During Wednesday's Gaming Advisory Board meeting we were provided with information related to the application process for millions of dollars of local share gaming grants awarded by commissioners Jeff Haste, George Hartwick, and Mike Pries.
Below are guidelines and information on the point system used by the board to rank applications.
Local Share Municipal Grant Application Dauphin County Program Guidelines.
| MAY 2014
Table of Contents
SECTION I. - Statement of Purpose.....1
SECTION II. – Eligible Applicants ...........1 A. Eligible
Sponsors/Recipients ........1 B.
Sponsorship/Requirements...
SECTION III. – Eligible Uses of Grant Funds .....2
A. Eligible uses of funds for Grant Pool 1...............2
B. Eligible uses of funds for Grant Pool 2..........2
C. Single-year and multi-year projects are eligible for funding ........2
D. Single Application accepted per project ...3
SECTION IV. – Pre-Application
Conferences.........3
SECTION V . – Application Procedures .....3
SECTION VI. – Application Narrative..................4
SECTION VII. – Procedures for Accessing Funds .......5
SECTION VIII. – Program Inquiries ..........6
APPENDIX A – Guidelines for Sponsorship
APPENDIX B – FY 2014 Application Cover Page
APPENDIX C – Certification of Non-Contingency
SECTION I.– Statement of Purpose
The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, as amended, established a coordinated system for ensuring that local governments receive a share of the revenues generated by gaming. This “Local Share” system was designed for the purpose of distributing approximately 4% of gross terminal slot machine revenues of certain licensed gaming facilities in an orderly and timely fashion to support and enhance community and economic well-being and mitigate the impact of gaming and related activities. Those funds are distributed to the licensed facility’s host municipality and host county.
Under the Local Share system, Dauphin County is required to use a portion of the Local Share monies it receives for the purpose of awarding municipal grants. These Local Share Municipal Grant Application Program Guidelines should be utilized by eligible entities interested in such grants. Grants may be awarded from two grant pools: (1) a pool for projects with a clear connection to the operations or impacts of the licensed gaming facility; and (2) a pool where a project’s connection to the licensed facility may be considered, but is not required, to receive a grant. The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board will determine whether an application will be considered for funding from one or both grant pools.
SECTION II.– Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Sponsors/Recipients
1. Dauphin County (must be authorized by the Board of Commissioners)
2. East Hanover Township (Dauphin County)
3. Municipalities within Dauphin County that are contiguous with East Hanover Township, including Derry, South Hanover, Middle Paxton, Rush and West Hanover Townships
4. Municipalities within Dauphin County that are not contiguous with East Hanover Township and non-municipal entities, but only if their application is joined in by an eligible sponsor/recipient identified in (1)-(3)
B. Sponsorship Requirements 1. An entity that falls under Section II.A.4, above, must have an eligible sponsor for its application or the application will be rejected. Such entities are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Sponsorship of Local Share Municipal Grant Applications, which are included as Appendix A to these Program Guidelines.
2. Interested entities should consult the Guidelines for Sponsorship for timing requirements for securing a sponsor for a Local Share Municipal Grant Application. {L0555821.1}
3. Interested entities should consult the Guidelines for Sponsorship for requirements for proof of sponsorship. General letters of support are not sufficient to establish sponsorship.
SECTION III.– Eligible Uses of Grant Funds
A. Eligible uses for funds from Grant Pool 1 include the following, so long as the use, need, costs, or project are associated with the licensed gaming facility and/or its operations:
1. Human Services Costs: Projects that mitigate or address the human services costs of gaming and related activities in the affected communities.
2. Infrastructure Improvements: Projects designed to develop, preserve or improve community infrastructure impacted by or having some relation to the advent of the licensed facility or its operations.
3. Facilities: Projects designed to develop or improve facilities necessitated by or utilized in relation to the advent of the licensed facility or its operations.
4. Emergency Services: Projects that support or enhance emergency services impacted by the licensed facility operations or serving related needs in the affected communities. 5. Health and Public Safety Expenses: Projects that promote, or mitigate the costs of, the health and public safety of communities and residents affected by the licensed facility, its operations and related development and activities.
B. Eligible uses for funds from Grant Pool 2 include the following:
1. Health: Projects that facilitate, enhance or otherwise further the health of the residents and communities of the grantee.
2. Safety: Projects that facilitate, enhance, or otherwise further the safety of the residents and communities of the grantee.
3. Transportation: Projects that address transportation needs or improve transportation systems in the grantee communities.
4. Public Interest: Projects that improve the quality of life in the grantee communities. C. Single-year and multi-year projects are eligible for funding. However, applicants are urged to phase multi-year projects so as to create discreet requests for funding that may be considered on a year-by-year basis. For any multi-year project, applicants will also be required to demonstrate the existence of other revenue sources which they anticipate to fund future phases and the ultimate completion of the project.
D. A single Local Share Municipal Grant Application will be accepted per proposed project. Multiple applications seeking grant funding for the same proposed project will not be accepted or considered.
SECTION IV.– Pre-Application Conferences Entities interested in Local Share Municipal Grant funding are strongly encouraged to request a pre-conference with program consultants and/or staff of the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board. Pre-conferences will assist potential applicants to better understand the Local Share system, understand the application process, and position their application for the best chance of success. Potential applicants are encouraged to schedule their pre-application conference prior to August 1, 2014. Conferences are not required, but any applicant that does not schedule a conference will lose 25 points in the evaluation of their application. In addition, such applicants may not be invited to make an oral presentation before the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board.
SECTION V.– Application Procedures A. Applications for municipal grants awarded by Dauphin County must be submitted through the Local Share Municipal Grant process and include the project narrative information requested in Section VI of these Program Guidelines. Applications must be delivered or postmarked by the close of business on September 2, 2014.
B. Applicants should submit ten (10) paper copies and an electronic copy of the application to the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board, c/o Dauphin County DCED, 112 Market Street, 7th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101.
C. Grants will be awarded by the Dauphin County Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners has established an advisory board, the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board, to assist it in screening applicant eligibility and evaluating applications for Local Share funding. Once awarded, all Local Share Municipal Grants will be administered by the Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority.
D. The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board will facilitate one or more public meetings for oral presentations of proposed projects eligible for the current round of funding. The Gaming Advisory Board reserves the right to establish an application dollar threshold for participation in the oral presentations or otherwise excuse applicants from said presentations. The lack of an oral presentation from such applicants will not be a detriment to their applications. Additionally, the Gaming Advisory Board may solicit input from the County’s legislative delegation.
E. The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board will review applications to ensure that each proposed applicant and project meets eligibility requirements. Evaluation criteria will be developed by the Gaming Advisory Board and the County Commissioners. Priority will be given to infrastructure projects, inter- governmental projects, those that leverage additional investment in the County and projects that are ready to proceed and require a portion of local share gaming funds for completion. No consideration will be given to projects that are not sponsored by an eligible municipality or Dauphin County.
F. The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board will establish a grant application calendar for the Local Share Municipal Grants.
SECTION VI.– Application Narrative (To be included in the Local Share Municipal Grant Application) A project narrative is required as part of the application for each proposal and must contain the following:
A. A completed Application Cover Page on the form appearing at Appendix B to these Program Guidelines;
B. A description of the project and the need, objective, and expected outcomes of the project;
C. An explanation of how the project, or its need, uses or costs, is associated with or related to the licensed gaming facility and/or its operations;
D. A description of the local and community support for the project;
E. A projected schedule and detailed timeline of the project;
F. A budget accompanied by a description of the basis of costs for the project and sources of funding. The application should identify the percentage that Local Share funds will constitute of the total project budget. For any multi-year project, cost information should be broken into phases, and applicants must detail the projected sources of funding for all phases and project completion;
G. Evidence of conformity of the project with local and regional comprehensive plans. Applicants for projects benefiting fire or EMS/ambulance companies should show that the project is consistent with the Comprehensive Review of Fire and Emergency Services Resources or, if it is not, explain why the project should still be funded;
H. If a volunteer fire company or EMS/ambulance company is an applicant or co- applicant for, or beneficiary of, a proposed project, a statement of (i) whether the fire company or EMS/ambulance company intends to apply for a PEMA grant under the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act, (ii) if it does intend to apply, whether the fire company or EMS/ambulance company expects to contribute any PEMA grant funds awarded to the proposed project, and (iii) if it does not intend to apply the PEMA funds to the proposed project, the expected alternative use of the PEMA grant funds. An applicant should supplement its Local Share Municipal Grant Application after filing when additional information concerning a PEMA grant application or award becomes available. Information about the PEMA grant program is available from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner
I. If the project proposes the acquisition of fire or emergency response vehicles or equipment, documentation (i) identifying the fire service area of the fire company involved in the application, (ii) detailing any mutual aid agreements to which the fire company is a party, (iii) certifying that the requested fire or emergency response vehicles or equipment is not presently maintained or available through any of the mutual aid agreement parties, and (iv), if such vehicles or equipment is maintained or available through one of the mutual aid agreement parties, explaining why the acquisition of the vehicles or equipment is necessary; and
J. If a fire company is an applicant or co-applicant for, or beneficiary of, a proposed project, documentation reflecting the company’s use of PennFIRS for the preceding two calendar years and a statement of the company’s commitment to utilize PennFIRS in the future or an explanation of why such reporting will not be completed.
K. If a volunteer fire company or EMS/ambulance company is an applicant or co- applicant for, or beneficiary of, a proposed project, a copy of the company’s internal controls and/or fraud prevention policy. If such controls and/or policy do not presently exist, include a statement that the company will develop appropriate internal controls and/or a fraud prevention policy and promptly provide a copy of the controls and/or policy to the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board.
L. Documentation of support from the affected community, as well as any professional or expert studies, analyses or support related to the project or its need, uses, or costs; and M. An executed Certification of Non-Contingency, the form of which appears at Appendix C of these Program Guidelines, certifying that the applicant has not engaged any consultant or representative in relation to the application whose compensation is on a contingent fee basis.
SECTION VII.– Procedures for Accessing Funds A grant agreement between the grantee and Dauphin County will be required prior to release of grant funding. All grant agreements will include provisions and conditions appropriate to the project to be funded, including provisions addressing the following conditions.
A. Nondiscrimination - No funding will be awarded to a grantee unless it certifies to the grantor that it shall not discriminate against any employee or against any person seeking employment because of race, religion, color, handicap, national origin, age, or sex.
-5- B. Project Account – Grant monies are typically disbursed on an after-expenditure basis. For record maintenance and audit purposes, all Local Share grant funds must be deposited in a separate project account and be maintained by the grantee to hold and disburse all project funds.
C. Project Records - The grantee must maintain full and accurate records with respect to the projects. The grantor shall have access to such records, as well as the ability to inspect all project work, invoices, materials, and other relevant records at reasonable times and places.
D. Reporting/Audit - The grantee must submit a close-out report on the use of the Local Share funds consistent with the grant agreement. Unless excused, an audit of the use of the grant proceeds by an independent certified public accountant will be required. E. Bidding – Grantees are solely responsible for complying with applicable laws, regulations and procedures for selecting contractors and other persons or entities performing work on proposed projects. The County may require proof of compliance with said procedures.
F. Prevailing Wage - The Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (43 P.S. § 165-1 et seq.; 34 Pa. Code § 9.101 et seq.) may be applicable to a project funded under this program. The County makes no representation regarding the Act, and grantees are solely responsible for determining whether the Act applies. If applicable, the grantee is responsible for including prevailing wage rates in all projected budgets or grant application documents pertaining to the project. The Department of Labor and Industry has final authority to make all prevailing wage applicability determinations.
________________________________
Dauphin County Local Share Gaming Criteria 2014-15 Grant Process
The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board has established the criteria by which all applications seeking a Local Share Municipal Grant will be recommended to the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners.
The goal is to ensure consistency during the review process. Please note that the points under each criterion are the maximum amount of points that can be awarded. This summary is intended to serve as a starting point for evaluating projects. In formulating recommendations, the Gaming Advisory Board will not be limited to strict mathematical calculations. Each criterion is briefly described in the attached matrix and assigned a point total. It is not expected that a project will earn points for every criterion.
Please note that priority will be given to infrastructure projects, inter-governmental projects, those that leverage outside investment in Dauphin County, and projects that are ready to proceed and require a share of local gaming funds for completion.
LOCAL SHARE – SCORING MATRIX LOCATION
A primary eligible municipality must be established. The applicant must provide a clear case for selecting its application and indicate the level of municipal support for each project for which a grant application is submitted.
Dauphin County, East Hanover Township and contiguous municipalities to East Hanover Township, identified as Derry Township, Middle Paxton Township, Rush Township, South Hanover Township and West Hanover Township. 10 POINTS
Municipalities that are non-contiguous with East Hanover Township. 7 POINTS
CATEGORIES
Proposed projects must fall within at least one of the qualifying categories identified below. Projects may qualify or earn points under multiple categories.
Infrastructure and Facilities Improvements. Projects in this category include, but are not limited to, those that support the development, improvement, expansion and/or rehabilitation of facilities, buildings, roads, bridges, and water, sewer, energy or other utility facilities. Projects in this category may also include those that promote the deployment of broadband and/or fiber optic services in the county, particularly in underserved areas; enhance access to computer technologies and reduce the digital divide; promote the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies and resources, as well as industries and business related thereto; facilitate the development of technology parks and corridors; support the development of next generation communication networks and WiFi networks; and foster the creation and expansion of technology businesses. 15 POINTS
Transportation.
Projects in this category include, but are not limited to, those that improve access to airport or intermodal freight facilities; assist in tourism/recreation travel within reasonable proximity of the licensed facility; enhance freight movement; develop, sustain or expand air transportation and regional transportation centers; improve mobility to job centers; improve bridge and roadway conditions; reduce accidents; improve traffic signalization; reduce vehicle speeds or traffic volumes (especially in areas with high potential for pedestrian and bicycle activity); eliminate conflicts between bike/pedestrian and other traffic; reduce travel time; relieve congestion; increase access to bus and train stations; add frequency and service of bus/transit/rail and bicycle and pedestrian facilities; and make highway and public transportation investments that use context sensitive design to improve existing developed areas and attract residents and visitors. 15 POINTS
Emergency Services, Health and Public Safety. Projects in this category include, but are not limited to, those that support police departments, fire departments, emergency management services, health care providers and hospitals, hazmat teams, explosives or special units, and other first responders serving the licensed facility, surrounding communities and points of ingress and egress thereto; provide or support community crime prevention services and programs; and enhance the use, deployment and accessibility of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Such projects may include efforts to improve equipment, facilities, and access to services. Projects under this category also include the creation of well- designed developments and walkable, livable neighborhoods that offer safe and healthy lifestyle opportunities. 15 POINTS
Public Interest Initiatives. Projects in this category include, but are not limited to, those that reuse and redevelop “brownfield,” industrial and previously developed sites in urban, suburban and rural communities; support the preservation, enhancement, conservation, rehabilitation, restoration or reconstruction of historic buildings and neighborhoods for compatible contemporary uses; maintain and improve recreational, heritage and natural assets, resources and infrastructure, including parks, greenways, historic sites, fishing and boating assets, museums, and performing arts assets; promote “greenfield” and traditional neighborhood development that is compact, conserves land, is consistent with local and regional planning goals and ordinances, and is integrated with existing or planned schools, transportation, and water and sewer services; and conserve or restore environmentally sensitive lands, waters and natural areas for ecological health, biodiversity and wildlife habitat. 15 POINTS
Human Services, especially services related to gaming addictions. The category also includes services that offer a comprehensive approach for addressing addiction generally, services assisting low income and impoverished persons, services related to the prevention of the abuse of women or children, services related to the collection of child support, services focused on youth development and welfare, services directed at senior citizens, and social services related to or necessitated by residential or commercial development resulting from or related to the licensed facility. Projects involving this category may include costs associated with the delivery of services, as well as facilities, transportation, and other related needs. 10 POINTS
PENN NATIONAL
Applicants seeking funding from Grant Pool 1 (see Dauphin County Local Share Municipal Grant Program Guidelines/May 2013 at Sections I and III) must provide information or documentation on how the proposed project, or its costs, use or need, is associated with or a result of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racecourse. 25 POINTS
Applicants seeking funding from Grant Pool 2 for projects that promote health, safety, transportation or the public interest have shown that the proposed project has a connection with, or is a result of, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racecourse. 15 POINTS
PUBLIC NEED
The application provides a narrative on what the existing conditions are in the host community, how the proposed project will provide a positive impact and improve the host community. 10 POINTS
BUDGET
The application provides a detailed budget, including all sources and uses of funds, for the project from start to finish, including multiple project phases if applicable, and highlights how the gaming funds will help provide a critical financial role. The application also provides cost estimates for the project, preferably from the local municipal engineer if applicable. 10 POINTS
LEVERAGING OF GAMING FUNDS
The application provides a detailed list of funds, other than gaming funds that will be or have been associated with this project. The application identifies other grant and/or loan funds that have been or will be received or for which applications are pending. Projects with a substantial amount of funds from other sources will be given strong consideration. 10 POINTS
TIMELINE
The grant agreement will require that work must be initiated on all winning projects within ONE YEAR of the grant award (no later than March 1, 2016). The application provides a detailed timeline of the project and demonstrates the ability to comply with the timeline requirement. 10 POINTS
LOCAL PLANNING
The application provides a description of how the project follows, or is consistent with, a local comprehensive plan (compliance with local comprehensive plans will play a key role in the evaluation of the project) and/or a regional/county comprehensive plan. 10 POINTS
FIRE & EMERGENCY REPORTING AND PLANNING
An application seeking funding for a fire or emergency services related project is consistent with the recommendations and findings of the Comprehensive Review of Fire and Emergency Services Resources. 15 POINTS
If the applicant seeks funding to support a fire company, the applicant has provided adequate proof of appropriate and consistent use of PennFIRS. 10 POINTS COMMUNITY SUPPORT The application includes letters of support from federal, state and local officials, as well as from community organizations, agencies, businesses and citizens. Editorials or news articles may also be considered. 5 POINTS
EXPERT ANALYSIS
If applicable, the application provides professional or expert studies, analyses or supporting documentation related to the project or its need, uses, or costs. (Examples include preliminary studies done by engineers, architects or any other professionals supporting the need, uses and costs of the project). 5 POINTS
PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE
The applicant has participated in a pre-application conference with program consultants and/or staff for the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board. 25 POINTS
SECTION VIII.– Program Inquiries Program inquiries and applications should be directed to: Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board c/o Brooke Miller Dauphin County Department of Community & Economic Development 112 Market Street, 7th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 717-780-6250 717-257-1513 (fax)
Photo/Natalie Cake