Council tightens grant rules: mandatory local letters of support, eligibility checks and reviewer deadlines

Rachel Toker, OHV grants coordinator, presented multiple rule changes and reviewer instructions to the advisory council during the prescreen meeting.

"All of our grants now require a letter of support from a local OHP nonprofit," Toker said, adding that the division will compile an approved list of clubs and groups that can supply those letters and will host it on the application and the division website.

Toker explained that letters of support are broader than applicant eligibility and that some local clubs that are not 501(c)(3) organizations may still provide letters; however, she said that applicants must meet statutory eligibility to actually receive funds. "Our rule lists eligible entities, and one of those eligible entities is an OHV user group as defined in statute," a department staffer clarified for the council.

Council member Scott raised concerns about applicants that appear to lack OHV ties. "Over the last few grant cycles, we're starting to see people that are applying for grants that I'm not sure who these people are," he said. Scott asked for stronger prequalification steps. Nicole Hannah, department counsel, said the department commonly reviews bylaws and articles of incorporation to confirm an applicant's mission and eligibility and offered to work with the council on specific questions.

Toker also walked through application logistics for reviewers: there are 41 applications in the review pool after one withdrawal and three ineligibilities; total requested funding is about $3,649,000 while available funds are about $2,450,000. Reviewers must use the Salesforce portal to score applications (1–5 rubric) and post constructive comments; reviews are due by March 20, 2026. The advisory council will hear required presentations for high-dollar requests (applicants over $350,000) at the ranking meeting.

Why it matters: The changes—including an approved list for letters of support, a new conflict-of-interest form, and greater documentation for eligibility—are designed to improve local buy-in and ensure reviewers can confidently evaluate which organizations legitimately represent OHV interests.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the prior meeting minutes (motion by Brody Johnson; seconded by Scott) and later moved to adjourn (motion by Mike Cook; seconded by Sheriff Curtis).