Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS MESO 09 01
Apply for USDA NRCS MESO 09 01
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Coooperative Soil Survey (NCSS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.903 Soil Survey.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 24, 2009 and posted on Apr 24, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 1, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $135,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Individuals State governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) grant opportunity is a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cooperative agreement aimed at strengthening and speeding up soil inventory and mapping work as part of a long-running national partnership. The NCSS is described as a nationwide collaboration that brings together federal, regional, state, and local agencies along with universities, private organizations, and other institutions to jointly investigate and document soils across the United States, including U.S. trust territories and commonwealths. The core purpose is practical and public-facing: build an accurate inventory of soil resources and make that information available in forms that people can actually use, such as standardized classifications, interpretations for land use, and widely accessible published datasets.
This particular announcement emphasizes accelerating the initial soil inventory in Maine, while also contributing to a broader national goal: a seamless, high-quality digital soil survey covering the country. In plain terms, the work supported by the award is meant to help fill gaps and improve consistency in soil data so that conservation planning, agricultural management, forestry, development decisions, water resource protection, and environmental assessments can rely on up-to-date, interoperable soil information. Because it is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, it typically implies substantial involvement by NRCS in coordinating, guiding, or collaborating on the project work to ensure it aligns with NCSS standards and national soil survey objectives.
Administratively, the opportunity was issued by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS MESO 09 01, with the title "National Coooperative Soil Survey (NCSS)." It is categorized as an earmark opportunity and falls under the Agriculture and Natural Resources activity category. The CFDA listing is 10.903, Soil Survey, which signals that the funding is tied to the federal soil survey program and its data development and dissemination functions. The total estimated funding is $135,000, and the agency expected to make about six awards. The listing shows no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award, which can reduce barriers for smaller entities or local partners.
Eligibility is broad and includes many of the types of organizations commonly involved in field surveying, applied environmental science, and public resource management. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding universities in that category), small businesses, other for-profit organizations that are not small businesses, and even individuals. This wide eligibility reflects the cooperative and multi-sector nature of the NCSS, where useful soil data can be produced by a range of partners as long as the work supports the national soil survey mission and meets technical and publication standards.
Key dates in the posting indicate it was posted on April 24, 2009, with an original and current closing date of June 1, 2009, and an archive date of July 1, 2009. The notice lists award ceiling and floor values as zero, which generally means the announcement did not specify minimum or maximum award sizes in the summary fields, even though a total funding level and expected number of awards were provided. Prospective applicants who could not access the full announcement electronically were directed to contact Pat Pickett, Contract Specialist, USDA NRCS, at 356 Mountain View Drive, Suite 105, with a phone number of (802) 951-6796 ext. 224. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted support for producing authoritative soil survey information, with Maine highlighted as a priority area, and with the broader intent of improving the national digital soil survey infrastructure and the real-world decisions that depend on it.
National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Cooperative Agreement (USDA NRCS) - FAQs
1) What is the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) grant opportunity?
This opportunity is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cooperative agreement under the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). It is intended to strengthen and speed up soil inventory and mapping work as part of a long-running national partnership focused on investigating and documenting soils across the United States (including U.S. trust territories and commonwealths).
2) What is the purpose of the NCSS program described in this announcement?
The core purpose is to build an accurate inventory of soil resources and make soil information available in practical, public-facing forms that people can use. Examples mentioned include standardized soil classifications, interpretations for land use, and widely accessible published datasets.
3) What work does this specific announcement emphasize?
The announcement emphasizes accelerating the initial soil inventory in Maine, while also supporting a broader national goal: producing a seamless, high-quality digital soil survey covering the country.
4) Why does the announcement focus on soil inventory and mapping?
The intent is to fill gaps and improve consistency in soil data so that real-world decisions can rely on up-to-date, interoperable soil information. The announcement specifically ties improved soil information to uses like conservation planning, agricultural management, forestry, development decisions, water resource protection, and environmental assessments.
5) Is this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?
It is a cooperative agreement. The announcement notes that this typically implies substantial involvement by NRCS in coordinating, guiding, or collaborating on the project work to ensure alignment with NCSS standards and national soil survey objectives.
6) Who is the issuing agency?
The issuing agency is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
7) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and official title?
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS MESO 09 01. Title: "National Coooperative Soil Survey (NCSS)."
8) How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as an earmark opportunity and falls under the Agriculture and Natural Resources activity category.
9) What CFDA program is associated with this funding?
The CFDA listing is 10.903, Soil Survey. This indicates the funding is tied to the federal soil survey program and its soil data development and dissemination functions.
10) How much total funding is estimated?
The total estimated funding is $135,000.
11) How many awards were expected?
The agency expected to make about six awards.
12) Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The listing states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding universities in that category); small businesses; other for-profit organizations that are not small businesses; and individuals.
14) Why is eligibility so broad for this NCSS opportunity?
The announcement describes NCSS as a nationwide collaboration across federal, regional, state, and local agencies, universities, private organizations, and other institutions. The wide eligibility reflects that multi-sector structure, where many types of partners can produce useful soil data if the work supports the national soil survey mission and meets technical and publication standards.
15) What geographic areas does NCSS cover according to the announcement?
The NCSS collaboration covers soils across the United States, including U.S. trust territories and commonwealths. This specific announcement highlights Maine as a priority area for accelerating initial soil inventory.
16) What are the key posting and deadline dates?
Posted date: April 24, 2009. Closing date (original and current): June 1, 2009. Archive date: July 1, 2009.
17) Did the summary list an award ceiling or floor?
The notice lists award ceiling and award floor values as zero. The announcement notes this generally means minimum or maximum award sizes were not specified in the summary fields, even though total estimated funding and an expected number of awards were provided.
18) What is the larger national outcome this opportunity is trying to support?
The broader national goal is a seamless, high-quality digital soil survey covering the country, with consistent and interoperable soil data that can be used widely for planning, management, protection, and assessment activities.
19) What kinds of outputs does the announcement suggest the work should produce?
The announcement emphasizes outputs that are usable by the public and decision-makers, including standardized classifications, land-use interpretations, and widely accessible published datasets.
20) Who should be contacted if the full announcement could not be accessed electronically?
The notice directs prospective applicants to contact Pat Pickett, Contract Specialist, USDA NRCS, at 356 Mountain View Drive, Suite 105, phone (802) 951-6796 ext. 224.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NRCS MESO 09 01) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Conservation Innovation Grants Ohio 2010 Apply for USDA NRCS OH 10 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS OH 10 01 Agency: Ohio State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Maine National Cooperative Soil Survey Apply for USDA NRCS ME 10 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ME 10 01 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $45,000 |
| Connecticut Conservation Innovation Grant 2010 Apply for USDA NRCS CT 10 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CT 10 01 Agency: NRCS Connecticut State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Vermont Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Apply for USDANRCSVT1001 Funding Number: USDANRCSVT1001 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| New Hampshire Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Apply for USDANRCSNH1001 Funding Number: USDANRCSNH1001 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| MAINE CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS (CIG) Apply for USDANRCSME1002 Funding Number: USDANRCSME1002 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| EQIP COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT Apply for USDA NRCS FL 10 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS FL 10 01 Agency: Florida State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovative Grants Apply for USDA NRCS ID 11 07 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ID 11 07 Agency: Idaho State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Connecticut Conservation Innovation Grants Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Announcement for Program Funding Apply for USDA NRCS CT 11 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CT 11 01 Agency: NRCS Connecticut State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants FY2011 Colorado State Component Apply for USDA NRCS CO 11 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CO 11 01 Agency: Colorado State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| FY 2011 New Mexico CIG Program Funding Announcement Apply for USDA NRCS NM 11 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NM 11 01 Agency: New Mexico State Office Category: Agriculture Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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