BIG Time – And Other Ways To Get Money For Nothing

Every year the shipping industry faces more and more scrutiny from its big brothers. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it’s hard. Big Brother has a job to do, but sometimes their approach can be very difficult, allowing marinas to catch up or accelerate capital projects to keep operations compliant with various regulations.

The best advice I can offer is to try to stay ahead of the game. This means implementing compliance both operationally and cost-effectively. Sounds good, but what does this mean and how do you pay, especially when things are tight?

First, you need a fluid, multi-year plan that integrates operations, maintenance, capital projects, and forward thinking about how to get to the next level. In some respects this is relatively easy to do, but is often overlooked.

The second usually requires a little more work. But while big brothers are watching us all, government authorities are also sometimes trying to help fund various regulatory compliance initiatives and/or desired development/redevelopment. The biggest problem many people deal with in getting it is that even if a particular agency really likes the project, it can take a long time and be long to get approval. , it is also important to have a multi-year plan for improvement.

Also, be aware that most fundable projects require paperwork and approval processes to be completed before embarking on the project. Retroactive redemption is almost unheard of in U.S. government funding, with the exception of FEMA, but even then there are steps to be taken before funds can be used and made redeemable. And of course, funding often comes with terms and conditions.

There are specific equipment programs and operational programs.
BIG program.

Yes, this is the “BIG” of “BIG Time”. US Boat Infrastructure Grant ProgramIt is a federal program operated through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is primarily administered by the states.

Promotes nautical tourism and provides funding for boats 26 feet or more in length (large cruising boats) to expand access to recreational, cultural, historical, scenic, and natural resources in the United States . This program is intended for non-trailable transient boats whose stay does not exceed 15 days. Funding is for construction or refurbishment projects for facilities designed to last at least 20 years, located in waters with minimum water depth of 6 feet or more, and providing security, safety, and services (including pump-outs). is. Stations within 2 miles for accommodations).

The program is divided into two segments. Tier 1 is for funding up to $200,000 as determined by the state in that state competition, but the maximum total amount available per state per year for Tier 1 is $200,000 per year. Tier 2 provides up to $1,500,000 in funding per grant and is based on national competition (multiple grants to a particular entity are permitted but must be in separate years). yeah). In the 2022 cycle, 13 grants totaling just over $15 million were awarded, ranging from $208,000 to a cap of $1.5 million.

Funds include (a) boat slips, piers, mooring buoys, floating docks, dinghy docks, day docks and other structures for tying boats to access shore or services; (b) gas stations, restrooms, showers, utilities and other amenities for temporary seafarer convenience; (c) lighting, communications, buoys, beacons, signals, markers, signs and other means of supporting safe boating and providing information to assist boaters; (d) breakwaters, revetments, and other physical improvements to enable the Area to provide a safe harbor of refuge; and/or (e) facilities and structures for collecting, disposing of, or recycling liquid or solid waste from Covered Vessels or Covered Users;

Each state can make its own decisions about additional requirements. For example, some states reserve Tier 1 funding for state facilities.
The minimum funding requirement for applicants is 25%, but projects with more than 25% match will be awarded additional points during evaluation.

Matching funds for 2022 winners ranged from a minimum of approximately 35% in Port Townsend, Washington to a maximum of approximately 152% in Port Royal Marina, Safe Harbor, South Carolina.

The program requires well-thought-out presentations, is a lengthy process, and faces rigorous scrutiny and competition, but can be a major source of funding for meaningful projects.

pump out
One of the simplest and well-funded programs in the United States is clean vessel acttoday funds are used for construction, renovation, operations and

Maintenance of pumping stations and waste receiving facilities to meet recreational boating needs. This includes not only the cost of the pump-out equipment, but also the design and permitting by consultants and experts, infrastructure (including site preparation, marking, trenching, piping), equipment, installation, and personnel to perform the same operations. may be included. and maintenance costs. The 25% that the applicant has to fund is possible not only in terms of actual expenditures, but also in terms of in-house labor and in-kind services. A key requirement for this (and other federally funded projects) these days is that all equipment, steel, etc. must be manufactured in the United States.

An additional string is that the pumpout must be open to the public and, if there is a charge for its use, it must not exceed $5.00. This doesn’t tend to be an issue for most applicants, as most facilities tend to charge very little for pump-outs. This program has been very effective in making pump-out facilities widely available nationwide.
Both the Pump Out Program and the BIG Program are funded through the Wallop-Breaux Trust Fund, along with various other incentive and research programs. recreational boating.

As I mentioned in my recent article on power washing, for quite some time I have advocated extending the Clean Bessel method to include the handling of process water from power washing. It can be very expensive to get it right and many states these days seem to have unclaimed money left over for pumping out. helps keep the clean.

Other approaches
Potential funding for building resilient infrastructure and communities, including FEMA, flood mitigation assistance, HUD CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), disaster recovery programs, state economic development, waterway programs, and other programs There are other US federal and state approaches with sources. Promote a specific goal. Every state and region has its own specific goals on how to upgrade and improve the waterfront. It’s a hot topic today, especially as we focus more and more on tackling climate change and rising sea levels. Many programs have funding sources. Of course, similar programs can be found in most countries.

Partnering with one or more public agencies can also help fund various components of the project and reduce costs not available to private agencies. A well-packaged proposal can meet a variety of public and marina goals. As with most things in life, there are yin and yang involved and business decisions need to be made regarding interests and concerns. But by and large, well-planned and coordinated projects can make a lot of sense in achieving short- and long-term goals. Dividing a project into segments often allows you to partner on specific segmented items. Such approaches can include community protection of breakwaters, public access boardwalks and associated shoreline protection, green infrastructure, marina-spanning utilities, and more.

Not long ago, I was surprised to see a series of maintenance dredging projects funded under the Program to Improve Coastal Resilience. Not what you would normally expect but the projects were well presented and the state agreed they were eligible. Dredging if federal projects or similar government anchorages or waterways adjoin site Another approach that can be considered on the forefront of , is to incur the cost of testing, if done in conjunction with testing. This is often excessive. for federal projects. Likewise, working with the same contractors that undertake federal projects may lower the cost per unit of testing and dredging. Similarly, forming a dredging group in collaboration with others in the area may have equal benefits.

Cleanup and development of brownfield areas may also be eligible for various funding sources. A brownfield is an asset whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, contaminants, or contaminants. There are various levels of funding available, and working with state, regional, or local organizations (public or private) can be very helpful in obtaining funding. This is usually facilitated for the development of highland real estate projects by creating parklands along the waterfront. It has also seen success in marina projects, but due to its length of time and other reasons, it is not as widely used.

The best I can offer is to plan ahead, understand the objectives of the various grant programs, and carefully present your proposals to demonstrate how the desired project can help achieve those goals. is to adjust to
Funding sources are tied to strings most of the time, so there may not be such things as free lunches, but it makes sense to take advantage of the carrots your big brother occasionally offers. Applications for funding can be successful if they are well presented and have a thorough understanding of each goal and how to achieve them. Yes, it takes time, diligence and a lot of patience. But in the end, it might be worth it. After all, no one wants some money for free, even if it’s not completely free.

Dan Natchez (CMP) is President of DANIEL S. NATCHEZ and ASSOCIATES Inc., an international waterfront environmental design consulting firm specializing in the design of marinas and marina resorts worldwide. He can be reached by phone at 914/698-5678, his WhatsApp at 914/381-1234, email at dan.n@dsnainc.com, or online at: www.dsnainc.com.