Conservation Innovation Grant | USDA NRCS ID CIG 17 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS ID CIG 17 01

The Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) opportunity from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is designed to speed up the real-world adoption of new and better conservation practices in agriculture. The central goal is to encourage innovative conservation approaches and technologies that protect and enhance natural resources while still supporting productive farming and ranching. Rather than paying for early-stage, lab-style research, CIG is aimed at helping proven or promising conservation solutions get used more widely, especially by demonstrating them in practical settings and showing how they can be scaled.

A key expectation of CIG projects is that they will result in conservation tools, management systems, or innovative approaches being transferred into NRCS technical guidance (such as manuals and field guides) or into broader use by the private sector. The program specifically emphasizes applying or demonstrating technology and strategies that have already shown success, using grant support to build confidence, reduce adoption barriers, and encourage broader implementation. Projects commonly take the form of pilot projects and field demonstrations that show how an approach works on the ground, what it costs, what benefits it delivers, and how it can be adopted by producers or partners.

CIG generally does not fund research, with one notable exception: on-farm conservation research. In this context, on-farm conservation research means a structured investigation that answers a specific conservation question using a statistically valid design. That includes having an appropriate number of replications and performing statistical analysis, while using farm-scale equipment on actual farm fields. Even when research is supported under this exception, NRCS limits funding to efforts that stimulate innovative natural resource management approaches tied directly to agricultural production, keeping the focus on practical outcomes and usable conservation improvements.

This particular notice is for applicants in Idaho and allows either single-year or multi-year projects, with a maximum project length of three years. A wide range of applicants are eligible, including federally recognized Tribal governments, state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (and other eligible nonprofits), individuals, and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). In short, the program is structured to support partnerships and knowledge-sharing across producers, communities, governments, universities, nonprofits, and the private sector so that conservation innovations can be accessible and replicable.

The selection process is competitive and includes several review steps. First, proposals are screened for completeness and compliance with the notice requirements; incomplete or noncompliant submissions are removed from consideration and applicants are notified. Proposals that pass this initial screening are evaluated by a technical peer review panel using the evaluation criteria laid out in the application instructions (referenced in section V.B of the notice). After technical review, proposals and the peer review feedback are forwarded to the Idaho Technical Committee, which provides recommendations. Final award decisions are made by the NRCS State Conservationist.

Administrative details from the notice include the opportunity title (Conservation Innovation Grant) and number (USDA NRCS ID CIG 17 01). It is a discretionary grant program in the agriculture, environment, and natural resources category, listed under CFDA 10.912. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $75,000, with an anticipated 50 awards. The notice creation date is March 2, 2017, and the original closing date is April 14, 2017.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Innovation Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 02, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 2017. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS ID CIG 17 01

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