological restoration treatments on National Forest System land,..." The word planning is present in discussing the Region’s obligations and absent from discussion of the CFLR Fund. Therefore, at least 50% of the cost for carrying out and monitoring ecological treatments must come from non-CFLR Funds, ie matching funds. The whole premise is that the selected project has a substantially complete landscape restoration strategy (Sec. 4003(c)(1)(a)) and identified treatments (Sec., 4003(c)(1)(b)) in a collaborative manner (Sec 4003(c)(2)). Implementation design planning such as development of forest vegetation treatment prescriptions and other treatment specifications, and contract preparation are qualifying matching fund activities necessary to carry-out the treatments. NEPA project and program planning, and landscape strategy development activities are not implementation or monitoring of treatments.