Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 17 01
Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 17 01
- The USDA-NRCS in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional Conservation Partnership Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.932.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 14, 2016 and posted on Mar 14, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 85 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grant opportunity designed to speed up and scale up on-the-ground conservation by investing alongside partner organizations. NRCS is USDA's primary conservation agency and works directly with farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners to address natural resource concerns while keeping working lands productive. The program is meant to deliver measurable benefits for soil, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, and other related natural resources, with an emphasis on practical conservation that fits real operational and economic conditions in agriculture and forestry.
At its core, RCPP is a partnership-driven program. Instead of NRCS acting alone, it seeks to co-invest with outside partners in approaches that are innovative, workable, and cost-effective within a defined geography such as a watershed or other targeted region. Partner organizations are expected to propose projects that tackle specific natural resource objectives in their chosen area, and they are responsible for designing the project concept, promoting it to landowners and producers, helping implement activities on the ground, and evaluating outcomes. In other words, the federal funding is intended to be a catalyst, while partners bring local leadership, additional resources, and the relationships needed to actually get conservation adopted at scale.
The application process is structured as a two-phase competition. Applicants first submit a pre-proposal, and NRCS uses that initial submission to decide which concepts are strong enough to move forward. Only those selected pre-proposals are invited to submit a full proposal. NRCS evaluates applications using four stated criteria: solutions, contributions, innovation, and participation. While the notice does not spell out every sub-factor in the summary provided, the general intent is clear: projects should offer credible conservation solutions to real resource problems, show meaningful partner contributions (such as funding, in-kind support, staff time, outreach capacity, or other leveraged resources), demonstrate innovative or improved approaches compared to business as usual, and show strong participation potential among producers and landowners in the target area. A practical detail that matters for applicants is that all submissions become the property of NRCS for program administration purposes and will not be returned.
RCPP assistance is delivered through existing NRCS conservation program authorities rather than as a standalone set of practices. Specifically, the notice states that RCPP funding is implemented in accordance with the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP), with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention program also available in certain geographic areas. That means funded projects ultimately translate into familiar NRCS conservation tools such as financial and technical assistance for conservation practices, stewardship enhancements, and in some cases easements or restoration actions, all carried out in collaboration with agricultural producers and owners of agricultural and forest land.
In terms of scale and availability, NRCS anticipated up to $263 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding for RCPP, subject to FY 2017 appropriations action. The opportunity was open nationwide, including all 50 states, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. Pacific territories (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). The posting lists an expected 85 awards, with an award ceiling of $10,000,000.
Administrative details from the posting include the funding opportunity title (Regional Conservation Partnership Program) and number (USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 17 01). It is categorized as a discretionary opportunity and uses a funding instrument type labeled "Other." The activity categories are agriculture, environment, and natural resources, with CFDA number 10.932. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with additional eligible entities referenced in the full eligibility section of the notice. The original and current closing date listed is May 10, 2016, and the opportunity was posted March 14, 2016.
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) - FAQs
What is the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)?
RCPP is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grant opportunity designed to speed up and scale up on-the-ground conservation by investing alongside partner organizations. It focuses on achieving measurable benefits for soil, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, and other related natural resources while keeping working agricultural and forest lands productive.
Which USDA agency runs this opportunity?
The program is offered through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA's primary conservation agency that works directly with farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners to address natural resource concerns.
What is the purpose of RCPP funding?
The funding is intended to act as a catalyst for practical, workable conservation that fits real operational and economic conditions in agriculture and forestry, delivered through partnerships that can drive adoption at scale in a targeted geography.
How does the partnership model work in RCPP?
RCPP is partnership-driven. NRCS seeks to co-invest with outside partners in approaches that are innovative, workable, and cost-effective within a defined geographic area (such as a watershed or targeted region). Partners provide local leadership, relationships, and additional resources to support implementation and participation.
What are partner organizations expected to do?
Partners are expected to propose projects that address specific natural resource objectives in a chosen area. They are responsible for designing the project concept, promoting it to landowners and producers, helping implement activities on the ground, and evaluating outcomes.
Is RCPP a standalone conservation program?
No. RCPP assistance is delivered through existing NRCS conservation program authorities rather than as a standalone set of practices.
Which NRCS program authorities can be used to implement RCPP projects?
The notice states RCPP is implemented in accordance with the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP). The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention program is also available in certain geographic areas.
What kinds of assistance or tools can RCPP projects translate into?
Funded projects translate into NRCS conservation tools such as financial and technical assistance for conservation practices, stewardship enhancements, and in some cases easements or restoration actions, carried out in collaboration with agricultural producers and owners of agricultural and forest land.
Is the competition a one-step application?
No. The application process is a two-phase competition with a pre-proposal phase followed by a full proposal phase.
How does the two-phase application process work?
Applicants first submit a pre-proposal. NRCS uses that initial submission to determine which concepts are strong enough to move forward. Only those selected pre-proposals are invited to submit a full proposal.
What evaluation criteria does NRCS use to review applications?
NRCS evaluates applications using four criteria listed in the posting: solutions, contributions, innovation, and participation.
What does "solutions" mean in the evaluation criteria?
Based on the summary provided, the intent is that projects should offer credible conservation solutions to real natural resource problems in the targeted area.
What does "contributions" mean in the evaluation criteria?
The intent is that projects should show meaningful partner contributions, such as funding, in-kind support, staff time, outreach capacity, or other leveraged resources.
What does "innovation" mean in the evaluation criteria?
The intent is that projects should demonstrate innovative or improved approaches compared to business as usual in addressing the identified resource concerns.
What does "participation" mean in the evaluation criteria?
The intent is that projects should show strong participation potential among producers and landowners in the target area.
What happens to application materials after submission?
All submissions become the property of NRCS for program administration purposes and will not be returned.
How much funding was anticipated for this RCPP opportunity?
NRCS anticipated up to $263 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding for RCPP, subject to FY 2017 appropriations action.
What is the maximum award amount for a single award?
The posting lists an award ceiling of $10,000,000.
How many awards were expected?
The posting lists an expected 85 awards.
Where is this opportunity available geographically?
The opportunity was open nationwide, including all 50 states, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. Pacific territories (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Who is eligible to apply based on the posting summary?
Eligible applicants listed include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with additional eligible entities referenced in the full eligibility section of the notice.
What type of funding opportunity is this?
It is categorized as a discretionary opportunity.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is labeled "Other" in the posting.
What activity categories does this opportunity fall under?
The activity categories listed are agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 10.932.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NRCS NHQ RCPP 17 01.
What is the funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting date listed is March 14, 2016.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is May 10, 2016.
Is the total funding amount guaranteed?
No. The posting notes that the anticipated up to $263 million in CCC funding was subject to FY 2017 appropriations action.
What geographic scope is implied for proposed projects?
Projects are expected to be tied to a defined geography, such as a watershed or other targeted region, where partners propose to address specific natural resource objectives.
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| Alabama CTA-EQIP Outreach Services Apply for USDA NRCS AL CTA EQIP 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS AL CTA EQIP 16 01 Agency: USDA-NRCS Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $15,000 |
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| Iowa Conservation Innovation Grants Fiscal Year 2016 Apply for USDA NRCS IA CIG 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS IA CIG 16 01 Agency: USDA-NRCS-UTSO Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Virginia Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS VA CIG 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS VA CIG 16 01 Agency: USDA-NRCS Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Rhode Island Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS RI CIG 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS RI CIG 16 01 Agency: USDA-NRCS Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
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