NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $15 million in CIG funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as marketbased systems) to agricultural producers through the development of technical manuals, guides and for practical instruction for the private sector.
The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects present innovations that are expected to result in the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and inventive approaches to agricultural producers (such as market-based systems) into technical manuals and guides and to be used in the private sector. CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands.
Deadline: Oct. 30, 2023
For FY 2023, NRCS is only accepting proposals that address one or more of the priorities listed in this section. Each proposal must clearly identify a primary priority on the proposal cover page. The primary priority selected by an applicant will determine which expert peer panel will review the application.
1. Forestry
2. Habitat Conservation and Restoration for Wildlife and Invertebrates
3. Managing Agricultural Lands to Improve Local Water Quality
4. Energy Conservation
5. Economics
6. Strengthening Conservation through Indigenous Knowledge
This opportunity is open to all domestic non-Federal entities and individuals based in the United States for projects carried out in the United States. “Based in the United States” includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
An applicant organization may submit more than one application for different projects or that propose different approaches. In the case of applications submitted as revisions or corrections to a previously submitted application under this NFO, the agency will consider the last application submitted prior to the established deadline.
The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $250,000, and the estimated funding ceiling is $2 million.
