USDA-NRCS Announces Sign-up Period for Entity Held Easements under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program to Establish Grassland Strongholds across the Southern High Plains

DENVER, CO - Colorado’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, Clint Evans recently announced the 2024 application cut-off dates for eligible entities to participate in the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Entity Held Easements (EHE) under the Establishment of Grassland Stronghold project in Colorado. There is one signup offered for complete and eligible applications to compete for available funding.  Application packages are due on Friday, October 25, 2024, by 4:00 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST) for funding. 

The RCPP-EHE program aims to protect the conservation values identified in the Establishment of Grassland Stronghold project’s Programmatic Partnership Agreement on eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses of that land that negatively affect the agricultural uses and conservation values, and to protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible land.

Applicants (eligible entities) must be a federally recognized Indian Tribe, state or local units of government, or a non-governmental organization. Applicants must have an established farmland protection program that purchases agricultural conservation easements for the purpose of protecting agriculture use and related conservation values by limiting conversion to nonagricultural uses of the land.

USDA provides 25 to 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement, dependent on the deed terms, US right of enforcement, and historically underserved participation. The qualified landowner retains ownership and continues to use the land for the purpose of the conservation easement.

To be eligible to receive RCPP EHE funding, eligible entity applicants must demonstrate a commitment to long-term conservation of agricultural lands; a capability to acquire, manage, and enforce easements; adequate staff capacity for monitoring and easement stewardship; and the availability of funds.

To determine if your application is eligible for this select fund pool and for additional information about applications contact NRCS Easement Program Manager, Laura Trimboli at 970-403-6379 or Laura.trimboli@usda.gov, and RCPP Coordinator, Marissa Markus at 719 342 9059 or Marissa.markus@usda.gov.

Applications postmarked or time stamped after these deadlines WILL NOT be accepted. Only fully completed and properly executed applications that are submitted by these signup dates on the appropriate forms and accompanied by all required supporting documentation will be considered for funding in FY 2024. All qualified applications will be reviewed, ranked, and considered for funding according to the Final RCPP-EHE rule, policy, and guidance.  Complete applications received after the cutoff date may be considered if another sign-up date is announced. Incomplete applications WILL NOT be considered.

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