Welcome to the Motorboat Facility Program! Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has created a new community grant program to make available funds for boating improvements at local government owned or managed boating sites throughout Montana. The Motorboat Facility Program is a state grants program. FWP receives a portion of funding from boat registration fees statewide. These funds have traditionally been utilized for boating improvement projects that benefit Montana’s boaters at FWP-managed sites. Commonly known as the Boat-In-Lieu (BIL) Program, this funding source has been in-place since 1993. A change in the legislation in 2001 provided the opportunity for a portion of these funds to be expended on non-FWP managed boating sites.

The goal of Motorboat Facility Program is to distribute available funds to as many eligible sponsors as possible in an effort to increase local public access to motorboating facilities. However, to apply for any kind of grant, the applicant must pay strict attention to detail. That is why we have listed some of the more important technical and regulatory aspects of the program for your review and consideration. Please be sure you understand Motorboat Facility Program grant requirements BEFORE you begin the application process; it could save you considerable time.

1. Typical facilities eligible for funding include boat ramps, launching facilities, on-site latrines, boat trailer parking areas, boating facility access roads, boat docks, and facility improvements for disabled boaters.



2. Political subdivisions of the State of Montana (incorporated cities, towns, and counties), may submit an application. The sponsor must own the project site, or have effective land control in the form of a long-term lease from the state or federal government, also the perpetual maintenance of the site.



3. The maximum grant per project is $35,000 and the grant may provide up to 80 percent of a local project's total costs. A project sponsor must have total project costs committed at the time of application, as the sponsor must make full payment on all project expenses before being reimbursed for up to 80 percent of allowable costs. A reimbursement request may be made at the completion of the project and after final inspection by the State.



4. As its share of costs, a project sponsor may use agency work force, cash, and volunteer services. Pre-planning expenditures, such as completing the MEPA/NEPA Checklist, permitting, and engineering, are reimbursable up to 15% of the total project amount.



5. Due to the limited amount of funds, only one (1) application will be accepted per local government entity in any grant cycle.



6. A sponsor must have adequate resources to operate and maintain the motorboat facility after the project is complete. No funds are available for routine operation and maintenance. A sponsor must demonstrate that they weill maintain the site.



7. Motorboat Facility Program applications must include a completed application form with the signature of an authorized official. The application must include legible maps of the project location, letters of support from the public, user groups and similar organizations. For projects involving private lands, copies of completed and current easements or agreements must be submitted. See additional information on this web site for details.



8. All projects must comply with existing federal, state and jurisdictional laws, regulations, and ordinances. All projects must satisfy the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). Every applicant must complete the MEPA/NEPA Checklist found on the FWP website. Begin work on this part of the application right away and pay special attention to the public-comment requirements at the end of the Checklist.



9. As part of the MEPA/NEPA Checklist environmental analysis, the sponsor will be required to post details about the project in a legal ad in the nearest daily newspaper, and institute a public comment period of at least 30 days.



10. Each grant applicant must contact the Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and request a cultural resource file search to determine whether the proposed project has a previously recorded historic site within its boundaries. A SHPO Letter of Effect is required documentation. If there is potential for the project to impact cultural properties, the SHPO may recommend that a certified professional conduct a cultural resources inventory at the site. This expense will be borne by the sponsor.



11. Be sure to provide detailed descriptive information specifically applicable to the project for which you seek funding. Do not include a mass of unnecessary documentation--more is not necessarily better--but do include adequate documentation to support your project. Your application must convince FWP and the Boating Advisory Committee that your project meets program criteria as identified in the program guidelines, is well thought out, and that you have considered all reasonable alternatives.



12. Site Access. Applicants will be asked to provide a written statement confirming that safe, legal access to the property site exists. Roads must be adequate for all future recreational purposes and meet all county and state standards. Access to the site must not be controversial.