NRCS-WA implements Act Now policy to quickly assist producers

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington (NRCS-WA) is now using the Act Now policy to deliver conservation contracting faster.   

Act Now allows NRCS to quickly approve and obligate a ranked application in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a state-determined, minimum threshold, ranking score. 

The Act Now policy allows qualifying applications to be automatically approved and move forward in the process without waiting for all applications to be ranked during a given period.   

NRCS-WA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Fiscal Year 2025 eligible applications will be placed into the following ranking pools: 

High Tunnel - Low Tunnel Systems 
$750,000 funds available. (60-point minimum ranking score.)  

Conservation Planning Activities (CPAs), Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs), and Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs).  
$250,000 funds available. (20-point minimum ranking score.) 

Statewide Disaster Recovery  
$500,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

North Central Team Local Working Group - Forestry Initiative 
$150,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

Snake River Team Local Working Group - Forestry Initiative 
$1,000,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

Snake River Team Local Working Group - Nutrient Management Initiative  
$2,000,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

Northeast Team Local Working Group - Forest Health & Wildfire 
$1,300,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

West Palouse Team Local Working Group - Forest Health & Wildfire Resilience.  
$978,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

Southwest Team Local Working Group - Forestry Initiative.  
$750,000 funds available. (30-point minimum ranking score.) 

Applications eligible for the identified Act Now ranking pools will be accepted on a continuous sign-up basis.  Eligible Act Now applications will be batched and processed in the order they’re received, with selections made every three weeks, until funds have been expended. 

The qualified Act Now applications will be pre-approved while funds remain available. They then move forward to the contracting process at your local NRCS Field Office. Field offices have 45 calendar days to complete obligation from date of pre-approval. 

The Act Now policy streamlines the application process, as part of the NRCS Equity Action Plan.  This means no longer having to wait for all applications to be reviewed, prior to making approvals for a ranking pool. 

To learn how to get started with NRCS, click here, or visit your local USDA service center. To learn how to sign up for free email and text alerts about the latest NRCS program and national funding opportunities, click here.