Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund

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Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund

• 2009 Pre-application
• Workshop
• Presented by
• Keystone Library Facilities Advisor Diana Megdad
• with
• Connie Cardillo, Grants and Contracting Manager

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Edward G. Rendell Governor
Gerald L. Zahorchak Secretary of Education
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Office of Commonwealth Libraries Mary Clare
Zales, Deputy Secretary Bureau of Library
Development Jim Hollinger, Director Division of
Library Improvement
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• The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation
  Fund Grant Program for Public Library Facilities,
  awards
• matching grants
• to municipalities
• to improve the physical facilities
• of state-aided public libraries.

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• Since the first awards in 1994-95,
• Grant recipients have made their facilities
• safer,
• more functional and
• better able to provide access to
• patrons with disabilities.

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Improved library buildings have a positive
effect on the community and lead to
increased library materials circulation, improved
and updated technology and increased programming
for all age groups.
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• Keystone is funded through a portion of the
• Realty Transfer Tax revenues
• The total amount awarded for 2008 was
• 2,774,469 for 9 projects in seven counties.
  
• Of this total, 117,709 was for mini-grants.

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Mini GrantsMatching grants up to 75,000

• Priorities
• Projects to make public library facilities
  accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Non-routine maintenance of public library
  facilities
• Building addition or remodeling to improve
  library service to general public (total project
  not to exceed 200,000)

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Mini Grant Projects
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Major Projects Matching grants up to 500,000

• Priorities
• Major construction to make libraries accessible
  to persons with disabilities.
• New building construction, additions or
  remodeling to improve library service to general
  public
• Non-routine maintenance

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Major Grant Projects
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Timeline

• October 2008 Workshops
• December 2008 Register for January Webinar
• January 2009 Webinar
• January 30, 2009 Letter of Intent is Due
• February 2009 Notification of Letter to Proceed
  or Regret
• June 30, 2009
  Full Application is Due
• 
  an original and 4 copies
• with
  all supporting documentation
• 
  by 500 pm
•  
• .   

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• August 2009 Review Teams Meet
• September 2009 Bureau of Library Development
• Reviews
  Recommendations
• October 2009 Library Commissioner Reviews
• Late 2009/Early 2010 Notifications Letters Sent
  to All
• Applicants
• Spring 2010 Agreements Written with the
  Sponsoring Municipality and Sent Through
  Signature Process
• Spring/Summer 2010 Agreements Fully Executed and
  Projects May Begin after Receipt and Approval of
  Bid Specifications.
• Projects must start within 90 days of the fully
  executed contract.
• Bid Specifications must be received within those
  90 days.

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• The grants are awarded on a competitive basis
• by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries,
• which is guided by its needs assessment,
• funding priorities and grant award criteria.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• see page 7-9 in application
• Applications are reviewed and ranked by outside
  readers and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries
  staff.
• These recommendations and the availability of
  funds then determine what projects are funded

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Important Tip

• Do Not Put Your Project In Jeopardy
• No part of the project (Keystone or match)
• may be started prior to the fully executed
• contract and approval of bid
  specifications.
• Do not hire a contractor, advertise bids or
• purchase any items prior to the fully
  executed
• contract and bid approvals

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Eligibility

• Municipal applicant must sponsor a
  state-aided public library
• If a state-aided library is supported by a school
  district, a municipality in the school district
  may apply on behalf of the district for that
  library

• In the case of shared facilities,
  Keystone Fund grants and related matching
  funds may only pay for the portion of the
  building to be used as a state-aided public
  library or public library system facility.

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NEW Procedures for 2009 Round

• Letter of Intent (see application page 4,10,15)
• Required Attendance at Pre-Application Workshop
  or Webinar (see application page 15)
• Written Estimates (see application page 27)
• Line of Credit Limits (see application page 23,
  26)
• Current and Anticipated
• Yearly Budget (see application page 26)
• LEED minimum standards/energy efficiency for
  lighting/HVAC (see application page 29)

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• Letter of Intent
• (see see application page
  15)
• Due January 30, 2009
• Requires estimated cost
• (this is not the written estimate that the
  full application requires)
• Signatures
• Date that PHMC review was requested and

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• Determination as to whether an applicant receives
  a Letter to Proceed is based on completeness of
  the Letter, whether the project meets a priority
  and whether a basic level of planning has been
  undertaken as shown by
• estimated project cost provided
• attendance at workshop or webinar
• all signatures provided
• historic review requested
• You must receive a Letter to Proceed in order to
  submit a full application

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PHMC Letter

• Pennsylvania Historical and
• Museum Commission Review
• Required for every proposed project, mini
• as well as major no exceptions
• Go to www.phmc.state.pa.us/ 
• On the left hand side, select
• Preservation Programs  
• Then select Project review on the left and
• then Environmental Review Submission
  Form on the right hand side.  

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• Complete this form and supply the mapping and
  photographic information requested. 
• Also, if the building is more than 50 yrs old OR
  the building is ANY age and you are building an
  addition or a new library within an historic
  district, you will need to complete a Historic
  Resource form.  
• Send the forms and a cover letter with your
  request for review of your project to
• Bureau for Historic Preservation, PHMC,
  Commonwealth Keystone Building, Second Floor, 400
  North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0093

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• The PHMC process may take time and may require
  that you change part of your plan before approval
  is granted
• start early
• Include PHMCs response in your Keystone
  application that is due June 30
• The date that you have sent for the PHMC review
  should be placed on the Letter of Intent.

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Keystone Application Checklist

• Cover Page choose page 17 or 19 of application
• Major or mini? choose correct cover page
• Check one application priority
• Municipal address will be used for payment
• Municipal applicant needs to include state vendor
  ID
• Complete all sections

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• State Assurances pg 29 and 30 of
  application
• Must be signed and dated by
• Municipality Officer
• Library Board Official and
• System Board Official
• Give them time to read what they are signingthis
  is a legal document. If something is not clear,
  ask your solicitor for advice or call our office.
• The state assurance page needs to be
• submitted with the authorized signature
  page

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• Letters of Transmittal
• from
• District Library Center Administrator
• District Consultant
• System Administrator and
• Library Director

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• Narratives
• Project Description page 21 of the
  application
• Be clear
• Make the case why the review team should
  
• fund the project
• Give background
• short history of the library
• what brought you to this point?

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• Planning Process
• What planning process was involved and
• and when did it begin?
• Who was involved in the planning? at what
• point was the building consultant
  brought in?
• What options were considered?
• Explain the results and the
• recommendations from that process

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• Need
• Describe day to day operations and
• difficulties encountered
• How are patrons affected?
• explain and verify that action must be
  taken
• to spare the patrons, staff or
  collection
• Any hazardous conditions? be sure to
  mention
• any accessibility non-compliance that would
  be
• corrected by the project
• Pictures may be helpful

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• Describe the new facility/project and if any
• plans for technology now and in the future
• Describe the relationship between the
• municipality and the library
• How will operational costs of the library be
• affected when project is finished?
• Will Library have support for routine
• maintenance?

30

• What are the goals of any capital campaign and
  
• how successful has it been? You may want
• to include Capital campaign literature

31

• TimeLine
• It is best to include this as a separate headed
  page in your application
• Should show that you understand
• the Keystone timeline
• Be realistic

32

• Library Building Consultant page 22 of
  application
• Program Statement
• Required for all construction of new
  facilities,
• additions and major alterations of
  existing
• facilities.
• Contact Commonwealth Libraries before
• assuming one is not required
• New Date of Program Statement is requested

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• Consultant should come
• before architect,
• if one is needed
• List of consultants and architects is available
  on
• Keystone website

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• Budget page 23 of application
• Include breakdown of total projects estimated
  
• expenses and income, including expected
• Keystone money
• The additional budget information (page 24)
• should be for the particular facility, not
  the
• main library, if a branch
• NEW projects with total costs more than
  200,000, may not submit a line of credit in
  excess of 50 of total project match.

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• Local Economic Conditions page 23 of
  application
• Do not put does not apply give short
• description
• If community is in economic distress,
• explain cause (plant closings etc)
• Any tax issues? low property values? assessment
• issues, non-taxable properties?

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• Use statistics if possible and identify sources
• of those statsreputable sources
• Population/income statistics are helpful
• maybe of elderly on fixed income or
• single provider households
• Dont be so grim that reviewers think you
• wont be able to operate the library!
• Mention if project cannot be completed
• without the Keystone grant

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• Attachments page 26 of application
• Design Plan
• Should be easy to read reviewers need to
  understand what it will look like
• Measurements on drawing should use a standard
  scale
• For some non-routine projects, a list of
  specifications prepared by an engineer may be
  substituted for drawings

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• Documentation of Local Match
• Keystone funds must be matched
• dollar for dollar
• Documentation must be on letterhead of financial
  institution or granting agencyphotocopies of
  bank statements, proofs of lines of credit etc
• Since Keystone payment is on a reimbursement
  basis you will need to have some cash to spend to
  meet the match

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• Match may come from all sources except State- aid
  or the Access Statewide card program
• The municipality may also use the services of a
  library building consultant, architect or
  engineering firm, the acquisition of real estate
  and site preparation as matching funds if
  incurred up to 2 years prior to the filing of the
  initial application

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• Applicant must demonstrate that the total of
  local match and grant is sufficient for the total
  project.
• ex you are asking for a matching grant
  of 500,000 for a total building project that
  will cost 3 million. You need to show, not only
  that you have the 500,000 match, but that you
  also have another 2 million. Your documentation
  should show 2.5 million
• The librarys latest year-end treasurers report
  must be included.

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Anticipated Yearly Budget

• New this round (see page 26)
• Provide
• librarys latest yearly budget and
• an anticipated budget to show how income
  
• and expenses will be impacted by the
• project in the year following completion
  of
• the project

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• Deed see page 24 of application
  
• If the municipality holds the title, we also need
  a resolution from the municipality ensuring the
  undisturbed use of the facility as a public
  library for 50 years or the useful life of the
  project, whichever is shorter
• If it is a shared facility, we need to know the
  that will be used by the library
• May also consider other interest in the site,
  such as a lease, on a case by case basis. A 50
  year (or useful life) agreement would be needed
  as well as other items. If this is a
  possibility, please contact Megdad as soon as
  possible.

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Project Estimates

• Project total 400,000 requires written estimate
  from a professional estimator
• Project total under 400,000 needs written
  estimate from contractor experienced in the
  particular trades involved in the project
• Estimates should be on estimators letterhead
• Estimate should include statement that it takes
  into consideration that project may not start
  until 2010 and that prevailing wage may apply if
  project total is 25,000 or more

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• Zoning approval
• Should be on municipal letterhead
• Should also state if project is in compliance
  with Act 2000-68, a land use amendment

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• Environment Impact Assessment
• Needed even if there will be no impact
• If project is new construction (new facility,
  addition), assessment should come from a
  registered engineer
• Should be on agency letterhead

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• Flood Hazard Evaluation Narrative and Map
• Narrative evaluation of flood hazard potential to
  site may come from municipality
• Flood Hazard Boundary maps available at
  municipalities and online

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• Online go to www.msc.fema.gov go to drop down
  menu for public flood maps search by librarys
  address click view.
• You may have to zoom in to see street level
  click make a firmette drag the rectangle to
  location of library on map choose page size,
  choose pdf or image file, then print
• Mark librarys location on the map

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Letter to Proceed

• Include a copy of the Letter to Proceed that you
  received from Commonwealth Libraries
• You will receive a letter to proceed, or not, by
  the middle of February 2009

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Additional
letters of Support?Pictures? Include the
completed checklist
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Full Application Submission Send original and 4
copies of application and all supporting
documents/attachments to Pennsylvania
Department of Education Office of
Commonwealth Libraries Bureau of Library
Development 333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126-1745 Attention Diana
Megdad, Keystone Library
Facilities Advisor
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• Send a copy of the application and supporting
  documents to your district consultant AT LEAST
  2 weeks prior to submission to Commonwealth
  Libraries.
• Show date sent to consultant on the application.
• Allow sufficient time for mailing to arrive on
  time
• You are welcome to drop it off at the Office of
  Commonwealth Libraries on the 3rd floor of the
  Forum Building by June 30, 2009 before 5pm

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Tips for a Good Application

• This is a
  competitive grant
• Start the application process early
• If part of a System, get their involvement early.
  You will need the System Board approval.
• Start good communications between library and
  municipality.
• Librarian should be involved. Reviewers look for
  the voice of the librarian
• Get on list for receipt of emailed FAQs
• Read entire application before starting and go
  back through application when finished use
  checklist
• The description of your project should be easy to
  understand pictures may be helpful
• Make sure you have all your attachments and
  letters of transmittal
• Tabs are helpful for reviewers do not use ring
  binders
• Keep your District Consultant informed of your
  project
• and application.
• You may want to include other letters of support
• Contact Commonwealth Libraries if questions

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Lets go to the application !
http//www.statelibrary.state.pa.us/ and choose
Services and information for Pennsylvania
libraries Funding Programs and Grants Keystone
Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
Library where you may see the application, list
of building consultants/architects, the timeline,
past projects, and also the Facilities Survey!
or just go to http//www.statelibra
ry.state.pa.us/keystone
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Other Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions email group
• send email request to join dmegdad_at_state.pa.us
• Past FAQs, Capital Campaign Resources
• and List of Other Funding Sources also
• available by request at the email above
• or call Diana Megdad at 717-787-3124

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The mission of the Pennsylvania Department of
Education is to lead and serve the educational
community, to enable each individual to grow
into an inspired, productive, fulfilled lifelong
learner.