GAINESVILLE, Fla. — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida is investing up to $15 million to develop new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.
CIG partners use creative problem solving and innovation to address water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, while improving agricultural operations. This year, funded CIGs will focus on climate-smart strategies for water resources, soil health focused on carbon sequestration and climate resilience, nutrient management, grazing lands conservation and strategies to increase conservation adoption.
U.S.-based non-federal entities and individuals are eligible to apply. Proposals are due to Grants.gov by July 19, 11:59 p.m. ET. Complete funding announcement information can found at the Conservation Innovation Grants webpage.
About the CIG Program
The CIG program has three components: CIG Classic, CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials and state-level CIG. This funding announcement is for CIG Classic, which supports pilot projects or demonstrations of promising new conservation approaches, tools, and technologies. CIG Classic grantees must match each federal dollar invested at least one to one.
NRCS intends to expend at least 10% of the total funding for CIG Classic on projects that are focused on providing conservation benefits to historically undeserved producers.
In April, USDA announced $25 million for CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials, which features collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing new approaches. The On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials funding opportunity deadline is June 21, 2021.
Visit the CIG website for more information.
–Renee Bodine, NRCS
