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 FOREST SERVICE FUNDING ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY 



The Forest Service budget process consists of a series of steps designed 

 to effectively and efticsently develop, communicate and implement the 

 Agency's corporate policies and priorities. An on-going critique of each 

 step is an integral part of the overall process and has resulted in some 

 significant changes in recent years. 



One area now receiving considerable attention is the development and 

 refinement of the criteria or factors used in the allocation of funds. This will 

 result in some important changes related to the allocation of funds among 

 National Forest System Regions in FY 1 997. A comprehensive effort led by 

 the Washington Office with extensive field involvement is reviewing and 

 instituting new allocation criteria to better reflect the overall objectives of 

 resource program priorities and objectives. This effort is being initiated as 

 part of the budget formulation process, and the results will be carried 

 through final distribution of the Forest Service appropriation. 



While the above effort is critical to improving the budget development and 

 allocation process, this process can never be entirely formula driven. Pro- 

 fessional judgement will always be required in adjusting the distribution of 

 funds to address changing conditions - from the national level to individual 

 programs. 



The Agency views the development and refinement of allocation criteria as 

 an on-going, iterative process involving both field units and the Washington 

 Office. 



Example: Criteria for Allocating Recreatiori Management Funds 



As an example of the above effort, the following five criteria or workload 

 factors have been identified/selected for use in the allocation of funds for 

 the Recreation Management program: 



Factor/Criteria Unit of Measure 



Recreation Use Recreation Visitor Days (RVDs) 



Developed Site Capacity Persons-At-One-Time (PAOTs) 



Non-wilderness NFS Lands Acres 



Existing Trails (non-Wildemess) Miles 



Special Use Permits Number Administered 



These criteria were selected because they reflect major recreation workload 

 differences among Regions that are currently reported nationally. To the 

 extent possible, available funds will be distributed based on each Region's 

 share of the estimated total program dollars needed for managing the 

 recreation program components represented by these criteria. Estimated 



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