Funding Now Available for New Jersey Conservation Innovation Grants
NRCS invites proposals that support one or more of New Jersey’s priorities - Urban Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture, and Forestry/Wildlife.
HAMILTON SQUARE, N.J., March 1, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will fund $380,000 through Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further conservation on New Jersey private lands. Individuals, local and state governments, and non-governmental organizations are eligible to apply through May 7, 2023.
A previously recorded webinar for CIG applicants can be viewed here.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with conservation partners through CIG to address our nation's water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges with creative problem solving and innovation, all while improving agricultural operations.
"The New Jersey Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program is an excellent way for our conservation partners and landowners to trial or demonstrate innovative conservation approaches not yet established within the state," said State Resource Conservationist Evan Madlinger. We're excited about the possibility that the new systems, tools, and technologies that come out of this program changing agriculture for the better."
CIG supports early-stage development and piloting of new tools, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. For FY23, NRCS invites proposals that support one or more of New Jersey’s priorities, including Urban Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture, and Forestry/Wildlife.
While all applications addressing one or more of these priorities will be evaluated, NRCS staff have identified specific areas of interest which are detailed further in the grants.gov announcement.
These grants do not fund research projects. The program is designed to aid the adoption of measures that have been sufficiently studied to indicate a high likelihood of success. The overall goal is to incorporate new innovations into NRCS technical manuals and make them available to the agricultural community.
Interested parties can view the entire New Jersey CIG grant announcement and/or apply for the program on grants.gov.