Ranking Criteria

Below are the ranking criteria and questions for NRCS programs in Rhode Island by funding pool:

• Beginning Farmers & Ranchers
• Socially Disadvantaged Farmers & Ranchers
• Conservation Planning Activities (CPA, DIA, DEMA)
• Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) Implementation
• Forest Resiliency
• General Working Lands
• On-Farm Energy Initiative
• Large Oyster Reef Restoration
• Typical Oyster Reef Restoration
• Source Water Protection
• EQIP-CIC Crops
• EQIP-CIC Forests
• EQIP-CIC Pastures

Funding Pools in Rhode Island

General EQIP

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against increasing weather volatility.

Working lands ranking pool - includes all applicants with non-forested land uses.

Forest resiliency ranking pool - includes all applicants with forested land use.

Beginning farmers and historically underserved farmers and ranchers ranking pool - Applications from Historically Underserved Farmers & Ranchers, under EQIP, are considered within specific sub-account fund pools.

Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), Design Implementation Activities (DIA), or Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA) ranking pool - NEW for FY 2022: A reorganized approach to planning, designing, implementing, and monitoring conservation activities on agricultural lands.  Applicants may use EQIP to develop written conservation plans using Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), Design Implementation Activities (DIA), or Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA).

Organic growers or those transitioning to organic may apply to this EQIP sub-account. Applicants must be registered with the RIDEM Division of Agriculture.

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) implementation

Producers with completed Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan who wish to apply for EQIP funds towards implementing conservation practices from that CNMP may apply to this EQIP sub-account. Applicants must provide a copy of the approved Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan.

EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts

Conservation Incentive Contracts are an option under EQIP, with a focus on Climate-Smart Forestry and Agriculture and Drought Resilience management practices. EQIP-CIC provides financial assistance to adopt conservation activities on working landscapes.

On-farm energy

The On-Farm Energy Initiative enables the producer to identify ways to conserve energy on the farm through two types of Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP) for headquarters and/or for landscape, also known as an on-farm energy audit (headquarters and/or landscape); and by providing financial and technical assistance to help the producer implement various measures and practices recommended in these on-farm energy audits.

Oyster reef restoration state initiative

The Oyster Reef Restoration Initiative provides financial assistance to improve water quality and encourage the development of wildlife habitat by implementing conservation practices that create oyster reefs.

RCPP farm plan implementation

An RCPP project led by local Rhode Island partners.

Source water initiative