Vermont Business Magazine The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont released three notices of of funding opportunities (NFO) for Farm Bill conservation planning and implementation support and fulfillment of the NRCS Vermont Strategic Plan.
Conservation Solutions through Strategic Partnerships
The Conservation Solutions through Strategic Partnerships is a funding opportunity that can be found on grants.gov. The closing date for applications is May 27, 2023.
NRCS Vermont is seeking support from and opportunities to partner with like-minded natural resource conservation partners. The overall intent of this solicitation is to seek conservation partners to provide technical services for activities related to conservation delivery assistance identified in Section A of this announcement.
NRCS anticipates the amount of funding available for support of this program in FY2023 will be up to $1.5 million. Agreements awarded pursuant to this NFO may be 1-5 years in duration. This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions. Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with provisions of this notice.
Vermont NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants
The Vermont NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) NFO can be found on grants.gov. The closing date for applications is May 8, 2023.
NRCS is announcing the availability of CIG State Program funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities (Section C) for projects carried out in the state of Vermont. A total of up to $1,000,000 is available for the Vermont CIG competition in FY 2023. All non-federal entities (NFE) and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole exception of federal agencies. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award in FY 2023 is $200,000.
Equity in Conservation Outreach
Equity in Conservation Outreach is a national NFO. Application requirements can be found on grants.gov. The closing date for applications is April 27, 2023.
USDA is seeking applications for projects that will improve outreach to underserved producers and underserved communities about conservation programs and services and opportunities for students to pursue careers in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. NRCS is offering up to $70 million in cooperative agreements with entities for two-year projects that encourage participation in NRCS programs, especially in underserved communities and among urban and small-scale producers.
Source: Colchester, VT, April 4, 2023 – Natural Resources Conservation Service
