FSA is announcing the availability of cooperative agreement funding for up to $10 million to monitor, assess, and evaluate conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with the Conservation Reserve Program. Projects are expected to inform policy and/or improve delivery of the Conservation Reserve Program. For 2024, applications will be accepted from eligible entities for projects addressing at least one of the following priorities:
Ecosystem Benefits
- Assess CRP’s impact on natural resources such as climate mitigation/adaptation, wildlife habitat, water quality/quantity, and soil health.
Bottom Up, Middle Out
- Evaluate CRP’s role in strengthening farm operations’ viability and resilience. Develop program delivery strategies that improve the CRPs function to support economic growth and stability within rural communities.
Citizen Science
- Identify ways for agricultural producers to monitor conditions on and share lessons learned from enrolled CRP acres.
Evaluating CRP in the Big Picture
- Evaluating and developing strategies of how CRP fits into a larger framework of natural resources management and conservation.
Deadline: May 31, 2024
Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to the following entity types:
i. City or township governments
ii. County governments
iii. Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
iv. Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally-recognized tribal governments)
v. Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
vi. Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
vii. Private institutions of higher education
viii. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
ix. Small businesses
x. Special district governments
xi. State governments
xii. Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
An applicant organization may submit more than one application for different projects or proposing different approaches. In the case of applications submitted as revisions or corrections to a previously submitted application under this NOFO, the agency will consider the last application submitted prior to the established deadline.