Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation.
On This Page
National and State CIG
Public and private grantees develop the tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. Grantees must match the CIG investment at least one to one.
Who Is Eligible
National and State CIG – all non-Federal entities and individuals are eligible to apply. All CIG projects must involve EQIP-eligible producers.
Conservation Innovation Grants 2023
To read the announcement and submit a proposal, go to GRANTS.gov and search for Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-PA-CIG-23-NOFO0001289.After reading the synopsis, select the Related Documents TAB and click on USDA-NRCS-PA-CIG-23-NOFO0001289. The announcement gives you the available categories and explains how to apply.
A webinar will be held on April 19, 2023, from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Click on the Teams link to enter.
Teams Meeting: Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 211 858 975 665
Passcode: EpTk4S
Download Teams | Join on the web
Or call in (audio only)
+1 202-650-0123,,222810739# United States, Washington DC
Phone Conference ID: 222 810 739#
Useful Forms and Guidance
Completed CIG Projects
CIG projects completed in FY 2022
Program Contacts
Jared Shippey
Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
717-237-2216
Ashley Lenig
Conservation Program Manager
717-237-2204
Ready to get started?
Contact your local service center to start your application.
How to Get Assistance
Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease?
Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.
To get started with NRCS, we recommend you stop by your local NRCS field office. We’ll discuss your vision for your land.
NRCS provides landowners with free technical assistance, or advice, for their land. Common technical assistance includes: resource assessment, practice design and resource monitoring. Your conservation planner will help you determine if financial assistance is right for you.
We’ll walk you through the application process. To get started on applying for financial assistance, we’ll work with you:
- To fill out an AD 1026, which ensures a conservation plan is in place before lands with highly erodible soils are farmed. It also ensures that identified wetland areas are protected.
- To meet other eligibility certifications.
Once complete, we’ll work with you on the application, or CPA 1200.
Applications for most programs are accepted on a continuous basis, but they’re considered for funding in different ranking periods. Be sure to ask your local NRCS district conservationist about the deadline for the ranking period to ensure you turn in your application in time.
As part of the application process, we’ll check to see if you are eligible. To do this, you’ll need to bring:
- An official tax ID (Social Security number or an employer ID)
- A property deed or lease agreement to show you have control of the property; and
- A farm number.
If you don’t have a farm number, you can get one from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Typically, the local FSA office is located in the same building as the local NRCS office. You only need a farm number if you’re interested in financial assistance.
NRCS will take a look at the applications and rank them according to local resource concerns, the amount of conservation benefits the work will provide and the needs of applicants. View Application Ranking Dates by State.
If you’re selected, you can choose whether to sign the contract for the work to be done.
Once you sign the contract, you’ll be provided standards and specifications for completing the practice or practices, and then you will have a specified amount of time to implement. Once the work is implemented and inspected, you’ll be paid the rate of compensation for the work if it meets NRCS standards and specifications.