Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ 12 01
Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ 12 01
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2012 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 Jan 4, 2012 and posted on Jan 4, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2012 January 31, 2012 is the closing date for applicants to submit their pre proposals application packages. Selected applicants will then be required to submit their full application proposal packages no later than 4pm, EST, on April 6, 2012.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000,000.00 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 60 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments County governments City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Individuals.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NHQ 12 01) is a competitive, discretionary grant program run by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its core aim is to speed up real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve environmental outcomes while supporting agricultural production. The program is designed to make federal conservation investments go further by helping proven ideas move from limited use into broader practice, either by being incorporated into NRCS policy tools (like technical manuals, guides, and references) or by being taken up widely in the private sector.
A key point in this announcement is what CIG will and will not fund. CIG is not a research grant program, and proposals built around testing hypotheses or generating basic research findings are not considered eligible for funding under this opportunity. Instead, CIG focuses on applying, adapting, or demonstrating technologies and management approaches that already have enough evidence behind them to suggest a strong likelihood of success. In practical terms, NRCS is looking for projects that take something that has been studied or proven in prior work and then show how it performs at scale, in the field, or across new settings, with the explicit goal of transferring that approach into standard conservation practice.
The types of projects emphasized are on-the-ground conservation innovations, especially pilot projects and field demonstrations. The expectation is that these efforts will help spread usable conservation knowledge by encouraging collaboration and sharing of skills, technology, and facilities among communities, governments, and institutions. The program is positioned as a bridge between established proof and broader implementation, with an emphasis on real operational conditions and usable deliverables rather than academic experimentation.
The application process uses a two-phase evaluation structure. First, applicants submit a pre-proposal, which NRCS staff review based on the topic areas selected by the applicant (referenced in the notice as section I.D). During this phase, NRCS also screens submissions for basic completeness and compliance; incomplete applications are removed from consideration, and applicants are notified by mail. Only applicants who pass the pre-proposal stage are invited to submit a full proposal package. Full proposals are then evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the published evaluation criteria (referenced as section VI.B.4 in the instructions). After peer review, proposals and reviews are forwarded to the Grants Review Board, which makes funding recommendations to the NRCS Chief, who makes the final selection decisions.
The opportunity anticipates making around 60 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $20,000,000. Individual awards can be as large as $1,000,000, and the listed minimum award amount is $0 (meaning NRCS did not specify a required floor in the public summary). A cost-sharing or matching contribution is required, so applicants should be prepared to document how they will meet that requirement and what non-federal or partner resources will be committed to the project.
Projects may be single-year or multi-year, but they cannot exceed a 3-year project period. Eligible applicants are broad and include federally recognized tribal governments, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and individuals. The geographic scope covers all 50 states as well as 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).
Important dates in the 2012 cycle include a pre-proposal deadline of January 31, 2012. Applicants selected from the pre-proposal phase were then required to submit full proposal packages by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on April 6, 2012. The announcement was posted on January 4, 2012, and the opportunity later moved to archived status on May 11, 2012. The funding is associated with CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), reflecting the program’s close alignment with NRCS conservation implementation priorities.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement, the notice points to the NRCS CIG Homepage and provides a program contact: Gregorio Cruz, National CIG Program Manager, USDA NRCS, based in Washington, D.C.
2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (USDA NRCS NHQ 12 01) - FAQs
What is the 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity?
The 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Funding Opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NHQ 12 01) is a competitive, discretionary grant program administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is intended to accelerate real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve environmental outcomes while supporting agricultural production.
What is the main goal of CIG?
The core goal is to move proven conservation ideas from limited use into broader practice. This can happen by integrating successful approaches into NRCS policy tools (such as technical manuals, guides, and references) or by supporting wider adoption through the private sector.
Is CIG a research grant program?
No. This opportunity specifically states that CIG is not a research grant program. Proposals that focus on testing hypotheses or generating basic research findings are not considered eligible under this funding opportunity.
What kinds of projects does CIG fund instead of research?
CIG emphasizes applying, adapting, or demonstrating conservation technologies and management approaches that already have enough evidence behind them to indicate a strong likelihood of success. The focus is on field-scale or real operational conditions, producing practical results and deliverables that can be transferred into standard conservation practice.
What types of activities are emphasized?
The announcement emphasizes on-the-ground conservation innovations, especially pilot projects and field demonstrations. These projects are expected to help spread usable conservation knowledge and encourage collaboration and sharing of skills, technology, and facilities among communities, governments, and institutions.
How does the application process work?
The application process uses a two-phase evaluation structure. First, an applicant submits a pre-proposal for NRCS review. Only applicants who pass the pre-proposal stage are invited to submit a full proposal package, which is then evaluated through technical peer review and subsequent internal review steps.
What happens during the pre-proposal phase?
During the pre-proposal phase, NRCS staff review submissions based on the topic areas selected by the applicant (referenced in the notice as section I.D). NRCS also screens submissions for completeness and compliance. Incomplete applications are removed from consideration, and applicants are notified by mail.
Who reviews full proposals?
Full proposals are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the published evaluation criteria (referenced as section VI.B.4 in the instructions). After peer review, proposals and reviews are forwarded to the Grants Review Board for funding recommendations.
Who makes the final funding decision?
After technical peer review, the Grants Review Board makes funding recommendations to the NRCS Chief. The NRCS Chief makes the final selection decisions.
How many awards does NRCS expect to make under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipates making around 60 awards.
What is the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total program funding level listed is $20,000,000.
What is the maximum award amount?
Individual awards can be as large as $1,000,000.
Is there a minimum award size?
The listed minimum award amount is $0, meaning NRCS did not specify a required minimum funding floor in the public summary.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching contribution is required. Applicants should be prepared to document how they will meet the requirement and what non-federal or partner resources will be committed to the project.
How long can a CIG project last?
Projects may be single-year or multi-year, but they cannot exceed a 3-year project period.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include federally recognized tribal governments; state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education); public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; small businesses; other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and individuals.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants. However, the eligibility list notes that 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible excluding institutions of higher education (meaning universities should apply under the higher education eligibility categories rather than as 501(c)(3) nonprofits).
Where can projects be located geographically?
The geographic scope covers all 50 states, 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 are the key dates for this 2012 cycle?
Key dates listed include: the announcement posting date of January 4, 2012; the pre-proposal deadline of January 31, 2012; and the full proposal deadline of 4:00 pm Eastern Time on April 6, 2012 (for applicants invited to submit full proposals). The opportunity later moved to archived status on May 11, 2012.
What if an application is incomplete?
NRCS screens pre-proposals for basic completeness and compliance. Incomplete applications are removed from consideration, and applicants are notified by mail.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
This funding is associated with CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), reflecting alignment with NRCS conservation implementation priorities.
Where can applicants find more information or the full announcement?
The notice points applicants to the NRCS CIG Homepage for access to the full announcement.
Who is the program contact for this opportunity?
The program contact listed is Gregorio Cruz, National CIG Program Manager, USDA NRCS, Washington, D.C.
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| Conservation Innovation Grants 2012 RI Apply for USDA NRCS RI 12 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI 12 01 Agency: Rhode Island State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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| 2013 Conservation Innovation Grant Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ 13 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ 13 01 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| NRCS CO State Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) FY13 Apply for USDA NRCS CO 13 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CO 13 01 Agency: Colorado State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Arkansas CIG 2013 Apply for USDA NRCS AR 13 001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS AR 13 001 Agency: NRCS Arkansas State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| New York Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS NY 13 001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NY 13 001 Agency: New York State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| 2013 NH Conservation Innovation Grant Apply for USDA NRCS NH 13 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NH 13 01 Agency: USDA NRCS NH State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $59,300 |
| 2013 Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 13 03FP Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 13 03FP Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| 2013 NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants Colorado Full Proposals Apply for USDA NRCS CO 13 01FB Funding Number: USDA NRCS CO 13 01FB Agency: Colorado State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| FY 2013 CIG CARIBBEAN AREA Apply for USDA NRCS PR 001A Funding Number: USDA NRCS PR 001A Agency: Puerto Rico State Office Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $30,000 |
| Expert IPM Decision Support System Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 004295 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 004295 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $130,000 |
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