Opportunity Information: Apply for USDANRCSPA1201

  • The Pennsylvania State Office in the agriculture energy environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "PA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants" 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 5, 2012 and posted on Mar 5, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 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 $300,000.00 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: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • CIG applicants must be a federally recognized Indian tribe, State or local unit of government, non governmental organization, or individuals.
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Opportunity Summary:

The PA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDANRCSPA1201) was a discretionary grant program administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through its Pennsylvania State Office. The program was designed to competitively fund a small number of projects that help move practical conservation innovations from the "proven enough to try" stage into real-world use. Rather than paying for basic or exploratory research, CIG was aimed at accelerating the development, refinement, and adoption of conservation approaches or technologies that already had enough prior study or evidence to suggest they were likely to work. In other words, applicants needed to propose innovations that could be demonstrated and implemented on the ground, not investigated in a lab or purely studied in theory.

The grants supported projects lasting between one and three years, with an emphasis on pilot projects and field demonstrations that show how an approach performs in real operating conditions. The funding activity categories reflected the program's broad conservation scope, spanning agriculture, energy, environment, and natural resources, but the common thread was applied conservation outcomes and the practical uptake of new methods. Because NRCS linked eligibility to existing conservation programming, any funded project had to involve landowners who met the eligibility requirements of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the USDA conservation cost-share program associated with CFDA number 10.912. This requirement signaled that projects were expected to be rooted in actual land management operations and aligned with NRCS conservation priorities and standards.

Eligibility to apply was open to a range of entities and individuals, specifically federally recognized Indian tribes, state or local units of government, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. The posting made clear that awards would be made through a competitive process. The opportunity anticipated making four awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $300,000. Individual awards were capped at $75,000 (the award ceiling). A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning recipients were expected to contribute non-federal resources or otherwise meet match requirements as described in the full announcement, reinforcing that applicants needed both commitment and capacity to carry the project through implementation.

Key timeline details were straightforward: the opportunity was posted March 5, 2012, and closed April 20, 2012, with an archive date of May 20, 2012. Applicants needing help obtaining the full announcement were directed to contact the Pennsylvania CIG program contact, Noel Soto, at 717-237-2173. Overall, this opportunity was best suited for applicants ready to demonstrate and promote adoption of a conservation innovation with clear real-world applicability, committed partner landowners who were EQIP-eligible, and the ability to meet match requirements while delivering results within a one-to-three-year project window.

FAQs: PA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) (USDANRCSPA1201)

What is the PA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity?

The PA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDANRCSPA1201) was a discretionary, competitively awarded grant program administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through its Pennsylvania State Office. It was intended to fund a small number of projects that help move practical conservation innovations into real-world use.

What was the main purpose of this CIG funding?

The program focused on accelerating the development, refinement, demonstration, and adoption of conservation approaches or technologies that were already "proven enough to try." The emphasis was on practical, on-the-ground implementation rather than basic, exploratory, or purely theoretical research.

Is this grant meant to fund basic research or lab studies?

No. The opportunity explicitly emphasized applied conservation innovation. Projects were expected to be demonstrated and implemented in real operating conditions, not investigated primarily in a laboratory setting or as purely academic or theoretical work.

What kind of projects were encouraged?

Projects lasting one to three years, especially pilot projects and field demonstrations, were emphasized. The common thread across eligible topics was applied conservation outcomes and practical adoption of new methods or technologies in real-world land management settings.

What were the project duration requirements?

Funded projects were expected to last between one and three years.

What activity areas or categories did the opportunity cover?

The funding activity categories reflected a broad conservation scope, spanning agriculture, energy, environment, and natural resources. Regardless of category, proposals were expected to deliver applied conservation results and support real-world uptake of an innovation.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was open to federally recognized Indian tribes, state or local units of government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals.

Was this opportunity competitive?

Yes. The announcement stated that awards would be made through a competitive process.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated making four awards.

What was the estimated total funding available?

The estimated total funding amount for the opportunity was $300,000.

What was the maximum award amount per project?

Individual awards were capped at $75,000 (the award ceiling).

Was there a cost-share or matching requirement?

Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied. Recipients were expected to contribute non-federal resources or otherwise meet match requirements as described in the full announcement.

Did projects have to involve specific landowners or participants?

Yes. Any funded project had to involve landowners who met the eligibility requirements of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the USDA conservation cost-share program associated with CFDA number 10.912.

Why did the opportunity require involvement of EQIP-eligible landowners?

The EQIP linkage signaled that projects were expected to be grounded in real land management operations and aligned with NRCS conservation priorities and standards, rather than being disconnected from operational implementation.

What is the CFDA number referenced in the opportunity, and what does it relate to?

The opportunity referenced CFDA number 10.912, which was associated with EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program). The CIG project requirement tied participation to landowners meeting EQIP eligibility requirements.

When was the funding opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on March 5, 2012, and it closed on April 20, 2012.

What was the archive date for the opportunity?

The archive date was May 20, 2012.

Who administered this opportunity?

The program was administered by USDA NRCS through its Pennsylvania State Office.

Who should applicants contact to obtain the full announcement or get help?

Applicants needing help obtaining the full announcement were directed to contact the Pennsylvania CIG program contact, Noel Soto, at 717-237-2173.

What types of applicants were this opportunity best suited for?

It was best suited for applicants prepared to demonstrate and promote adoption of a conservation innovation with clear real-world applicability, who had committed partner landowners that were EQIP-eligible, and who had the capacity to meet match requirements while delivering results within a one-to-three-year timeframe.

What stage of innovation was CIG trying to support?

CIG targeted innovations that already had enough prior study or evidence to suggest they were likely to work. The intent was to move these innovations from the "proven enough to try" stage into practical, on-the-ground use.

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