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Virginia NRCS Announces Funding Available for New Partnerships, Conservation Innovations

Virginia NRCS Announces Two New Funding Pools
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Virginia
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David Hula and Chris Lawrence conducting a soil health demonstration.

Virginia NRCS Cropland Agronomist Chris Lawrence (right) conducts a soil health demonstration on a Charles City County farm owned by corn grower David Hula (in the foreground at left). Photo: John Markon, Virginia NRCS.

RICHMOND, Va. –  The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Virginia has issued two notices of funding for innovative proposals that would encourage expansion of conservation activities within the state.  In both cases, applications must be filed at the Grants.gov website.

The details on these opportunities follow:

Virginia Conservation Partnership and Technical Assistance (Click here to access Grants.gov):

NRCS is announcing the availability of funding for the purpose of leveraging agency resources to encourage collaboration with partners in providing strategic conservation delivery assistance and/or providing tools or data that enhance the ability of the agency to support conservation.

The agency anticipates the total amount awarded under this announcement in Fiscal Year 2023 will be approximately $1 million with selections expected to be made by July 15. The maximum award will be $300,000 with a minimum award of $25,000. Approximately 10 total awards are expected to be made.

The purpose of the Virginia Conservation Partnership and Technical Assistance program is limited to three priority areas:

  • Providing technical assistance in the delivery, development, promotion, and support of soil, water and wildlife conservation programs to Virginia’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners
  • Supporting delivery of climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation practices and showing quantifiable carbon sequestration and/or greenhouse gas reductions
  • Reducing barriers to programs and improving support to historically underserved* farmers, ranchers, and landowners.

Eligible applicants include most state, local and tribal governmental units, public and private colleges and universities, independent school districts, public and tribal housing authorities and registered nonprofits.  Application deadline is one minute before midnight (Eastern time) on May 28, 2023.

Virginia Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Opportunity Summary (Click here to access Grants.gov)

NRCS is also announcing the availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) State Program funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. A total of up to $400,000 will be available for the Virginia CIG competition in Fiscal Year 2023.

All non-federal entities and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole prohibition being federal agencies. Applicants can reside anywhere in the United States, but the proposed projects must be conducted entirely within Virginia.

Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum amount for a single award in FY2023 will be $200,000 with at least two awards expected to be made.

The designated Virginia program priorities for 2023 are Soil Health and Forestry. Application deadline is one minute before midnight (Eastern) on May 29, 2023. For additional details, please refer to the “Related Documents” tab of the grant notice.

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* Historically underserved producers include beginning, socially disadvantaged, veteran and limited-resource farmers or ranchers. (Click on the link to access full definitions.)

 

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