During the application development phase applicants are strongly encouraged to work closely with the DMR’s Working Waterfront Team to assure that their project meets all the program criteria and that their application is complete. There are many individual facets to the application and the team is available to provide support and additional resources as needed to complete all of these pieces.
Upon completion of the application, packets are to be turned in with all required supporting materials to the DMR’s working waterfront team. Application packets will then be checked for completeness and distributed to the appropriate parties. Upon receipt of complete applications, project proposals will be reviewed and scored by the DMR Commissioner’s review panel. The commissioner will prepare final recommendations for funding to the Land for Maine’s Future Board (LMFB) based on the review panel’s scores and recommendations. The LMFB will be presented with the Commissioners recommendation, where they will review the projects and the commissioner’s recommendations and vote on allocations.
There are three project review periods a year. In order for projects to be reviewed, scored and presented to the (LMFB) for approval applicants should keep the following timeframe in mind.
Applications received between January 1st and May 15th will be presented for allocation approval at the July 8th Meeting of the LMFB.
Applications received between May 16th and September 15th will be presented for allocation approval at the November 11th meeting of the LMFB.
Applications received between September 16th and January 15th 2009 will be presented at the March 2009 LMFB meeting.
This pattern will continue until there is no money to allocate, or unless otherwise noted.
If the allocation of funds is approved then the remaining due diligence work will ensue, how long this will take is dependant on how much was done for the application phase. It is likely that from allocation to covenant signing will take from 6 months to a year or more. Once the covenant has been signed it will be a minimum of 2 weeks for the state to write a check. If this happens at the end of a fiscal year it could be longer.