Requirements relating to the content of applications

58 Document 3:13 2012–2013 Report In 2009, the Directorate for Nature Management submitted the Strategy for management of species in the deer family 23 up to 2030 2009b. The Ministry of the Environment stresses the deer family strategy as an important policy instrument for contributing to better management. The strategy contains several measures. Several of the measures in the strategy are fi nanced through the grant schemes, but there is no direct connection between the strategy for species in the deer family and game grants. The strategy defi nes further goals for the administration. The strategy has separate goals for hunting, which should build upon the following four values: community, diversity, safety and involvement. The budget proposition states that the grant should go to measures organised by indi- viduals, clubs and organisations where the measure is regional, inter-municipal or national in nature. Measures that are eligible for grants include mapping of game interests and the habitats of game resources, incorporation into municipal plans pursuant to the Planning and Building Act where the purpose is to improve overview of the population, establishment and operation of local cooperation councils, partici- pation in the operating plan work of rights holders, research, development and student assignments, organisations, clubs and associations that want to implement measures, and other prioritised game-related purposes. Figure 8 shows the distribution in grant recipient categories for the sub-Item Local game- related measures, etc.. In 2011, the Directorate for Nature Management allocated NOK 20.8 million under this item, county governors allocated NOK 4.5 million and county authorities NOK 5.1 million. Figure 8 Allocation of game-related grants in 2011, sub-Item 3 Local game-related measures, etc. Q Organisations and local assocations Q Research institutions Q County authorities and county governors Q Municipality and inter-municipal outdoor recreation councils Q Other 54 21 7 18 16 38 40 6 16 67 17 County authorities County governors The Directorate Source: The Office of the Auditor General on the basis of data from the grant administrators. There are deficiencies in some of the data submitted. Figure 8 shows that the county authority grants a signifi cant share of the grant funding for local game-related measures to organisations and local clubs. 24 The majority of the funding allocated by the Directorate for Nature Management goes to research. In total, 55 per cent of the funding from the sub-Item Local game-related measures, etc. goes to research institutions. 23 Deer family is a generic term for several species in the deer family. In Norway we have the species wild reindeer, red deer, elk, roe and fallow buck http:www.miljostatus.noTemaNaturmangfoldHjortevilt. 24 Private individuals are included in this category. 59 Document 3:13 2012–2013 Report Grants for game-related measures are reduced by 34 per cent in the budget proposition for 2013, from NOK 43.5 to 28.5 million. The relevant sub-item has been reduced by 38 per cent, to NOK 17.9 million. The funding has been moved to a new operating item, and the changes were made in order to budget in accordance with the Norwe- gian Public State Finance Regulations. A consequence of the changes is a reduction in the share of grant funding going to research. Some county authorities and county governors use parts of the grant funding for administrative tasks. An example of this is that, in 2011, one of the county governors allocated the entire grant pool to a mapping project on biological diversity organised by the county governor’s oi ce. The county governor received seven applications, and none of these were awarded funding. The applicants were not informed of the rejection in a letter, but were informed after the fact. Some funding goes to fi nancing meetings and similar. In a comment to the questionnaire survey, one county authority notes that a small part of the grant funding should be possible to grant to the county authority for fi nancing meetings and networks. Some county authorities allocate part of the funding to “Seen elk”, which is a national record of animals observed over the course of the elk hunting season. Some county authorities use funding for collection, pro- cessing, punching and report presentation. This is funding which the administrative bodies award to themselves without application. The Ministry of the Environment notes that county governors and county authorities are responsible for following up the fi nance regulations. The Ministry of the Environment states that the 2013 allocation letter specifi es that grants shall not be disbursed for operating items and that operating expenses shall not be charged to grant items. The case fi le review of 317 grant commitments shows that the majority of grants – 66 – awarded by county governors and county authorities, goes to hunting-related activities. Other grants relate to species information, counting, monitoring, etc. The case fi les also show that some of the grants for 2011 have gone to mapping prioritised species. For example, 14 grants have been awarded to the eagle owl. The Directorate states that they focus on the highest prioritised wildlife, including bats and the eagle owl. The case fi le review shows that nearly 80 per cent of grant applicants indicate that the project in question also receives other fi nancing. Half of the applicants will supply own funding, 53 per cent will supply voluntary work ef orts, and 37 per cent indicate other public grants. The Norwegian Association of Hunters and Anglers states that each grant triggers considerable activity. The Association notes that grants for local and county chapters contribute to extensive children and youth activities, and consid- erable volunteer work ef orts. The grants have major ripple ef ects, but resources, in the form of employees, are needed to trigger this ef ort. An in-depth study was conducted of a specifi c grant over this item, cf. fact box 2.