Opportunity Information: Apply for USDANRCSPA1501
Apply for USDANRCSPA1501
- The Pennsylvania State Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 13, 2015 and posted on May 13, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 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 2 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 an individual.
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Opportunity Summary:
Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015 is a Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding opportunity offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Pennsylvania State Office. The program is designed to speed up the development and, more importantly, the real-world adoption of innovative conservation practices and technologies that improve natural resources while supporting agricultural production. The emphasis is not on inventing something entirely new in a lab, but on taking approaches that have already shown promise and moving them into broader use through practical, on-the-ground work. In other words, the goal is to leverage federal conservation dollars to help proven or emerging strategies scale up, become easier to implement, and ultimately become standard tools used by producers and conservation partners.
A central expectation of CIG projects is that they will produce outcomes that can be transferred into NRCS technical resources (such as technical manuals and guidance) or into wider private-sector use. The grant supports efforts like pilot projects and field demonstrations that show how a conservation technology or management system performs under real farm conditions, what it costs, what barriers exist to adoption, and what changes are needed for it to be used more broadly. Another core theme is collaboration and knowledge-sharing: CIG encourages applicants to share skills, facilities, and expertise across communities, government entities, and institutions so that practical conservation innovations do not stay isolated within a single organization or region.
This opportunity also draws a clear line between demonstration and research. Traditional research projects are generally not funded, with a narrow exception for on-farm conservation research. NRCS defines on-farm conservation research as a structured investigation aimed at answering a specific conservation-related question using a statistically valid study design on actual farm fields, with farm-scale equipment, adequate replication, and appropriate statistical analysis. Even within that exception, NRCS emphasizes that any research supported through CIG must directly stimulate innovative approaches to natural resource management in working agricultural settings, rather than basic or purely academic research.
The grant is offered as a discretionary grant program under the natural resources funding activity category. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Indian Tribes, state or local units of government, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. Proposals may be for single-year or multi-year projects, but the total project period cannot exceed three years. Applications are screened first for completeness and compliance with the solicitation requirements; submissions that are incomplete or noncompliant are removed from consideration and applicants are notified. Proposals that pass screening are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the published proposal evaluation criteria, and then the recommendations are forwarded to the State Conservationist, who makes the final funding selections.
In terms of funding, the total estimated amount available for Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015 is $150,000, with an expectation of making two awards. Individual awards range from a $500 minimum to a $75,000 maximum, and cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must bring non-federal resources to help cover project costs. The opportunity was posted on May 13, 2015, and applications were due June 15, 2015 (with an archive date of July 15, 2015). The funding opportunity number is USDANRCSPA1501. Applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Noel Soto, State CIG Program Manager, at (717) 237-2173.
Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015 (USDANRCSPA1501) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015 opportunity?
Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015 is a Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding opportunity offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Pennsylvania State Office. It is designed to accelerate the development and real-world adoption of innovative conservation practices and technologies that improve natural resources while supporting agricultural production.
What is the main purpose of the CIG program?
The main purpose is to move promising conservation approaches into broader, practical use. The emphasis is on on-the-ground implementation, pilot projects, and field demonstrations that help innovations scale up and become easier to adopt, rather than inventing entirely new ideas in a laboratory setting.
What kinds of projects does CIG generally support?
CIG supports efforts such as pilot projects and field demonstrations that test how a conservation practice, technology, or management system performs under real farm conditions. Projects commonly focus on practical performance, costs, barriers to adoption, and what adjustments are needed for broader use.
Does the program focus on creating new inventions or expanding proven approaches?
The program focuses more on expanding proven or emerging approaches that have already shown promise, with the goal of scaling them into broader adoption through practical field work.
What outcomes are expected from a CIG project?
A central expectation is that projects produce transferable outcomes that can be incorporated into NRCS technical resources (such as technical manuals and guidance) or used more widely in the private sector. Projects are expected to generate practical knowledge that helps conservation innovations become standard tools for producers and partners.
How does NRCS view collaboration and knowledge-sharing in CIG projects?
Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are core themes. CIG encourages applicants to share skills, facilities, and expertise across communities, government entities, and institutions so that conservation innovations are not limited to a single organization or region.
Are research projects eligible for funding under this opportunity?
Traditional research projects are generally not funded. There is a narrow exception for on-farm conservation research, and even then, the research must directly stimulate innovative approaches to natural resource management in working agricultural settings rather than being basic or purely academic.
What counts as "on-farm conservation research" under NRCS CIG?
NRCS defines on-farm conservation research as a structured investigation designed to answer a specific conservation-related question using a statistically valid study design on actual farm fields. It must use farm-scale equipment, include adequate replication, and apply appropriate statistical analysis.
What type of grant program is this?
This is a discretionary grant program under the natural resources funding activity category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include federally recognized Indian Tribes, state or local units of government, non-governmental organizations, and individuals.
How long can a project last?
Projects may be single-year or multi-year, but the total project period cannot exceed three years.
How much funding is available through Pennsylvania NRCS CIG 2015?
The total estimated amount available is $150,000, with an expectation of making two awards.
What is the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $75,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must provide non-federal resources to help cover project costs.
How are applications reviewed and selected?
Applications are first screened for completeness and compliance with the solicitation requirements. Incomplete or noncompliant submissions are removed from consideration and applicants are notified. Proposals that pass screening are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the published proposal evaluation criteria, and recommendations are then forwarded to the State Conservationist, who makes the final funding selections.
What happens if an application is incomplete or does not follow the solicitation requirements?
It is removed from consideration during the screening process, and the applicant is notified.
Who makes the final funding decision?
The State Conservationist makes the final funding selections after considering recommendations from the technical peer review panel.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number is USDANRCSPA1501.
When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due?
The opportunity was posted on May 13, 2015. Applications were due June 15, 2015. The archive date listed was July 15, 2015.
Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement were directed to contact Noel Soto, State CIG Program Manager, at (717) 237-2173.
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