Funding

Deadline Passed as of 11/30/2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. Through EQIP, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to eligible individuals and entities to plan and install conservation practices that benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals. EQIP addresses national resource concerns including improvement of water quality, water conservation , reducing greenhouse gasses, improving wildlife habitat, controlling invasive plant species, and on-farm energy conservation and efficiency.

Categories: conservation, agriculture, natural resources, water and air quality, greenhouse gases, wildlife habitat, invasive plant species, energy efficiency

Most Recent Deadline for Pre-Proposals: April 4, 2024. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is releasing the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2024 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects throughout the United States. This RFP consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public, Tribal, and private lands. For more information, visit: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/america-beautiful-challenge/americas-ecos…;

Categories: Ecosystem restoration, equity, community leadership, workforce development, conservation

Deadline passed as of June 2, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS technical manuals and guides or to the private sector. CIG is used to apply or demonstrate previously proven technology in order to increase adoption with an emphasis on opportunities to scale proven, emerging conservation strategies. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users. CIG funds projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations.

Categories: climate change, sustainability, conservation, management, prevention, restoration

Deadline Passed 02/07/2020. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing potential availability of grants and agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources, addressing local natural resource issues, encouraging collaboration and developing state- and community-level conservation leadership for historically underserved agricultural producers.

Categories: natural resources, collaboration, conservation, leadership, community

Past Deadline: 05/03/2021. CIG is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies for agriculture production. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users. Non-federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes or individuals are eligible. Applications are due via Grants.gov. NRCS OR CIG Applications are due 7 May. NRCS ID CIG Applications due 3 May by 11:59 pm ET.

Categories: conservation, agriculture, natural resources, science and technology, research and development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) which responds to emergencies created by natural disasters. It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance. The EWP Program is a recovery effort aimed at relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural disasters. All projects must have a project sponsor. NRCS may bear up to 75 percent of the eligible construction cost of emergency measures (90 percent within limited-resource areas as identified by the U.S. Census data). The remaining costs must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services

Categories: Watershed, Emergency Management

In Oregon, NRCS will focus the funding on cropland, rangeland and forestry conservation practices. For cropland practices, NRCS will assist producers with planting and managing cover crops and implementing emergency soil erosion measures. These practices will help farmers protect the soil from erosion, promote more organic matter in the soil, and aid in better water infiltration.

Categories: Habitat Conservation, resource conservation, Drought

Deadline Passed as of 1/31/2018. Deadline for 2019 Unknown. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing potential availability of agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources, addressing local natural resource issues, encouraging collaboration and developing state-and-community-level conservation leadership. Successful applicant proposals must originate from Iowa and focus on conservation issues as noted in Section I (B) of this notice. Collaborative projects that provide on-the-ground support for Iowa NRCS Field Offices are highly encouraged. Research proposals will be returned to the applicant. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2018 will be up to $3,000,000.00. Proposals are requested from eligible governmental or non- governmental organizations, and institutions of higher learning for competitive consideration of awards for projects between 1 and 5 years in duration. This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for projects. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. Funding opportunity #: USDA-NRCS-IA-IPC-18-01

Categories: natural resources, collaboration, development, conservation

2020 Application Deadline passed on June 29, 2020. The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into NRCS technical manuals and guides, or to the private sector. CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a speciifc applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches or private forest lands. 

Categories: conservation, agriculture, management, research, planning

Deadline Passed 11/27/2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing the availability of up to $50 million in Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) funding to create or enhance State and Tribal Government programs that encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch, and forest land to voluntarily make that land available for access by the public for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-dependent recreation. VPA-HIP is a competitive grants program and only State and Tribal Governments may apply. Projects may be up to three years in duration. The maximum amount for a single award is $3 million. Up to 25 percent of the funding for each award may be used to provide incentives to improve wildlife habitat on enrolled public access program lands.

Categories: agriculture, farm, forest, lands

Deadline passed as of July 7, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. NRCS Oregon requests proposals for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies on forestland lands.

Categories: forestry, habitat, restoration, recovery, conservation, management, policy, development

Deadline Passes December 11, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. The NRCS - Texas State Office, an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is seeking support from and opportunities to partner with like minded natural resource conservation partners. The overall intent of this solicitation is to solicit partnerships to help enhance the implementation of key conservation objectives and priorities outlined further in this document. .The Texas NRCS Urban Conservation Project is an effort to challenge community organizations, educational institutions and Indian tribes to establish community and school gardens across Texas. The simple act of planting a garden can help unite neighbors in a common effort and inspire locally-led solutions to challenges facing our state. Challenges that can be addressed with locally-led solutions can be diverse in an urban setting. Addressing hunger with an urban garden can bring communities together and initiate other positive outcomes for people. Pollinator habitat planned with urban gardens can provide an increase in harvest potential while providing food and habitat for declining insect communities in Texas.As part of the USDA’s Urban Agriculture toolkit, the Texas NRCS Urban Conservation Project will provide technical and financial assistance to eligible entities to establish gardens for food production and for attracting and maintaining monarch butterflies and the establishment of seasonal high tunnels to extend the growing season of fruits and vegetables. Conservation entities are invited to apply for NRCS assistance with the following key conservation objectives:1. Provide learning experiences in natural resources conservation to urban communities.2. Address food deserts.3. Create urban gardening projects that develop urban properties into vegetable production sites.4. Improve access to healthy, affordable food at a local level.5. Leverage non-Federal resources to achieve positive natural resources conservation outcomes. Funding Opportunity #: USDA-NRCS-TX-UCP-18-01

Categories: natural resources, conservation, community health, education, urban gardens, food production

RFP Closed for 2016. Expect Announcement Winter of 2016-17. The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of Wetland Mitigation Banking Program grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the Wetland Conservation Compliance provisions of the 1985 Food Security Act (as amended).

Categories: Eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments.