NRCS California Invites Applications for Partnership Proposals Focusing on Resiliency of California Agriculture

News provided by

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service

May 05, 2023, 16:31 ET

DAVIS, Calif., May 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is seeking both cooperative and contribution agreement proposals through June 3, 2023, to help our agency carry out our conservation mission. This announcement invites applications from interested outreach and conservation organizations.

"NRCS is continuously working to expand our conservation footprint in all of California's communities," said NRCS State Conservationist, Carlos Suarez. "We are doing our part in helping America's farmers and ranchers conserve the natural resources we all depend on. These resources consist of clean air and water, while supporting the health and resiliency of their operations for the future. Agreements with partners are a valuable tool that helps us get more conservation on the ground."

Each agreement opportunity will make $1 million available. The differences between each are:

Cooperative Agreements will have no funding match required, with a floor of $25,000 and a ceiling of $75,000. This opportunity is now open and can be found under Grants.gov number USDA-NRCS-CA-MULTI-23-NOFO0001281.
Contribution Agreements will require a 1:1 funding match, with a floor of $25,000 and a ceiling of $150,000. This opportunity will be posted soon under Grants.gov and will be found under number USDA-NRCS-CA-MULTI-23-NOFO0001282. This will have approximately a 30-day application period.

Proposals should focus on the resiliency of California agriculture by addressing climate smart agriculture and prioritizing the six target resource concerns. The six target resource concerns include plant productivity and forest health, air quality, water quality, water quantity, soil health/soil quality, and wildlife habitat.

Emphasis will be given to projects that provide direct technical assistance to NRCS staff in the implementation of Farm Bill conservation programs. California NRCS will continue to prioritize a full spectrum of partnerships made up of Tribes, urban producers, and partners working on behalf of Historically Underserved sectors of our farming, ranching and forestry communities.

More Information:

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (8:59 p.m. Pacific Time) on June 3, 2023. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected].

Contact: Jonathan Groveman
[email protected]

SOURCE USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service