Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS VT 14 0001
Apply for USDA NRCS VT 14 0001
- The California State Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "State Conservation Innovation Grant 2014" 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 10, 2014 and posted on Apr 10, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 9, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $212,000.00 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 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments State governments Special district governments Individuals Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The State Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) 2014 opportunity in Vermont was a competitive funding announcement from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), operating through the Commodity Credit Corporation under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), CFDA 10.912. The central goal of the program was to speed up the real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that support environmental protection while keeping agriculture productive. Vermont NRCS expected to make roughly $212,000 available through a statewide competition, with individual awards generally ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 and an anticipated total of about 10 awards. Projects were designed to run 1 to 3 years, and every proposal needed a clear, direct connection to Vermont, including a Vermont-based entity involved in project management.
A key feature of CIG is that it is not a research grant in the traditional sense. NRCS emphasized that CIG does not pay for hypothesis-driven research or early-stage experimentation meant to prove whether something works at all. Instead, CIG is meant for field-scale application, demonstration, evaluation, implementation, and monitoring of technologies or management approaches that already have enough evidence behind them to suggest a high likelihood of success. The expectation is that successful projects will lead to technology transfer, meaning the results can be incorporated into NRCS technical guidance (manuals, practice standards, and references) or otherwise move into broader private-sector and producer adoption. In other words, the program is meant to take promising, already-studied conservation ideas and prove they can work in practical Vermont conditions at a scale and in a format that producers and conservation planners can actually use.
Eligibility was broad and included governmental and non-governmental organizations, state and local governments, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations), universities (public and private), and also individuals and other legal entities. The program encouraged participation from beginning farmers, limited resource farmers, and Tribal communities or organizations representing them. Applications were screened first for completeness and compliance; incomplete submissions were removed from consideration. Qualified applications were then scored by a technical peer review panel, after which the Vermont State Conservationist made final award decisions, with the discretion to fund all, some, or none of the proposals.
For FY 2014 in Vermont, proposals needed to fit within one of three focus categories: Water Quality and Soil Health, Forestry/Wildlife, and Energy. The announcement highlighted that the Water Quality and Soil Health category and the Forestry/Wildlife category had specific priority topics identified (with Water Quality and Soil Health described in detail in the notice), while the Energy category was open-ended without listed priority topics. Across categories, NRCS signaled that priority would go to projects that demonstrate environmental effectiveness and practicality in the field, show affordability and usability for producers, adapt or improve existing practices to drive adoption, bring in proven approaches from other regions or agricultural sectors, and clearly demonstrate that the knowledge gained can be transferred and scaled.
Within the Water Quality and Soil Health category, Vermont NRCS laid out several concrete priority project concepts. One was a Wetlands Restoration Demonstration and Monitoring project aimed at addressing a real adoption barrier: public concern that wetlands increase mosquito problems. The proposed work centered on sampling restored floodplain wetlands versus nearby drained floodplain areas (such as hayfields or pastures dominated by reed canarygrass) over a three-year period. The sampling would track mosquito larvae and adults, mosquito predator groups like dragonflies and damselflies, and fish, following Vermont Agency of Agriculture protocols with NRCS advising on sampling design. Required deliverables emphasized outreach and transparency, including workshops for citizen scientists or volunteers, on-site public field trips, multiple public presentations near the demonstration sites, and products like a final report, fact sheet, datasets, and a presentation summarizing results.
Another priority topic focused on phosphorus reduction from tile drainage by demonstrating and evaluating a newly developed NRCS interim practice standard called the Phosphorus Removal System (782). Tile drains can deliver phosphorus to surface waters, so Vermont NRCS wanted a real farm demonstration that installed at least two in-line treatment systems using different adsorption media so performance and practicality could be compared. The project would track costs and construction procedures, collect at least 20 paired inflow/outflow water samples per system to measure phosphorus concentration changes, and ideally estimate load reductions. Outreach was again a required component, including site tours and informational materials, capped by a final evaluation report intended to help determine whether this BMP could be promoted more widely in Vermont.
A third water quality priority was the demonstration of Adaptive Nutrient Management, described as a structured, data-driven process for improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing nutrient losses by learning from field-level results over time. The approach follows NRCS protocols (referenced through NRCS Agronomy Technical Note No. 6) and cycles through planning an evaluation, implementing nutrient management, evaluating outcomes and lessons learned, and then adjusting nutrient management accordingly. Vermont NRCS was looking for a farm-based, multi-year (minimum three-year) demonstration that could show how the process works in practice, including workshops and outreach materials to make it easier for other Vermont farms and advisers to adopt the approach, plus a final report documenting results and practicality.
NRCS also identified a need for a Vermont-friendly Phosphorus Mass Balance tool. The issue driving this topic was phosphorus imported onto farms compared to phosphorus exported in products, with imbalances contributing to watershed-level phosphorus challenges and TMDL reduction goals. Existing tools (such as Cornell's) can be data-intensive, so Vermont NRCS wanted a tool that could be used more easily with fewer input requirements while still being useful for farmers and resource managers. The project concept involved evaluating existing tools, selecting and modifying one or developing a new one suited to Vermont conditions, and demonstrating it on at least three different farms varying in size and type. Training sessions for prospective users were expected, along with a final report that included clear instructions for using the tool.
Another highlighted concept was a Short Season Silage Corn and Cover Crop Program designed to remove financial risk as a barrier to cover crop adoption. The problem identified was that long-season corn often gets harvested too late for successful fall cover crop establishment, and farmers worry short-season corn may reduce yield or feed quality. The grant concept proposed a financial guarantee mechanism: participating farms would commit for three years to planting at least 20 acres of short-season silage corn (90-day maturity or less), harvesting before October 1, and establishing cover crops by October 1. Farmers would compare a short-season field to a similar nearby field planted with their preferred longer-season variety, using yield measurements and feed analyses to calculate differences in total feed value. If the short-season system produced a loss in feed value, the participant would be reimbursed (potentially partially if project funds were limited). Deliverables were centered on practical adoption: on-farm demonstrations, annual and final comparisons of yield and feed value plus cover crop establishment success, and fact sheets on feasibility in Vermont conditions.
Finally, the notice referenced an Update of Vermont's Phosphorus Index (P Index), noting that Vermont nutrient management plans rely on the P Index for phosphorus risk assessment and that the index had last been revised in 2005, historically oriented around Vermont dairy systems. While the excerpt does not list full workplan requirements for this topic, its inclusion signals NRCS interest in modernizing a core planning tool that influences on-farm nutrient decisions statewide.
Operationally, the opportunity was structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement with a cost-share or matching requirement. Applications were due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 9, 2014, and could be submitted by mail/hand delivery to the NRCS Vermont State Office in Colchester, Vermont, or electronically (including via email to the program manager and through Grants.gov). The primary point of contact listed for program and submission questions was Robert Kort, the Vermont State CIG Program Manager at NRCS, with additional grants administration contact information also provided. Overall, the program was clearly aimed at practical, field-tested conservation innovation in Vermont, with a strong preference for projects that pair measurable environmental outcomes (especially around phosphorus and water quality) with hands-on demonstrations, producer usability, and strong outreach that can accelerate adoption beyond the individual pilot site.
State Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) 2014 - Vermont: FAQs
What is the State Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program in Vermont (FY 2014)?
The Vermont State Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) 2014 opportunity was a competitive USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding announcement intended to speed up real-world adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that protect the environment while keeping agriculture productive. It was administered through the Commodity Credit Corporation under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), CFDA 10.912.
How much funding was Vermont NRCS expecting to award?
Vermont NRCS expected to make roughly $212,000 available through a statewide competition.
What was the typical award size?
Individual awards were generally expected to range from $25,000 to $75,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The announcement anticipated a total of about 10 awards.
How long could projects run?
Projects were designed to run from 1 to 3 years.
Did proposals need to be tied to Vermont?
Yes. Every proposal needed a clear, direct connection to Vermont, including a Vermont-based entity involved in project management.
Is CIG a research grant?
No. NRCS emphasized that CIG is not a research grant in the traditional sense. It does not pay for hypothesis-driven research or early-stage experimentation meant to determine whether something works at all.
What types of activities does CIG fund instead of traditional research?
CIG is intended for field-scale application, demonstration, evaluation, implementation, and monitoring of technologies or management approaches that already have enough evidence behind them to suggest a high likelihood of success.
What does NRCS mean by "technology transfer" in CIG?
The expectation is that successful projects will produce results that can be incorporated into NRCS technical guidance (such as manuals, practice standards, and references) or otherwise move into broader private-sector and producer adoption.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included governmental and non-governmental organizations, state and local governments, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations), universities (public and private), and also individuals and other legal entities.
Were any applicant groups specifically encouraged to participate?
Yes. The program encouraged participation from beginning farmers, limited resource farmers, and Tribal communities or organizations representing them.
How were applications reviewed and selected?
Applications were first screened for completeness and compliance. Incomplete submissions were removed from consideration. Qualified applications were then scored by a technical peer review panel. After scoring, the Vermont State Conservationist made the final award decisions.
Could NRCS decide not to fund any proposals?
Yes. The Vermont State Conservationist had discretion to fund all, some, or none of the proposals.
What were the focus categories for Vermont FY 2014 proposals?
For FY 2014 in Vermont, proposals needed to fit within one of three focus categories: (1) Water Quality and Soil Health, (2) Forestry/Wildlife, and (3) Energy.
Did the categories include specific priorities?
Yes. The Water Quality and Soil Health category and the Forestry/Wildlife category had specific priority topics identified (with Water Quality and Soil Health described in detail in the notice). The Energy category was open-ended without listed priority topics.
What kinds of projects did NRCS say would be prioritized across categories?
Across categories, NRCS signaled priority for projects that demonstrate environmental effectiveness and field practicality, show affordability and usability for producers, adapt or improve existing practices to drive adoption, bring in proven approaches from other regions or agricultural sectors, and clearly show that knowledge gained can be transferred and scaled.
What was the Wetlands Restoration Demonstration and Monitoring priority about?
This priority aimed to address an adoption barrier: public concern that restored wetlands increase mosquito problems. The concept involved sampling restored floodplain wetlands versus nearby drained floodplain areas over a three-year period to compare mosquito larvae and adults, predator groups such as dragonflies and damselflies, and fish.
Were there specified protocols or partners for the wetlands mosquito monitoring concept?
Yes. Sampling was to follow Vermont Agency of Agriculture protocols, with NRCS advising on sampling design.
What outreach deliverables were expected for the wetlands demonstration concept?
Required deliverables emphasized outreach and transparency and included workshops for citizen scientists or volunteers, on-site public field trips, multiple public presentations near the demonstration sites, and products such as a final report, fact sheet, datasets, and a presentation summarizing results.
What was the "Phosphorus Removal System (782)" tile drainage priority about?
This topic focused on phosphorus reduction from tile drainage by demonstrating and evaluating a newly developed NRCS interim practice standard called the Phosphorus Removal System (782). Vermont NRCS wanted a real farm demonstration to install at least two in-line treatment systems using different adsorption media so performance and practicality could be compared.
What monitoring was expected for the Phosphorus Removal System demonstrations?
The project would track costs and construction procedures and collect at least 20 paired inflow/outflow water samples per system to measure changes in phosphorus concentration. Ideally, the project would also estimate load reductions.
What outreach was expected for the Phosphorus Removal System topic?
Outreach was a required component, including site tours and informational materials, culminating in a final evaluation report intended to help determine whether the BMP could be promoted more widely in Vermont.
What is "Adaptive Nutrient Management" as described in this opportunity?
Adaptive Nutrient Management was described as a structured, data-driven process for improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing nutrient losses by learning from field-level results over time. It follows NRCS protocols referenced through NRCS Agronomy Technical Note No. 6 and cycles through planning an evaluation, implementing nutrient management, evaluating outcomes and lessons learned, and adjusting nutrient management accordingly.
What kind of demonstration was Vermont NRCS looking for under Adaptive Nutrient Management?
Vermont NRCS was looking for a farm-based, multi-year demonstration with a minimum three-year timeframe to show how the process works in practice, paired with workshops and outreach materials and a final report documenting results and practicality.
What is a Vermont-friendly "Phosphorus Mass Balance" tool and why was it needed?
This priority focused on the imbalance between phosphorus imported onto farms and phosphorus exported in products, which contributes to watershed-level phosphorus challenges and TMDL reduction goals. Vermont NRCS highlighted that existing tools (such as Cornell's) can be data-intensive and wanted a tool that could be used more easily with fewer input requirements while still being useful for farmers and resource managers.
What were the expected tasks and deliverables for the Phosphorus Mass Balance tool concept?
The concept involved evaluating existing tools, selecting and modifying one (or developing a new one) suited to Vermont conditions, and demonstrating it on at least three farms varying in size and type. Training sessions for prospective users were expected, along with a final report that included clear instructions for using the tool.
What was the Short Season Silage Corn and Cover Crop Program concept trying to solve?
This concept aimed to remove financial risk as a barrier to cover crop adoption. Vermont NRCS noted that long-season corn is often harvested too late for successful fall cover crop establishment, and farmers may worry that short-season corn could reduce yield or feed quality.
What commitments were expected from farms in the Short Season Silage Corn concept?
Participating farms would commit for three years to plant at least 20 acres of short-season silage corn (90-day maturity or less), harvest before October 1, and establish cover crops by October 1.
How would performance be compared in the Short Season Silage Corn concept?
Farmers would compare a short-season field to a similar nearby field planted with their preferred longer-season variety, using yield measurements and feed analyses to calculate differences in total feed value. Cover crop establishment success was also part of the comparisons.
Did the Short Season Silage Corn concept include reimbursement?
Yes. If the short-season system produced a loss in feed value, the participant would be reimbursed, potentially partially if project funds were limited.
What deliverables were expected for the Short Season Silage Corn and Cover Crop concept?
Deliverables were centered on practical adoption and included on-farm demonstrations, annual and final comparisons of yield and feed value plus cover crop establishment success, and fact sheets on feasibility in Vermont conditions.
What was the purpose of updating Vermont's Phosphorus Index (P Index)?
The notice referenced an update of Vermont's P Index because Vermont nutrient management plans rely on the P Index for phosphorus risk assessment. The index had last been revised in 2005 and was historically oriented around Vermont dairy systems, suggesting NRCS interest in modernizing a core planning tool used statewide.
What type of award instrument was this opportunity?
The opportunity was structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
Was there a matching or cost-share requirement?
Yes. The opportunity included a cost-share or matching requirement.
When were applications due?
Applications were due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 9, 2014.
How could applications be submitted?
Applications could be submitted by mail/hand delivery to the NRCS Vermont State Office in Colchester, Vermont, or electronically, including via email to the program manager and through Grants.gov.
Who was the main point of contact for program and submission questions?
The primary point of contact listed was Robert Kort, the Vermont State CIG Program Manager at NRCS. The notice also indicated that additional grants administration contact information was provided.
What would cause an application to be removed before scoring?
Applications were screened for completeness and compliance first. Incomplete submissions were removed from consideration.
What is the main theme Vermont NRCS emphasized for strong proposals?
The opportunity emphasized practical, field-tested conservation innovation in Vermont, with a strong preference for projects that pair measurable environmental outcomes (especially around phosphorus and water quality) with hands-on demonstrations, producer usability, and strong outreach that can accelerate adoption beyond a single pilot site.
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