John Bennett, project manager for the McAllister fund, said slicing up that pot among all the applicants requires visits to each of the sites before a final decision will be made in late September. And while fund managers will meet with Utah Open Lands next week, Bennett said it is unlikely they will have a final decision by the Perkins Flat deadline.

"We're not going to be able to tell any of them early," he said. "I know they've got themselves in a situation where they need to commit before we're ready to make a decision."

The final decision on who gets funding this year will be based on five top criteria, Bennett said, including urgency, cost effectiveness, multiple public benefits, uniqueness and how far the preservation project has progressed.

The Perkins Flat is a prime candidate for the funding, Fisher said, but she's not counting on seeing state dollars. For now, Fisher said, she is knocking on a lot of doors, sending pleading letters to residents. She may even ask Salt Lake City to donate.

"We could be in jeopardy if we don't get any funding from LeRay McAllister. We're not assuming that's a done deal at this point," she said. "It's too important a property for us to leave to chance."

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com