Opportunity Information: Apply for CIG USDA NRCS ND 12 01
Apply for CIG USDA NRCS ND 12 01
- The North Dakota State Office in the agriculture energy environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "North Dakota Conservation Innovation Grant FY 2012" 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 9, 2012 and posted on Mar 9, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 9, 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 $90,000.00 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 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Individuals Private institutions of higher education State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The North Dakota Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) FY 2012 opportunity, offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) North Dakota State Office, was a discretionary grant program designed to speed up the real-world use of new and better conservation practices in agriculture. Its core goal was to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve environmental protection and enhancement while still supporting agricultural production. The program emphasized leveraging federal investment by encouraging practical innovations that can be adopted broadly, either by being incorporated into NRCS technical manuals, guides, and references, or by being transferred into the private sector for wider use.
A key point of this opportunity is what it was and was not meant to fund. CIG was not a research grant program; proposals centered on basic research or early-stage experimentation were not the intent. Instead, the program targeted ideas that had already been studied enough to show a strong likelihood of success and were ready for real-world testing, refinement, and adoption. The focus was on "on the ground" conservation innovation, meaning pilot projects and field demonstrations that show how an approach works in practice, how it can be implemented by producers or land managers, and how it can be scaled or institutionalized. The solicitation also highlighted that innovative approaches could include management systems and market-based systems, so applicants could propose solutions beyond strictly technical hardware or practices, as long as they supported conservation outcomes and were positioned for adoption.
Awards were to be made through cooperative agreements, indicating that NRCS expected a level of collaboration or involvement beyond a simple pass-through grant. The opportunity anticipated making about four awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $90,000. Individual awards could be as high as $75,000, and the listed award floor was $0, which typically signals that awards could vary widely based on proposal scope and available funds. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources (cash, in-kind contributions, or other qualifying match, depending on the program rules) to support the project and demonstrate commitment and leverage.
Projects could be proposed as single-year or multi-year efforts, but the maximum project period was three years. This timeframe reinforced the program's emphasis on implementation and demonstration rather than open-ended development. It also signaled that deliverables were expected within a practical window, including documentation and outputs that would support technology transfer, broader adoption, or incorporation into NRCS references.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of entities that could realistically implement and demonstrate conservation innovations. Eligible applicants included individuals, small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific category), private and public institutions of higher education, and various levels of government such as state, county, city or township, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. This wide eligibility reflected the program's intent to draw innovative, field-ready conservation solutions from across the public, private, academic, nonprofit, and producer communities.
The opportunity was associated with CFDA number 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which situates CIG within NRCS's broader conservation assistance framework. Applications were due April 9, 2012 (posted March 9, 2012), and the announcement indicated that the State Conservationist had discretion to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted. For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement, the listed administrative contact was Linda McArthur, Contract Specialist, at the North Dakota NRCS office (phone 701-530-2010).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - North Dakota Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) FY 2012
What is the North Dakota Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) FY 2012?
The North Dakota CIG FY 2012 opportunity was a discretionary USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grant program run through the NRCS North Dakota State Office. It was designed to speed up real-world use of new and improved conservation practices in agriculture by supporting projects that demonstrate and help adopt innovative conservation approaches and technologies.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The core goal was to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve environmental protection and enhancement while still supporting agricultural production. The program also emphasized leveraging federal investment by supporting innovations that could be adopted broadly, including through incorporation into NRCS technical materials or transfer into the private sector.
Is this program intended to fund research?
No. The solicitation emphasized that CIG was not a research grant program. Proposals focused on basic research or early-stage experimentation were not the intent. The program targeted innovations that had already been studied enough to show a strong likelihood of success and were ready for real-world testing, refinement, and adoption.
What kinds of projects were a good fit for CIG?
The opportunity focused on "on the ground" conservation innovation, such as pilot projects and field demonstrations. Projects were expected to show how an approach works in practice, how it can be implemented by producers or land managers, and how it can be scaled or institutionalized.
Do eligible innovations have to be purely technical (equipment or practices)?
No. The solicitation noted that innovative approaches could include management systems and market-based systems, not only technical hardware or field practices, as long as they support conservation outcomes and are positioned for adoption.
How are awards made (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Awards were to be made through cooperative agreements. This indicates NRCS anticipated a level of collaboration or involvement beyond a simple pass-through grant.
How many awards were expected, and what was the total funding amount?
The opportunity anticipated making about four awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $90,000.
What was the maximum award amount?
Individual awards could be as high as $75,000.
What does it mean that the award floor is listed as $0?
The listed award floor was $0, which typically signals that award amounts could vary widely depending on project scope and available funds.
Is there a cost-share or matching requirement?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied. Applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources to support the project and demonstrate commitment and leverage.
How long could projects run?
Projects could be proposed as single-year or multi-year efforts, but the maximum project period was three years.
Why is the project period limited to three years?
The three-year maximum reinforced the program's emphasis on implementation and demonstration rather than open-ended development, and it signaled that practical deliverables were expected within a defined timeframe.
What kinds of deliverables or outputs were expected?
The solicitation emphasized outcomes that support technology transfer and broader adoption. This included documenting and producing outputs that could help an innovation be adopted widely, either through NRCS technical manuals, guides, and references or through transfer into the private sector.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included: individuals; small businesses; for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific category); private and public institutions of higher education; and government entities such as state, county, city or township, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
Were institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Private and public institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants. The solicitation also separately referenced nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status while excluding institutions of higher education in that specific nonprofit category.
Is this opportunity connected to a specific federal program or CFDA number?
Yes. The opportunity was associated with CFDA number 10.912, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), placing CIG within NRCS's broader conservation assistance framework.
When was the application due?
Applications were due April 9, 2012.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted March 9, 2012.
Does NRCS have to fund proposals that are submitted?
No. The announcement stated that the State Conservationist had discretion to fund all, some, or none of the proposals submitted.
Who can applicants contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The listed administrative contact was Linda McArthur, Contract Specialist, at the North Dakota NRCS office. Phone: 701-530-2010.
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| Conservation Innovation Grants Maine NRCS Apply for USDA NRCS MAINE 13 001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MAINE 13 001 Agency: NRCS Maine State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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| Conservation Innovative Grant 2013 Apply for CIG USDA NRCS GA 13 01 Funding Number: CIG USDA NRCS GA 13 01 Agency: Georgia State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Rhode Island NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS RI 14 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI 14 01 Agency: Rhode Island State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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| Pacific Islands Area State Component CIG Apply for USDA NRCS PIA SLCIG 15 001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS PIA SLCIG 15 001 Agency: Pacific Island Area State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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| Conservation Innovation Grants FY2008 RI Apply for USDA NRCS RI 08 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI 08 01 Agency: Rhode Island State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Vermont FY2009 Funding Apply for USDANRCSVT0901 Funding Number: USDANRCSVT0901 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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| Conservation Innovation Grants RI FY09 Apply for USDA NRCS RI 09 1 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI 09 1 Agency: Rhode Island State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grant RI Apply for USDA NRCS RI 10 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI 10 01 Agency: Rhode Island State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS GA 11 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS GA 11 01 Agency: Georgia State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| PA 2011 Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDANRCSPA1101 Funding Number: USDANRCSPA1101 Agency: Pennsylvania State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| VERMONT CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANT (CIG) Apply for USDANRCSVT1101 Funding Number: USDANRCSVT1101 Agency: Vermont State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| GA Conservation Innovation Grant 2014 Apply for USDA NRCS GA 14 0001 Funding Number: USDA NRCS GA 14 0001 Agency: Georgia State Office Category: Agriculture Energy Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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