Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 20 GEN0010808
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering up to $15 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding for federal fiscal year 2020 under opportunity number USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 20 GEN0010808 (CFDA 10.912). This is a discretionary grant program focused on agriculture, the environment, and natural resources. The main goal is to spur the development and real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that can work alongside agricultural production, rather than treating conservation as separate from farming and ranching operations.
CIG is designed to move practical innovations from the testing phase into wider use. Funded projects are expected to result in conservation technologies, management systems, or innovative approaches (including market-based mechanisms) that can be transferred to agricultural producers, incorporated into NRCS technical manuals and guidance, or adopted by the private sector. In other words, the program is looking for ideas that can prove themselves in the field and then be scaled or replicated, not just concepts that remain theoretical.
Most CIG awards support pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. NRCS defines on-farm conservation research as an investigation that answers a specific, applied conservation question using a statistically valid design and farm-scale equipment on working lands such as farms, ranches, or private forest lands. This emphasis signals that proposals should be built around measurable outcomes and credible evaluation methods, with results that stakeholders can trust and use.
NRCS is seeking projects in two broad categories. The first is approaches that incentivize conservation adoption, including market-based systems and conservation finance models. The second is conservation technologies, practices, and systems. Across both categories, projects must meet several core expectations: they must comply with all applicable federal, Tribal, state, and local laws and regulations for the full project period; use a technology or approach that has already been studied enough to suggest a high likelihood of success; and demonstrate, evaluate, and verify how effective the technology or approach is in real field conditions, including its utility, affordability, and usability. Proposals should also show how the work will help adapt and transfer the conservation solution to improve performance and encourage adoption, and how it will introduce proven technologies into geographic areas or agricultural sectors where they are not currently used.
A key eligibility limitation is that CIG will not fund technologies or approaches that are already eligible for funding in the project area through an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract tied to an established conservation practice standard. The exception is when the applicant can clearly show that the proposed use demonstrates genuine innovation beyond the standard established practice. This means applicants need to explicitly explain what is new, different, or improved compared to what is already supported through EQIP locally.
NRCS has reserved up to 10 percent of the total FY 2020 CIG funds for proposals connected to historically underserved producers, veteran farmers or ranchers, or community-based organizations that are made up of, or represent, those groups. This set-aside is meant to increase access and ensure that innovation and conservation benefits reach producers and communities that have often faced barriers to participating in federal programs.
Eligibility is broad: all U.S.-based non-federal entities and individuals can apply, except federal agencies. "U.S.-based" includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and affiliated areas including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Caribbean Area) and Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Pacific Islands Area). Applicants may submit more than one application and may receive more than one award. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $2,000,000. The original application closing date for this opportunity was June 29, 2020.
To help applicants prepare, NRCS scheduled an informational webinar for May 13, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time to answer questions about the funding opportunity. Participation details were provided on the NRCS CIG program page at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 20 GEN0010808
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’s Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-04-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 20 GEN0010808) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 20 NOFO0001013 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 20 NOFO0001013 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Boots on the Ground Assistance Apply for USDA NRCS SC EQIP 20 NOFO0001028 Funding Number: USDA NRCS SC EQIP 20 NOFO0001028 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $540,000 |
| Conservation Planning and Technical Assistance with the Bobwhite Quail Working Lands for Wildlife 2.0 Initiative under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in South Carolina Apply for USDA NRCS SC EQIP 20 NOFO0001029 Funding Number: USDA NRCS SC EQIP 20 NOFO0001029 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Federal Fiscal Years (FYs) 2020 and 2021. Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPC 21 NOFO0001033 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPC 21 NOFO0001033 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 21 NOFO0001110 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 21 NOFO0001110 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Conservation Outreach: Racial Equity and Justice Conservation Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ REJ 21 NOFO0001121 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ REJ 21 NOFO0001121 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Notice of Funding Opportunity for NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) – RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements for Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 22 NOFO0001137 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 22 NOFO0001137 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 22 NOFO0001136 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 22 NOFO0001136 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Pacific Islands Area State Program Apply for USDA NRCS HI CIG 22 NOFO0001160 Funding Number: USDA NRCS HI CIG 22 NOFO0001160 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| FY 2022 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NRCS UAIP 22 NOFO0001178 Funding Number: USDA NRCS UAIP 22 NOFO0001178 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY 2022 Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 22 NOFO0001179 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 22 NOFO0001179 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Notice of Funding for NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 23 NOFO0001304 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 23 NOFO0001304 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
| Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 24 NOFO0001336 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 24 NOFO0001336 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 24 NOFO0001355 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 24 NOFO0001355 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
| Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 24 NOFO0001354 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 24 NOFO0001354 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
| Wetland Mitigation Banking Program Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ WMBP 24 NOFO0001315 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ WMBP 24 NOFO0001315 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 - South Carolina Apply for USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375 Funding Number: USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| NRCS Texas Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Apply for USDA NRCS TX CIG 24 NOFO0001397 Funding Number: USDA NRCS TX CIG 24 NOFO0001397 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants State Program - KANSAS Apply for USDA NRCS KS CIG 24 NOFO0001371 Funding Number: USDA NRCS KS CIG 24 NOFO0001371 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $125,000 |
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