Contact:
Erik Suffridge
406-587-6873
BOZEMAN, Mont., March 14, 2016 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today announced the availability of up to $260 million for partner proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). NRCS is now accepting proposals for Fiscal Year 2017 RCPP funding. Pre-proposals are due May 10. Applicants must be able to match the federal award with private or local funds.
“Across the country, locally-driven efforts are having a positive effect on conservation and production,” said Lisa Coverdale, NRCS state conservationist in Montana. “RCPP serves as a valuable vehicle for matching federal investment and private capital to advance conservation and support agricultural production.”
Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, RCPP investments of nearly $600 million have already driven 199 partner-led projects, including the Upper Clark Fork River Drought Resiliency project and the Missouri Headwaters and Lower Gallatin Basin project in Montana. RCPP leverages local leadership to establish partnerships that can include private companies, local and tribal governments, universities, non-profits and other non-government partners to work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners on landscape and watershed-scale conservation solutions.
“We recognize the growing interest in leveraging private capital markets to foster impact investments in conservation, sustainable agriculture and forestry,” Coverdale said. “For this new round, we hope to see even more applications that support the development of environmental markets and conservation finance projects.”
Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect over 400 million acres nationwide, boosting soil and air quality, cleaning and conserving water and enhancing wildlife habitat. For an interactive look at USDA's work in conservation and forestry over the course of this Administration, visit https://medium.com/usda-results.
For more information about RCPP, or other programs offered by NRCS, please contact your local USDA Service Center or visit www.mt.nrcs.usda.gov.
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