Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS ID 15 11

  • The Idaho State Office in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Innovative Grant" 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 Mar 26, 2015 and posted on Mar 26, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $150,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $75,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
  • Proposal requested from eligible governmental or non governmental organizations or individuals
Apply for USDA NRCS ID 15 11

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Opportunity Summary:

The Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) described here is a competitive USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding opportunity administered through the NRCS Idaho State Office. It is designed to help move new, practical conservation ideas from concept to real-world use by supporting projects that develop, demonstrate, and encourage adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. In other words, the program is meant to accelerate on-the-ground conservation improvements by funding proposals that test or prove newer methods and then help them become workable options for producers and conservation partners.

For fiscal year 2015, NRCS anticipated up to $150,000 total funding for Idaho under this announcement, with individual awards capped at $75,000. The opportunity projected about five awards in total, depending on proposal quality and budget decisions. Awards are issued as grants, and projects are expected to run between one and three years, which signals that NRCS is looking for efforts that can generate usable outcomes within a fairly defined time window rather than open-ended research.

Eligibility is broad. Proposals were invited from eligible governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as individuals, with the listing indicating an unrestricted applicant pool as long as applicants meet any requirements described in the full announcement and eligibility text. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the Agriculture funding activity category. It is tied to CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which is one of NRCS's primary working-lands conservation programs. That connection typically reflects the program's focus on solutions that can be implemented in real agricultural and natural resource settings.

A key condition of this grant is that it includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources toward the project budget in the form and amount specified in the full notice. This is common for CIG and is intended to ensure applicants have a stake in the project and to stretch federal dollars further.

The application timeline for this particular posting was straightforward: it was posted on March 26, 2015, and closed on May 15, 2015, with the same date listed as both the original and current closing date. The opportunity was later archived on June 14, 2015. Applicants who needed help accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Christine Catherman, Grants and Agreements Specialist, at 208-685-6982. The announcement also referenced the NRCS Idaho website as the primary additional information link for program details, application instructions, and any Idaho-specific priorities or requirements.

In practical terms, a strong proposal under this CIG announcement would be one that clearly defines an innovative conservation practice, tool, or approach; explains why it is meaningfully new or improved compared to standard methods; lays out how it will be tested or demonstrated in Idaho; and shows a clear pathway to adoption and measurable conservation benefits. Since the award ceiling is $75,000 and project length is limited to three years, proposals generally need to be tightly scoped, outcomes-focused, and realistic about what can be accomplished with the available funding and required match.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) - NRCS Idaho (FY 2015)

What is the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) opportunity described here?

This is a competitive USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding opportunity administered through the NRCS Idaho State Office. It is intended to move new, practical conservation ideas from concept into real-world use by supporting projects that develop, demonstrate, and encourage adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies.

What is the main purpose of this grant program?

The program aims to accelerate on-the-ground conservation improvements. It does this by funding proposals that test, prove, or demonstrate newer conservation methods and then help make them workable options for producers and conservation partners.

Who administers this CIG funding opportunity?

The opportunity is administered through the USDA NRCS Idaho State Office.

Is this a competitive grant or a formula award?

It is a competitive funding opportunity (discretionary funding), meaning proposals are evaluated and selected based on competitiveness and proposal quality rather than distributed automatically by formula.

How much total funding was NRCS anticipating for Idaho under this announcement?

For fiscal year 2015, NRCS anticipated up to $150,000 in total funding for Idaho under this announcement.

What is the maximum award amount for a single project?

Individual awards were capped at $75,000 under this posting.

How many awards were expected to be made?

The opportunity projected about five awards in total, depending on proposal quality and budget decisions.

What type of funding instrument is used (grant, cooperative agreement, etc.)?

Awards are issued as grants.

How long are projects expected to last?

Projects are expected to run between one and three years.

Does this program fund open-ended research projects?

Based on the stated one-to-three-year project period, the program is looking for efforts that can generate usable outcomes within a defined time window rather than open-ended research.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Proposals were invited from eligible governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as individuals, with an unrestricted applicant pool indicated as long as applicants meet the requirements described in the full announcement and eligibility text.

What funding category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity is categorized under the Agriculture funding activity category.

Is this tied to a specific CFDA program?

Yes. The opportunity is tied to CFDA 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Why is the connection to EQIP (CFDA 10.912) important?

The EQIP connection typically reflects a focus on solutions that can be implemented in real agricultural and natural resource settings, consistent with NRCS working-lands conservation goals.

Is there a matching or cost-share requirement?

Yes. A key condition of this grant is a cost-sharing or matching requirement. Applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources toward the project budget in the form and amount specified in the full notice.

Why does the program require cost share or matching funds?

The cost-share requirement is intended to ensure applicants have a stake in the project and to stretch federal dollars further.

When was this opportunity posted?

The posting date was March 26, 2015.

What was the application deadline?

The closing date was May 15, 2015 (listed as both the original and current closing date).

Was this opportunity archived?

Yes. The opportunity was later archived on June 14, 2015.

Who should applicants contact if they need help accessing the full announcement?

Applicants were directed to contact Christine Catherman, Grants and Agreements Specialist, at 208-685-6982.

Where can applicants look for additional program details and instructions?

The announcement referenced the NRCS Idaho website as the primary additional information link for program details, application instructions, and any Idaho-specific priorities or requirements.

What kinds of projects would be considered a good fit for this CIG posting?

Based on the description provided, strong proposals would clearly define an innovative conservation practice, tool, or approach; explain why it is meaningfully new or improved compared to standard methods; lay out how it will be tested or demonstrated in Idaho; and show a clear pathway to adoption and measurable conservation benefits.

What does "innovative" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this context, "innovative" refers to conservation ideas that are new, practical, and meaningfully improved compared to standard methods, with an emphasis on approaches or technologies that can be tested or demonstrated and then adopted in real-world settings.

How important is adoption and real-world implementation in project design?

It is central to the purpose of the program. The stated goal is not just to test ideas, but to encourage adoption and move practical conservation approaches into real-world use.

How should applicants think about project scope given the award cap?

Because the award ceiling is $75,000 and the project period is limited to three years, proposals generally need to be tightly scoped, outcomes-focused, and realistic about what can be accomplished with the available funding and required match.

What geographic focus is implied for this announcement?

This posting is administered through the NRCS Idaho State Office, and strong proposals were expected to describe how the innovation would be tested or demonstrated in Idaho.

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