The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy Open Space Protection Program was established by Public Resouces Code sections 33500 - 33806. Section 33501 states that the purpose of the Conservancy is `to acquire and hold, in perpetual open space, mountainous lands surrounding the Coachella Valley and natural community conservation lands within the Coachella Valley...` Section 33702(e) provides that the `conservancy may acquire any property, and any interest in property, on behalf of itself or a state agency represented on the governing board, within its territory if acquisition of the property is in furtherance of the conservancy`s purposes...` Section 33601(e) authorizes the conservancy to `award grants to cities, counties, resource conservation districts, or nonprofit organizations` to accomplish its mission. The program is administered by the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy (CVMC) under the direction of its Governing Board. All acquisitions and grants for acquisitions are consistent with the Conservancy`s Implementing Statute and with the Conservancy`s Five Year Capital Outlay Plan and will comply with the requirements of Proposition 84. Further information on the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy can be found on the CVMC website.
Projects selected for funding under the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy Open Space Protection Program are required to spend grant funds according to the approved project scope and budget. Payment requests must include a certification by the grantee that each expense complies with requirements outlined in the grant agreement. Grantees must also submit supporting documentation for each expense, with reimbursements approved only for eligible expenses pursuant to the grant agreement and contained within the approved project budget. The Conservancy conducts a site visit prior to releasing the grant funds.
On completion of an acquisition project, the grantee is required to provide the Conservancy with a copy of the closing statement and the grant deed. The grantee is also required to continue to comply with the terms of the grant agreement and all current laws and regulations which apply to the project. All grantees must record a document against the project property that gives public notice of the Conservancy’s rights as specified in the grant agreement.
