Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 001
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity for federal fiscal year 2018 is a discretionary grant program intended to encourage new, practical conservation ideas and speed up their real-world adoption. The core purpose is to stimulate the development, demonstration, and use of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that can improve how natural resources are managed, especially in agriculture and related working lands contexts. In short, NRCS is using this funding to help move promising conservation concepts from theory into applied, on-the-ground practice.
This funding opportunity is national in scope and open across a broad geographic footprint. Applications are accepted from eligible entities located in any of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, as well as U.S. island and territory areas specifically named in the announcement. That includes the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). The announcement is designed so that applicants from both the mainland and these covered areas have an equal pathway to compete for funding.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is very broad and essentially unrestricted, with one clear exclusion. All U.S.-based non-federal entities and individuals may apply, but federal agencies themselves may not. That means the competition is open to a wide range of applicant types such as state and local entities, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, businesses, and individual applicants, as long as they are not federal agencies. The listing characterizes eligible applicants as "unrestricted," reinforcing that the program is meant to attract a diverse pool of innovators and implementers from across the conservation and agriculture landscape.
Funding levels for FY 2018 are capped at a total program availability of up to $10 million. Individual awards are limited by an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per project, which sets the maximum amount any single award can receive under this announcement. Projects are expected to run between 1 and 3 years, giving applicants flexibility to propose shorter proof-of-concept pilots or multi-year demonstrations and adoption efforts, so long as the scope fits within that duration window.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is published by USDA-NRCS-NHQ under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 001, and it is categorized as a discretionary grant. The primary activity areas align with agriculture, environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development, and it is listed under CFDA number 10.912. The announcement was created on December 18, 2017, and the original application closing date was February 26, 2018, which defines the submission window for applicants competing for FY 2018 funds.
Overall, this FY 2018 CIG announcement is a competitive federal grant opportunity aimed at generating and accelerating innovative conservation solutions, with broad eligibility for U.S.-based non-federal applicants, coverage across states and specified territories, project periods of one to three years, and funding up to $2 million per award within a total pool of up to $10 million.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 001
- The USDA-NRCS-NHQ in the agriculture, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS' Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2018" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity for FY 2018?
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity for federal fiscal year 2018 is a discretionary grant program designed to encourage new, practical conservation ideas and speed up their real-world adoption. It supports the development, demonstration, and use of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve natural resource management, particularly in agriculture and related working lands.
What is the main goal of the CIG program as described in this announcement?
The core goal is to stimulate innovative conservation solutions and move promising concepts from theory into applied, on-the-ground practice. The program emphasizes practical ideas that can be demonstrated and adopted in real-world settings.
Is this a competitive grant opportunity?
Yes. The announcement describes a competitive federal grant opportunity where eligible applicants compete for funding within the total available pool.
What agency is offering this grant?
This opportunity is published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), specifically USDA-NRCS-NHQ.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NRCS NHQ CIG 001.
Is this grant discretionary or mandatory?
This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant.
What is the CFDA number listed for this program?
The announcement lists CFDA number 10.912.
How much total funding is available under this FY 2018 announcement?
Total program availability is capped at up to $10 million for FY 2018.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The award ceiling is $2,000,000 per project, meaning no single award under this announcement may exceed $2 million.
How long can a project last under this opportunity?
Projects are expected to run between 1 and 3 years.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as very broad: all U.S.-based non-federal entities and individuals may apply. The key exclusion is that federal agencies may not apply.
Are individuals allowed to apply?
Yes. The announcement states that individuals may apply as long as they are not a federal agency.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
No. Federal agencies are explicitly excluded from eligibility.
Does the announcement limit eligible applicant types (for example, nonprofits, universities, businesses)?
The listing characterizes eligible applicants as "unrestricted" (with the exception of federal agencies). It also indicates that a wide range of applicant types may apply, including state and local entities, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, businesses, and individuals.
Where is this funding opportunity available geographically?
This opportunity is national in scope. Applications are accepted from eligible entities located in any of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, as well as specified U.S. island and territory areas named in the announcement.
Which U.S. territories and island areas are specifically covered?
The announcement includes the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Is the opportunity designed to include both mainland and territory applicants?
Yes. The announcement is described as providing applicants from both the mainland and the covered areas an equal pathway to compete for funding.
What kinds of projects does this grant support?
The funding supports innovative conservation approaches and technologies intended to improve natural resource management, especially in agriculture and related working lands. The emphasis is on developing, demonstrating, and using innovations that can be adopted in real-world practice.
What activity areas does the announcement associate with this opportunity?
The primary activity areas align with agriculture, environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development.
When was this announcement created?
The announcement was created on December 18, 2017.
What was the application closing date for the FY 2018 opportunity?
The original application closing date was February 26, 2018.
What is the submission window for this FY 2018 opportunity?
Based on the dates provided, the submission window was defined by the announcement creation date (December 18, 2017) and the original closing date (February 26, 2018).
What is meant by "encourage new, practical conservation ideas and speed up their real-world adoption" in this context?
In the context of this announcement, it means NRCS is using grant funding to help develop and demonstrate innovative conservation concepts and technologies so they can transition from early ideas into practices that are used on the ground to improve natural resource management.
What is the overall summary of the FY 2018 CIG announcement?
It is a competitive, national USDA-NRCS discretionary grant opportunity (CFDA 10.912) intended to accelerate innovative conservation solutions. It is open broadly to U.S.-based non-federal applicants and individuals (excluding federal agencies), covers all states plus DC and named territories, offers up to $10 million total funding, caps individual awards at $2 million, and supports project periods of 1 to 3 years.
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