FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS SUBMITTING REQUESTS TO CONGRESSWOMAN LOUISE SLAUGHTER Submission Deadline Appropriations Questionnaire Application Process Check List Staff Contact Information Congressional Budget Timeline Written Requests Submission Deadline Appropriation requests for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 10) should be submitted to my office as soon as possible, but no later then Friday, February 20, 2009. All requests must be complete and any submissions after the deadline will not be considered. Application Process Required Documentation In order for your request to be considered, you must (1) write and attach a letter of request, and (2) complete and submit the appropriations questionnaire. The required information to be included in the Written Requests and the Appropriations Questionnaire are found in their respective sections below. Optional Supporting Materials You may submit any Supporting Materials that are relevant to the request. For instance, you may attach copies of feasibility studies, economic impact studies, photographs or maps of project areas, and letters of support from elected officials, town boards, or others. Please attach any Supporting Materials using the Upload Tool found below Appropriations Questionnaire and be sure to include your organization's name in the title(s) of the attached file(s). Senate Project Requests I strongly encourage you to submit separate project requests to both New York Senators' offices. Please contact their offices directly to determine their procedures for handling such requests. Steps Following Request Submission After submitting your initial application to my office, the Appropriations Committee may also require you to fill out an additional questionnaire in February or March. As a result of the short turn-around time, you will need to complete the request quickly. Projects Awarded Funding Due to the large volume of requests to my office each year and the limited availability of funds, my staff will only contact you if your project is selected to receive funding from the Appropriations Committee. If your project is awarded funding, you will be expected to provide a progress report on the implementation of your project within a year of receiving funds. Failure to do so may result in future requests not being considered. Return to top Staff Contact Information If you have any questions regarding the process for submitting an appropriations request, please contact either my Washington, DC or district staff members listed below. If you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss your project, please contact them prior to the February 20, 2009 to determine if a meeting is necessary. Washington, DC John A. Monsif Legislative Assistant 2469 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-3615 john.monsif@mail.house.gov Rochester, NY Christopher Zeltmann Director of Economic Development 3120 Federal Building 100 State Street Rochester, NY 14614 (585) 232-4850 christopher.zeltmann@mail.house.gov Return to top Written Requests Cities, towns, agencies and organizations are required to submit a written request addressed to Congresswoman Slaughter on official letterhead and signed by an authorized executive, such as the Town Manager or Executive Director. Please submit the signed written request using the Upload Tool found below the Appropriations Questionnaire and be sure to include your organization's name in the title of the attached file. Please note: written requests must be submitted along with the completed questionnaire. Required Information The written request must contain the following key information: * The name of the city or organization of the potential recipient; * A detailed project description and history of community involvement and/or support, such as votes by local governments or community meeting minutes; * The federal agency from which you are requesting funding; * If appropriate, the account/authorization from which you are requesting funding; * The amount requested; * The total project cost, including sources of other funding, especially state, private, local match; and * If awarded, how any past federal funding was used. Return to top Appropriations Questionnaire In addition to the Written Request, you must also complete and submit the questionnaire found below. Please note: the completed questionaire must be submitted along with the written requests. All feilds are required data. 1. Name of the organization submitting the request and receiving the award. 2. Name, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address for each of the following: a. Most senior official in the organization Name Title Address Phone E-mail 3. b. Point of contact for submitted request Name Title Address Phone E-mail 4. Is your organization located in Congresswoman Slaughter's district (NY-28)? 5. Describe briefly your organization's mission and primary activities, including whether it is a non-profit, for- profit business, or public agency: 6. Please provide a brief description, no more than 250 words, of the activity or project for which funding is requested, including the exact name of the project. Please indicate whether this request is for construction, equipment, or other "one-time" expense or if funding is for on-going expenses. If the request is for construction, please identify the programmatic activity that will be carried out in the facility: 7. What is the current status of the project or activity and the anticipated completion date? If applicable, please provide a timeline of project benchmarks. 8. Will the project be implemented in Congresswoman Slaughter's District? What is the exact location of the project? 9. Describe the project's benefit. What specific federal responsibility does the funding of this project further? For instance, a water and sanitation project may allow a town to comply with EPA regulations. What local measurable improvement or outcome will result from the project? 10. How many, if any, jobs will be created due to the funding of this project? How many, if any, jobs will be retained due to this funding of this project? 11. What is the funding amount being requested in this application for FY 10? 12. Please provide a brief budget for the requested funding and a justification for each major item, such as construction, equipment, personnel, planning. 13. What is the total cost required to complete the project or activity? Please list any local, state, or other funding sources required to complete the project and indicate if these additional funds have been secured. How much funding is each of these sources contributing? Please note: there is a 45 percent local matching funding requirement for water or sewer infrastructure. Therefore, if you are requesting funding to construct or repair water/sewer infrastructure, please attach documentation using the Upload Tool found above to certify 45 percent local matching funding is available to accomplish the project. 14. Will requests be made for funding this project in subsequent fiscal years? If yes, please provide an estimate of these "out-year" requests. 15. Identify the agency or appropriations subcommittee from which this funding is requested. You may include more than one agency. For instance, a road construction project would come out of the Department of Transportation. 16. If possible, identify the account/agency with the Subcommittee's jurisdiction from which funding is requested. 17. Has an application for funding for this project or activity ever been submitted to any agency of government or funding source, or has a request for funding ever been made to this or any other Committee of Congress? If yes, what was the disposition of the application or request? 18. Is the organization requesting funding receiving funding for this or any other activity from the federal government? If yes, please provide information on the amount of funds, the years received, and the name of the federal agency and program providing the funding. 19. Please list all Members of the House and Senate that are also receiving this request . Upload Tool:Please submit your written requests & supporting materials The total file upload size can not exceed 500KB. Documents must be the following file types: .doc, .pdf, .rtf Macintosh users: Your document must have a file extension. Resave it using your word processor with the appropriate extension from the above list. Return to top Check List Contact my staff if you are uncertain as to whether it is appropriate for you to apply for an appropriation "earmark." My staff will be able to help you determine if your request is suitable for the appropriations process. Many projects or programs are more likely to be funded through established grant programs awarded by federal agencies, rather than through an "earmarked" appropriation. Consult with my staff to determine if a meeting is required with a staff member in Washington, DC or the district office. If necessary, a staff member will tour your site to better understand the project. Write and submit a letter of request using the Upload Tool. A full explanation of the requirements can be found above in the Written Requests section. Complete all the questions and submit the Appropriations Questionnaire, which is also found above. Submit the Written Request, any relevant Supporting Materials, and the Appropriations Questionnaire together no later than Friday, February 20, 2009. Submit individual requests to both New York Senators' offices. Please contact their offices directly to determine how they handle such requests. Keep in Contact with My Staff. They will help you determine if follow-up meetings and information are needed. Wait to hear from my office if your project is awarded an appropriation. If awarded, you are required to provide a progress report to my office within the first year of funding as to the status of your project's implementation. If not awarded, I encourage you to resubmit your request in the next fiscal year. Return to top Congressional Budget Timeline While the federal fiscal year begins on October 1, my staff begins working on the budget a year in advance. For example, in September 2008 my staff members were completing work on FY 09 budget matters and began preparing for FY 10. During the course of FY 09, I will be working to secure funds for projects that will be awarded in FY 10. When: December - February What: Our staff meets with municipalities and non-profit organizations to determine funding requests. Letters of request to Congresswoman Slaughter should be sent in during this time period. When: First Monday in February (February 2, 2009) What: President submits budget for following fiscal year to Congress. When: February 15th to April 15th What: Congress considers and passes a budget resolution, which is a five year guide to spending. When: Late February thru late March What: House Appropriations subcommittees begin hearings on all appropriations bills and begin "marking-up" (amending) bills. Members must submit requests for discretionary funding prior to the start of these hearings. When: May - July What: House Appropriation Committee reports to full House and the House votes on passage. When: Commencement August recess What: Senate and House usually have voted on their appropriations bills. Some bills may have already gone through conference committee, approved by the House and Senate and sent to the President. When: September What: Typically conference committees meet to finalize appropriations bills. They are voted on and sent to the President for signature. When: October 1st What: New fiscal year begins. When: October and beyond What: Continuing Resolutions allow the federal government to continue working under the previous year's funding levels until their appropriations for the current fiscal year are approved.