Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ 11 01
Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ 11 01
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2011 Conservation Innovation Grant Funding Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912 Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 9, 2011 and posted on Nov 30, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 4, 2011 Modified closing date is for selected applicants to submit their full proposal packages no later than 4pm, EST, on March 4, 2011.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $25,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Individuals Private institutions of higher education Special district governments County governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 2011 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (USDA NRCS NHQ 11 01) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to accelerate the real-world use of innovative conservation practices and technologies tied to agricultural production. The central goal is to leverage federal conservation investment to achieve measurable environmental enhancement and protection on working lands, and then move successful approaches into wider use. A key expectation is technology transfer: projects should be positioned to feed into NRCS policy and technical resources (such as manuals, guides, and references) or to be adopted broadly by the private sector and other users. The program emphasizes practical, on-the-ground conservation work like pilot projects and field demonstrations, and it promotes collaboration and knowledge-sharing so that proven tools and methods become accessible to more producers, communities, and institutions.
A major boundary of this opportunity is that CIG is not a research grant in the traditional sense. Projects designed primarily to test new hypotheses, conduct basic research, or explore unproven concepts are not eligible. Instead, CIG is intended to apply and demonstrate technologies or approaches that are already sufficiently studied and have shown they can work, with the idea of pushing them past the early stage and into adoption, replication, and eventual institutionalization. In other words, applicants are expected to build on established evidence and focus on implementation, validation in field settings, scaling strategies, and pathways that make it easier for NRCS and others to integrate the innovation into standard practice.
The funding opportunity anticipates around 50 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $25,000,000. Individual awards can be as large as $1,000,000, and the stated award floor is $0 (meaning there is no minimum award size specified). Projects may be single-year or multi-year, but they cannot exceed a three-year period of performance. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies, so applicants should plan to contribute non-federal resources or allowable match consistent with program rules.
Eligibility is broad and includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, local governments (including counties, cities/townships, special districts), nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and individuals. Applications are accepted nationwide across all 50 states and also in U.S. territories and affiliated areas covered by NRCS, including the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). The opportunity is associated with CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and its activity areas span agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
The application process uses a two-phase evaluation structure designed to filter proposals before requiring full submissions. In phase one, applicants submit a pre-proposal by the initial deadline (December 28, 2010). NRCS staff review these pre-proposals against the topical areas selected by the applicant (referenced in the announcement as Section I.D) and screen submissions for completeness and compliance with the notice requirements. Incomplete or noncompliant submissions are removed from consideration, and applicants are notified by mail. Only those applicants selected through the pre-proposal stage are invited to submit a full proposal package.
Phase two involves the full proposal review. Invited applicants must submit their complete full proposal packages by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on March 4, 2011 (the modified closing date listed for the full proposal stage). Full proposals received by the deadline are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the criteria described in the application instructions (referenced as Section VI.B). Proposals that receive technically based recommendations then move forward to a Grants Review Board, which makes funding recommendations to the NRCS Chief. Final selection authority rests with the NRCS Chief. The announcement was posted November 30, 2010, created February 9, 2011, and archived April 4, 2011.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement or with program questions, the notice lists the national CIG program contact as Gregorio Cruz, National CIG Program Manager, USDA NRCS, with contact details including telephone (202) 720-8071, fax (202) 720-4839, and email gregorio.cruz@wdc.usda.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - 2011 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (USDA NRCS NHQ 11 01)
What is the 2011 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding opportunity?
The 2011 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (USDA NRCS NHQ 11 01) is a discretionary federal grant program run by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is designed to accelerate real-world use of innovative conservation practices and technologies tied to agricultural production on working lands.
What is the main purpose of CIG?
The central purpose is to leverage federal conservation investment to achieve measurable environmental enhancement and protection on working lands, and then move successful approaches into wider adoption and use.
What kinds of projects does CIG prioritize?
CIG emphasizes practical, on-the-ground conservation work, such as pilot projects and field demonstrations, along with collaboration and knowledge-sharing that helps proven tools and methods become accessible to more producers, communities, and institutions.
Is CIG a research grant?
No. CIG is not a traditional research grant. Projects designed primarily to test new hypotheses, conduct basic research, or explore unproven concepts are not eligible under this opportunity.
If it is not a research grant, what does CIG expect applicants to do?
CIG expects applicants to apply and demonstrate technologies or approaches that are already sufficiently studied and have shown they can work. The focus is on implementation, validation in field settings, scaling strategies, and pathways that support adoption, replication, and eventual institutionalization.
What is meant by "technology transfer" in this program?
A key expectation is that projects are positioned for technology transfer. This means results should be able to feed into NRCS policy and technical resources (such as manuals, guides, and references) or be adopted broadly by private sector users and other audiences.
How much funding is available through this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipates an estimated total program funding level of $25,000,000.
How many awards does NRCS expect to make?
NRCS anticipates making around 50 awards under this funding opportunity.
What is the maximum award amount?
Individual awards can be as large as $1,000,000.
Is there a minimum award size?
The stated award floor is $0, meaning there is no minimum award size specified in the information provided.
How long can a project last?
Projects may be single-year or multi-year, but they cannot exceed a three-year period of performance.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies. Applicants should plan to contribute non-federal resources or allowable match consistent with program rules.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special districts), nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and individuals.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations are eligible, including those other than small businesses. Small businesses are also explicitly listed as eligible.
Are individuals eligible to apply?
Yes. Individuals are included among the eligible applicant types.
Where are applications accepted (geographic eligibility)?
Applications are accepted nationwide across all 50 states and also in U.S. territories and affiliated areas covered by NRCS, including the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
What program or catalog listing is this opportunity associated with?
This opportunity is associated with CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
What activity areas does this funding opportunity cover?
The activity areas span agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
How does the application and review process work?
The application process uses a two-phase evaluation structure. Phase one requires a pre-proposal submission. Only applicants selected through the pre-proposal stage are invited to submit a full proposal package in phase two.
What is due in Phase 1 (pre-proposal), and when is it due?
Phase 1 requires submission of a pre-proposal by the initial deadline of December 28, 2010.
How are pre-proposals reviewed?
NRCS staff review pre-proposals against the topical areas selected by the applicant (referenced in the announcement as Section I.D) and screen submissions for completeness and compliance with the notice requirements.
What happens if a pre-proposal is incomplete or noncompliant?
Incomplete or noncompliant submissions are removed from consideration, and applicants are notified by mail.
What is due in Phase 2 (full proposal), and when is it due?
Applicants invited to Phase 2 must submit a complete full proposal package by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on March 4, 2011 (the modified closing date listed for the full proposal stage).
Who reviews the full proposals?
Full proposals received by the deadline are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the criteria described in the application instructions (referenced as Section VI.B).
What happens after technical peer review?
Proposals that receive technically based recommendations move forward to a Grants Review Board, which makes funding recommendations to the NRCS Chief.
Who makes the final funding decision?
Final selection authority rests with the NRCS Chief.
When was this opportunity posted and when was it archived?
The announcement was posted on November 30, 2010, created on February 9, 2011, and archived on April 4, 2011.
Who can I contact with questions or to request help accessing the full announcement?
The national CIG program contact listed is Gregorio Cruz, National CIG Program Manager, USDA NRCS. Telephone: (202) 720-8071. Fax: (202) 720-4839. Email: gregorio.cruz@wdc.usda.gov.
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