The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing potential availability of cooperative agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources, addressing local natural resource issues, encouraging collaboration, and developing state – and community – level conservation leadership.
Donor Name: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
State: Montana
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/05/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
The goals and objectives of this program are:
- Use climate-smart management and sound science to enhance the health and productivity of agricultural lands.
- Lead efforts to adapt to the consequences of climate change in agriculture and forestry.
- Restore, protect, and conserve watersheds to ensure clean, abundant, and continuous provision of water resources.
- Increase food security through assistance and access to nutritious and affordable food.
- Increase capacity, sustainability, and economic vitality in rural and tribal communities.
The purpose of the Montana Partners for Conservation is to leverage NRCS and partner resources to:
- Improve soil health.
- Improve habitat for wildlife, with a specific focus on the rangelands and grasslands of Montana.
- Improve water quality/quantity.
- Improve the environmental and economic performance of working agricultural lands.
- Assist communities and groups to build and strengthen local food projects that provide healthy food and economic opportunities.
Emphasis will be placed on projects that:
- Build technical capacity to implement Farm Bill Conservation Programs, including Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry practices.
- Build technical capacity of NRCS and partner field conservation employees.
- Build the capacity of local partners to develop and implement effective projects.
- Leverage Non-Federal and non-government resources to achieve positive natural resources conservation outcomes.
- Support the NRCS in understanding outcomes associated with our conservation actions.
- Build and support urban and community agriculture in Montana.
Proposed projects must be performed in Montana.
Funding Information
- The Federal funding agency expects to award approximately $8,000,000.00 through this opportunity.
- The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $50,000.00, and the estimated funding ceiling is $3,000,000.00.
- Projects may be between 1 and 5 years in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to the following entity types:
- City or township governments
- County governments
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education)
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State-controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Small businesses
- Special district governments
- State governments
For more information, visit Grants.gov.