Community Project Sponsorship Program Guidelines

I. Overview

The Community Project Sponsorship Program (CPSP) provides an opportunity for the County of Inyo to sponsor, in the form of financial contributions, specific events or projects undertaken by local agencies and non-profit organizations in Inyo County communities that enhance visitation to the community, or otherwise provide for the cultural or recreational enrichment of the citizens of Inyo County.

Commensurate with available funds, there are three components of the CPSP for which funding will be allocated: Line-Item Grants, Fishing Promotion, and Competitive Grants.

Each year, as part of the County Budget process, the Board of Supervisors appropriates the amount of funding available for the CPSP program. CPSP funding will only be released after the County Budget is adopted (typically in September/October/November).

The CPSP is intended to provide funding, in the form of a County sponsorship, for a specific event or project. Accordingly, it should be considered one-time funding. Annual events or reoccurring projects are eligible to submit applications for competitive grants in consecutive years, but there is no assurance of receiving funding. The line-item grants are similarly distributed commensurate with available funds and should also be considered one-time funding as there is no assurance of receiving ongoing funding.

CPSP grant funds for Line-Item Grants, Fishing Derbies, and Competitive Grants shall only be used as described, and to carry out the specific event or project identified in the grant application/annual funding request.

Grant funds may be used to pay for staff time, exclusive of overtime and benefits, providing that only time spent working directly on the event or project is paid with grant funds. Grant applicants must be able to provide proof of payroll and time accounting for the event.

Once funds are awarded for the specified project or event, the recipient may not seek to re-allocate the funds for other projects or events, however worthy they may be. If grant funds cannot be expended for the purposes for which they were awarded, they must be returned to the County no later than January 31 of the following calendar year.

Funding for all three sectors of the program will be distributed upfront – however, all invoices and receipts are required to be submitted along with a Final Report (template provided). Failure to produce the required documentation or intentional misuse of funding could result in punitive action, such as having to reimburse the County for the amount of unsubstantiated grant and not being eligible for future funding. This decision will be made by the CAO and can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

All CPSP grant applicants/recipients (Line-Item, Fishing, and Competitive) must:

  • Successfully submit a complete CPSP Grant Application (Competitive) or CPSP Funding Request Form (Line-Item and Fishing);
  • Provide a valid W-9 form;
  • Provide documentation of IRS certification of 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(7);
  • Provide certification of up-to-date non-profit status with the State of California;
  • Provide certification that the organization does not owe taxes to the County of Inyo; and
  • If grant funding will be used for any of the following activities, a written safety plan must be provided along with proof of insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 ($1M) per occurrence, $2,000,000 ($2M) aggregate in general liability, with Inyo County, its officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers endorsed as additional insured:
    • Amusement rides
    • Animal rides
    • Animal Shows
    • Fairs/festivals
    • Fireworks/pyrotechnics
    • Gun/knife shows
    • Haunted houses
    • Motorsports events
    • Overnight camping/accommodations/lock-ins
    • Parades
    • Rodeos
    • Sporting events (including foot races)
    • Water-related activities
    • Wine/alcohol tasting
    • Any other higher hazard potential activity, as determined by Inyo County Risk Management

Insurance certifications and safety plans can be emailed to risk@inyocounty.us. For more information, contact Inyo County Risk Management at 760.872.2908.

Other requirements that the grant applicant/recipient is expected to comply with include, but are not limited to:

  • All events and projects must be completed within the calendar year (January 1 to December 31) that begins in the fiscal year in which the grant was
  • The County of Inyo must be listed as an event or project sponsor on all advertisements, promotional items, or other collateral materials (including brochures, websites, etc.) associated with the event or project. This includes featuring the County seal, website and/or being credited by name in writing. Acceptable credit lines include “Sponsored by the County of Inyo,” “Co- Sponsored by the County of Inyo,” “Funded in part by the County of Inyo,” or other similar phrasing. The official seal of the County of Inyo or the marketing brand/graphic for “The Other Side of California” shall be used. If the web pages of sponsors are being included in promotional material, inyocountyvisitor.com should be used, not the County’s general government web page.
  • Press releases and news articles must mention the County of Inyo as an event or project sponsor.
  • All content and photos, information, logos, etc. used in advertisements and promotional items must be appropriately
  • Inyo County expects the grant recipient to grant the County the right to access and use, in County promotional or advertising campaigns, all artwork and collateral components (photos, drawings, logos, etc.) of the promotional or advertising materials funded with Community Project Sponsorship
  • Prepayment of print, Web, television, billboard, radio or other types of advertising is permitted.

Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in punitive action, such as the organization having to reimburse the County the amount of the grant funding and not being eligible for future CPSP funding.

After completing the project or event using CPSP grant funding, the grant recipient is required to provide a written report using the template provided no later than January 31 of the following calendar year.

Required information includes a description with highlights of the event/program/project, how it benefited the community, the total cost of the event, the amount of the grant and other sources of funding, and a summary of expenditures by broad categories.

All receipts and invoices supporting expenditures for the amount of the grant must be attached to the Final Report. Failure to provide receipts will result in the organization having to reimburse the County for the amount of unsubstantiated grant and not being eligible for future funding.

COMPETITIVE GRANTS

Application Period

Applications for the competitive CPSP grants will be available after the Board of Supervisors adopts the County Budget, which usually occurs in September or October. Prior to the end of the year, the County will solicit and accept completed applications for events and projects that will be implemented in the coming calendar year. Eligible organizations may submit multiple, separate CPSP grant applications for different projects or events or components thereof.

Grant funding must be applied for in advance of the event or project (or component thereof) for which financial assistance is sought.

The maximum grant amount any organization may request for any single event or program is $7,500.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for a competitive CPSP grant, the organization must meet the following criteria:

  • Be certified by the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(7) prior to the award of funding;
  • Have current non-profit status with the State of California prior to the award of funding;
  • Provide a clear and direct benefit to the residents and/or visitors of Inyo County; and
  • Have no delinquent property taxes due to Inyo County at the time the application is submitted.

To be considered for a CPSP grant, the grant applications must:

  • Be submitted by an eligible organization;
  • Describe how grant funding will be used to support a specific project or event, or a specific component of an ongoing project or event, that enhances visitation to the community or otherwise provides for the cultural or recreational enrichment of the citizens of Inyo County; and
  • Be complete and on time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility based on the above requirements. Failure to comply may result in withholding of grant funds.

Grants Selection Process

Applications for CPSP Competitive Grants will be reviewed for compliance with tax status, non-profit status, and insurance requirements.

It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that its application is complete, and its eligibility clearly demonstrated.

Following the publicly announced submittal deadline, applications deemed complete and submitted by an eligible applicant will be forwarded to an independent Review Panel consisting of:

  • One current or former business owner in Southern Inyo County (Independence south).
  • One current or former business owner in Northern Inyo County (Big Pine north).
  • Two individuals with specific experience in the tourism industry/economic development and/or government finance experience (countywide).

Panelists will be selected by three staff members and/or department heads, including the Auditor-Controller or designee, and the Assistant CAO.

It is the policy of Inyo County not to discriminate against any individual because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or other status. The Review Panel will evaluate each application on its merits alone, using the following criteria:

  1. Objective [5 points]. Does the application seek funding for a specific event or project, or component thereof, that aligns with the goals of the CPSP: to enhance visitation to the community or otherwise provide for the cultural or recreational enrichment of the citizens of Inyo County?
  2. Scope of Benefit [20 points]. Will the event or project benefit the entire community, or primarily benefit only segments of, or specific organizations/businesses in the community? If the event or project is a fundraiser, how and to which organization(s) will the funds be disbursed? Does the benefit of the event or project extend to the greater region, or the County as a whole?
  3. Likelihood of Success [20 points]. Is the applicant likely to carry out what is being proposed, and do it well? Does the information contained in the application seem realistic (e.g., total costs, total time, number of volunteers, etc.)? Does the applicant have a track record of successfully implementing the proposed or similar events or projects? Is the nature of the event or project such that it seems “doable”? If the applicant is a previous County grant recipient, how well did they comply with the terms and conditions of the grant?
  4. Overall Merit [20 points]. What is the overall quality of the idea being proposed? Is it unique? Is it “tried and true”? Does the proposed activity create an appealing, dynamic, prosperous, and distinctive community identity? Does the event or project articulate or enhance what people love about the community in which they live, recreate, or vacation?
  5. Direct Financial Benefit [5 points]. Will the project or event provide a good return on investment financially (increased overnight stays in Inyo County, increased spending in local businesses)?
  6. Measurable Outcomes [5 points]. Is the means the applicant proposes to use to measure the success of the project or event reasonable? Is it verifiable?
  7. Community Support [10 points]. Does the project or event have strong community support? Of the total time allocated to the project or event, how many hours will volunteers provide? Are multiple community organizations collaborating to carry out the event or project? Is there evidence of monetary or in-kind support from the local business community?
  8. Leveraging of Resources [10 points]. Does the proposed project or event have other sources of support – e.g., funds contributed by the organization, collaborations, co-sponsors, volunteers and other in-kind support – or does it rely 100% on the CPSP grant? What is the value of the in-kind services or donations being pledged to the event or project? If the amount requested is less than 50% of the cash needs for the event or project, what additional benefit(s) will be derived as a result of receiving CPSP funding?
  9. Clarity, Completeness, and Quality of Application [5 points]. Was the application prepared and presented according to guidelines? Are the questions answered thoroughly with enough detail for the scorer to clearly understand what is being proposed? Is the benefit of the event or project clearly articulated? Is the proposed activity, including anticipated outcomes, clearly and concisely stated? Is the information presented in the application consistent? Are the expenses for which the CPSP grant funding is sought clearly identified, and such that reimbursement for eligible expenses can be easily made?

The Review Panel will meet privately to discuss the points assigned to each criteria category by individual members and to total the average score awarded in each criteria category. Applications must receive a total score of at least 70 points (out of 100 points possible) to be eligible for funding consideration. The Review Panel will make funding recommendations based on the scores each application receives. The Review Panel may also recommend specific limitations on the use of grant funds.

LINE-ITEM GRANTS

Projects and events currently designated to receive Line-Item Grant awards are not required to submit a competitive grant application, but will be required to fill out an annual Funding Request Form.

Once the Board of Supervisors has approved the budget, recipients will receive a Tax Status Certification form that must be filled out and forwarded – by the grantee – to the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office. The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office will certify whether the grantee does not owe Inyo County any property taxes and that its non-profit status is current and in compliance with the IRS and State of California. Funding will not be distributed unless the Treasurer-Tax Collector signs the certification form.

Entities will also have to provide proof of sufficient insurance based on the requirements listed on pg. 2 of this document.

Entities that receive a signed certification form from the Treasurer-Tax Collector and who provide sufficient proof of insurance will be sent a Letter of Agreement that must be signed and returned along with an annual Request Form detailing plans for the funding, as well as other documentation cited on pg. 2 under “Requirements.” Once all forms are deemed complete by staff, the CAO will approve payment.

At its discretion, the Board of Supervisors can review and alter these Line-Item grants during its yearly budget review and approval process and decide whether to continue making Line-Item Grants available and, if so, in what funding levels to which projects.

Examples of current and past CPSP Line-Item Grant Award Recipients include:

  • California High School Rodeo State Finals
  • Wild Wild West Marathon
  • Laws Benefit Concert
  • Tecopa Community Days
  • Tri-County Fair/Rodeo
  • Mule Days Celebration

(The list of grant recipients is subject to change from one fiscal year to the next.)

FISHING PROMOTION

The CPSP provides funding for a Fishing Promotion component that funds fishing derbies in four distinct Owens Valley communities as well as a valley-wide warm-water bass tournament, in the amount of $7,500 each. The organizations that are currently designated to receive funding for fishing derbies have the right-of-first-refusal to continue receiving CPSP funds to keep sponsoring these events.

Once the Board of Supervisors has approved the budget, recipients will receive a Tax Status Certification form that must be filled out and forwarded – by the grantee – to the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office. The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office will certify whether the grantee does not owe Inyo County any property taxes and that its non-profit status is current and in compliance with the IRS and State of California. Funding will not be distributed unless the Treasurer-Tax Collector signs the certification form.

Entities will also have to provide proof of sufficient insurance based on the requirements listed on pg. 2 of this document.

Entities that receive a signed certification form from the Treasurer-Tax Collector and who provide sufficient proof of insurance will be sent a Letter of Agreement that must be signed and returned along with an application detailing plans for the funding, as well as other documentation cited on pg. 2 under “Requirements.” Once all forms are deemed complete by staff, the CAO will approve payment.

At its discretion, the Board of Supervisors can review and alter these grants during its yearly budget review and approval process and decide whether to continue making Fishing Promotion Grants available and, if so, in what funding levels to which projects.

Examples of current and past Fishing Promotion grant recipients include:

  • Bishop Chamber of Commerce (Blake Jones Trout Derby)
  • Independence Fishing Derby (Independence Fishing Derby)
  • Southern Inyo Early Opener (Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce)
  • Eastern Sierra Bass Fishing (Eastern Sierra Bass Tournament)

(The list of grant recipients is subject to change from one fiscal year to the next.)

Downloadable Files (PDFS)

2024/2025