Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NJ 13 001
Apply for USDA NRCS NJ 13 001
- The New Jersey State Office in the agriculture environment natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEW JERSEY FY 2013 CONSERVATION INNOVATION 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 Apr 9, 2013 and posted on Mar 27, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 28, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $159,300.00 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 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NEW JERSEY FY 2013 CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANT is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) New Jersey State Office under the broader Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, which is authorized through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The basic goal is to speed up the real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that protect natural resources while still supporting agricultural production. A key point in this announcement is that CIG is not meant to fund basic research or hypothesis-testing; instead, it funds projects that apply, demonstrate, evaluate, and monitor conservation technologies or approaches that are already proven or sufficiently studied and likely to succeed, with the expectation that successful results can be transferred into NRCS technical guidance and tools or widely adopted in the private sector.
For FY 2013 in New Jersey, NRCS anticipated about $159,300 total available funding, with an expected three awards. Projects could run from 1 to 3 years, with an anticipated start date around September 1, 2013. The maximum award size was $75,000 per project (and the listing also shows an award floor of $75,000, suggesting the awards were planned at that level). Although applicants could be located anywhere in the United States and certain U.S. territories, the proposed work had to be located entirely within New Jersey.
The competition used a two-phase process. First, applicants submitted a pre-proposal by 4 p.m. Eastern on April 29, 2013. NRCS NJ then screened submissions for completeness and compliance and evaluated them against the topic area selected by the applicant. Applicants whose pre-proposals were selected were notified by May 22, 2013 and invited to submit a full proposal package, due by 4 p.m. Eastern on June 28, 2013. Full proposals were reviewed by a technical peer review panel, which made recommendations to the NRCS NJ State Conservationist, who made final award decisions. Applications could be delivered by mail or courier to the NRCS NJ office in Somerset, New Jersey, or submitted electronically to the program contact.
Eligible applicants were broad and included federally recognized Indian tribes, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals (the posting also lists small businesses and higher education institutions among eligible categories). A major requirement was cost sharing: CIG could cover up to 50 percent of the total project cost, and recipients had to provide a dollar-for-dollar non-federal match. Of the total project cost, at least 25 percent needed to be cash match, while the remaining portion of the match could be provided as in-kind contributions such as staff time, equipment use, or other donated resources. Matching funds had to be secured at the time of application, and proposals were expected to include written verification of match commitments, including third-party contributions when applicable.
NRCS NJ laid out several focus areas for the state competition and asked applicants to clearly identify which topic their innovation addressed. While proposals on any listed topic could be considered, NRCS NJ signaled special interest in items marked as a Priority Need. The major topic areas included program outreach, nutrient management, energy conservation, soil health, wildlife, economics, and assessment of past CIG projects for adoption and technology transfer. The outreach category emphasized technology transfer and practical demonstrations that could be adopted by small-scale producers, as well as projects that better reach or assess resource conditions for underserved groups such as beginning farmers, limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged farmers, tribal communities, and related community-based organizations and educational institutions.
The nutrient management priorities were heavily centered on measurable, field-based demonstrations. Examples included quantifying the best combinations of nutrient source, rate, placement, and timing (the "4 Rs") and documenting impacts on nutrient use efficiency and yield for crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, and hay or pasture, including comparisons across irrigation vs. non-irrigation, conventional vs. organic, manure-amended vs. non-manure systems, and different tillage systems. Additional priority needs targeted bundled conservation strategies to prevent and trap nutrient losses, methods to capture dissolved phosphorus from runoff and drainage, and practical in-season nitrogen management tools that help determine whether additional nitrogen is needed under different soils, climates, and cropping systems.
Energy conservation priorities focused on on-farm renewable energy and practical planning tools. NRCS NJ sought projects evaluating and demonstrating systems such as solar, wind, or hydropower that reduce fossil fuel use, improve energy efficiency, and reduce contaminants like greenhouse gas emissions or particulate matter. Another priority need was the development and demonstration of planning and decision aids that help landowners site small renewable energy systems in ways that avoid or reduce harm to wildlife and habitat. There was also interest in innovative approaches that increase use of energy audits and quantify the benefits of audits across cropland, buildings, and equipment.
Soil health priorities covered both intensive specialty crop systems and broader field-crop management, again with an emphasis on quantifying results and producing transferable decision support. Priority attention was given to soil quality management in intensive systems that rely on plastic mulch and seasonal high tunnels, including cost-effective ways to add organic matter and control erosion. Other soil health topics included measuring how cover crops, rotations, tillage, and amendments affect soil chemical, physical, and biological properties; how these changes relate to nutrient cycling, soil moisture, and plant growth; and how quickly available water-holding capacity improves under different soil types, climates, and management. Additional areas included developing optimal cover crop species mixes and establishment methods, evaluating leaf or leaf-compost applications, assessing soil-health practices for impacts on yields and yield variability, and building a broader Soil Health Management System decision support tool based on multi-site measurements.
Wildlife priorities included planning tools and monitoring approaches that connect agricultural production with habitat outcomes. Priority needs included developing decision aids to maximize wildlife habitat value on land growing biofuel crops, evaluating and monitoring NRCS-assisted wetland restoration outcomes, assessing wildlife habitat within solar panel fields (including pollinators, birds, amphibians, fencing effects, and mowing regimes), and evaluating impacts of invasive plants following forestry activities. The wildlife area also listed interest in new monitoring technologies including remote sensing, guidance for pollinator-supportive landscapes for pollinated crops, exploring grazing as a habitat management tool, and even development of a pollinator-focused app tied to habitat assessment guidance.
The economics topic area aimed at practical tools that help landowners understand conservation as a financial decision, not just an environmental one. NRCS NJ sought a tool to measure economic returns of conservation practices, built with transparent calculations and consistent with accepted standards for estimating farm costs and returns, including opportunity costs for operator labor and management. A second economics-oriented tool idea focused on helping limited resource farmers evaluate the market and production scale for growing conservation plants. Finally, NRCS NJ also included a "CIG Projects Assessment" topic for proposals that review completed CIG projects in a given area and recommend which should be adopted more broadly, along with effective strategies for technology transfer and adoption.
The primary contact for this opportunity was Greg Westfall, the New Jersey CIG Program Manager, based at the NRCS NJ State Office in Somerset, New Jersey, with submissions accepted by mail to the Davidson Avenue address or electronically via the listed USDA email. Overall, the opportunity was designed for applicants who could bring forward field-ready conservation innovations, demonstrate measurable environmental and operational benefits in New Jersey conditions, and package the results in a way that supports broader adoption through NRCS guidance or practical transfer to producers and conservation partners.
FAQs - New Jersey FY 2013 Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG)
What is the New Jersey FY 2013 Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG)?
The New Jersey FY 2013 Conservation Innovation Grant is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) New Jersey State Office under the national Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. CIG is authorized through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and is intended to accelerate the on-the-ground adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that protect natural resources while supporting agricultural production.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The program is designed to speed up real-world adoption of conservation innovations by funding projects that apply, demonstrate, evaluate, and monitor conservation technologies or approaches that are already proven or sufficiently studied and likely to succeed. A key expectation is that successful results can be transferred into NRCS technical guidance and tools and/or widely adopted by producers and the private sector.
Does CIG fund basic research?
No. This opportunity specifically emphasizes that CIG is not meant to fund basic research or hypothesis-testing. Instead, it supports projects that move field-ready or well-supported approaches into practical demonstration and measurable evaluation.
How much funding was expected to be available in New Jersey for FY 2013?
NRCS New Jersey anticipated approximately $159,300 in total funding for this competition.
How many awards were expected?
NRCS New Jersey expected to make about three awards.
What was the award size for individual projects?
The maximum award size was $75,000 per project. The listing also shows an award floor of $75,000, which suggests awards were planned at that level.
How long could projects run?
Projects could have a duration of 1 to 3 years.
When were projects expected to start?
The anticipated start date was around September 1, 2013.
Where must the project work take place?
Even though applicants could be located in the United States and certain U.S. territories, the proposed project work had to be located entirely within New Jersey.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were broad and included federally recognized Indian tribes, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. The posting also listed small businesses and higher education institutions among eligible categories.
Was cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing was a major requirement. CIG could cover up to 50 percent of the total project cost, and the recipient had to provide a dollar-for-dollar non-federal match.
How much of the match had to be cash?
At least 25 percent of the total project cost needed to be provided as cash match. The remainder of the required match could be provided through in-kind contributions.
What counts as in-kind match for this opportunity?
In-kind contributions could include donated resources such as staff time, equipment use, or other non-cash contributions, as described in the announcement.
Did matching funds need to be secured before applying?
Yes. Matching funds had to be secured at the time of application, and proposals were expected to include written verification of match commitments, including third-party contributions when applicable.
What was the application process for this competition?
The competition used a two-phase process: (1) a pre-proposal phase and (2) a full proposal phase for applicants invited after pre-proposal review.
When was the pre-proposal due?
Pre-proposals were due by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on April 29, 2013.
What happened after the pre-proposal was submitted?
NRCS New Jersey screened pre-proposals for completeness and compliance and evaluated them against the topic area selected by the applicant.
When were pre-proposal selections announced?
Applicants whose pre-proposals were selected were notified by May 22, 2013 and invited to submit a full proposal package.
When was the full proposal due?
Full proposals were due by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on June 28, 2013.
Who reviewed full proposals and made final decisions?
Full proposals were reviewed by a technical peer review panel, which made recommendations to the NRCS New Jersey State Conservationist. The State Conservationist made the final award decisions.
How could applications be submitted?
Applications could be delivered by mail or courier to the NRCS New Jersey office in Somerset, New Jersey, or submitted electronically to the program contact using the listed USDA email.
Who was the primary contact for the New Jersey FY 2013 CIG opportunity?
The primary contact was Greg Westfall, the New Jersey CIG Program Manager, based at the NRCS New Jersey State Office in Somerset, New Jersey.
What kinds of topics or focus areas were encouraged?
NRCS New Jersey listed several focus areas and asked applicants to clearly identify the topic their innovation addressed. Major topic areas included program outreach, nutrient management, energy conservation, soil health, wildlife, economics, and assessment of past CIG projects for adoption and technology transfer. NRCS New Jersey indicated special interest in items marked as a Priority Need.
What did the program outreach focus area emphasize?
The outreach category emphasized technology transfer and practical demonstrations that could be adopted by small-scale producers. It also highlighted improving outreach to, or assessment of resource conditions for, underserved groups such as beginning farmers, limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged farmers, tribal communities, and related community-based organizations and educational institutions.
What types of nutrient management projects were considered priorities?
Nutrient management priorities emphasized measurable, field-based demonstrations. Examples included quantifying best combinations of nutrient source, rate, placement, and timing (the "4 Rs") and documenting impacts on nutrient use efficiency and yield across crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, and hay or pasture. The announcement also described comparisons across different management contexts (for example, irrigated vs. non-irrigated, conventional vs. organic, manure-amended vs. non-manure systems, and different tillage systems), as well as bundled strategies to prevent and trap nutrient losses, methods to capture dissolved phosphorus, and in-season nitrogen management tools.
What types of energy conservation projects were considered priorities?
Energy conservation priorities focused on on-farm renewable energy and practical planning tools. NRCS New Jersey expressed interest in evaluating and demonstrating renewable systems (such as solar, wind, or hydropower) that reduce fossil fuel use, improve efficiency, and reduce contaminants like greenhouse gas emissions or particulate matter. Priority needs also included planning and decision aids for siting small renewable energy systems to avoid or reduce harm to wildlife and habitat, and innovative approaches that increase the use of energy audits while quantifying their benefits across cropland, buildings, and equipment.
What types of soil health projects were considered priorities?
Soil health priorities emphasized quantifying results and producing transferable decision support. Priority attention included soil quality management in intensive specialty crop systems that use plastic mulch and seasonal high tunnels, including cost-effective methods to add organic matter and control erosion. Other topics included measuring how cover crops, rotations, tillage, and amendments affect soil chemical, physical, and biological properties; how these changes relate to nutrient cycling, soil moisture, and plant growth; how quickly water-holding capacity improves under different soils and management; and work on cover crop mixes, establishment methods, leaf or leaf-compost applications, yield and yield variability impacts, and development of a broader Soil Health Management System decision support tool based on multi-site measurements.
What types of wildlife projects were considered priorities?
Wildlife priorities included planning tools and monitoring approaches linking agricultural production and habitat outcomes. Priority needs included decision aids to maximize wildlife habitat value on land growing biofuel crops; evaluating and monitoring NRCS-assisted wetland restoration outcomes; assessing wildlife habitat within solar panel fields (including pollinators, birds, amphibians, fencing effects, and mowing regimes); and evaluating invasive plant impacts following forestry activities. The announcement also referenced interest in new monitoring technologies (including remote sensing), guidance for pollinator-supportive landscapes for pollinated crops, exploring grazing as a habitat management tool, and development of a pollinator-focused app tied to habitat assessment guidance.
What types of economics projects were considered priorities?
The economics topic area focused on practical tools that help landowners evaluate conservation as a financial decision. NRCS New Jersey sought a tool to measure economic returns of conservation practices using transparent calculations consistent with accepted standards for estimating farm costs and returns, including opportunity costs for operator labor and management. Another tool concept aimed to help limited resource farmers evaluate market and production scale for growing conservation plants.
What is the "CIG Projects Assessment" topic area?
This topic area supported proposals that review completed CIG projects in a given area and recommend which should be adopted more broadly, along with strategies for technology transfer and adoption.
What did NRCS New Jersey mean by "technology transfer" in this announcement?
Based on the announcement, technology transfer refers to packaging project results so they can be adopted beyond the project itself, including integration into NRCS technical guidance and tools and/or broader adoption by producers, conservation partners, and the private sector.
Do applicants need to select a topic area?
Yes. Applicants were asked to clearly identify which listed topic area their innovation addressed, and proposals were evaluated against the topic selected by the applicant.
Were some topics more strongly encouraged than others?
Yes. While proposals on any listed topic could be considered, NRCS New Jersey signaled special interest in items identified as a Priority Need.
What kind of results was NRCS New Jersey looking for?
The announcement emphasizes practical, measurable outcomes under New Jersey conditions, including demonstration, evaluation, and monitoring results that can support adoption at scale and inform NRCS guidance or tools.
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