USDA-NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Critical Conservation Area Nutrient Management Grants for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 | USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPNM 22 NOFO0001221

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPNM 22 NOFO0001221

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering competitive grant funding under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Federal fiscal year 2022, focused specifically on nutrient management projects within designated RCPP Critical Conservation Areas (CCAs). The basic purpose of this opportunity is to support partnerships that can deliver practical, high-impact, and innovative conservation solutions at the farm, watershed, and broader regional scale, with a clear emphasis on addressing nutrient-related natural resource concerns. A key limitation in this funding round is that projects located in the Prairie Grasslands CCA are not eligible under this particular notice of funding opportunity.

This announcement is for RCPP Grants, meaning NRCS expects to make awards through grant agreements rather than other agreement types. The scope of work is also intentionally narrow: only land management and rental activities are eligible under this notice. In other words, applicants should design proposals around on-the-ground implementation approaches that fit within those eligible activity categories, rather than broader programmatic or non-implementation efforts that fall outside land management and rental. While the summary references “co-investing” with partners, the core idea is that NRCS is looking to fund partnership-driven projects that measurably improve nutrient management outcomes in priority landscapes identified as CCAs.

In terms of available funding, NRCS indicates the federal agency expects to award up to $40 million total through this opportunity and anticipates making up to seven awards. Individual awards are expected to fall between an estimated federal funding floor of $250,000 and an estimated federal funding ceiling of $10 million per agreement. These floor and ceiling figures refer to the total federal share over the full life of the agreement, not a single budget period or single year. Projects may last up to five years, although the Secretary of Agriculture has authority to approve shorter or longer project periods in special circumstances, which suggests there is some flexibility when well-justified by project needs.

Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov, with the deadline set for 11:59 pm Eastern Time on October 31, 2022. Applicants encountering technical issues were directed to contact Grants.gov Applicant Support (rather than NRCS staff), and the notice makes it clear that agency awarding staff do not provide help with Grants.gov accounts. For questions about the notice itself, applicants were instructed to contact the federal awarding agency using the contact information provided in Section G of the full NFO, with an explicit request to keep questions focused on clarifying information already contained in the document (for example, confirming dates, resolving discrepancies, or pointing to specific sections). The agency also stated it would not respond to questions about eligibility determinations for a particular applicant or about the perceived strength or merit of a draft proposal.

NRCS also offered an applicant webinar scheduled for August 30, 2022 (3-4 pm Eastern Time) via Microsoft Teams, intended to help potential applicants understand the grant process and requirements. While the webinar details are mostly logistical, its inclusion signals that NRCS expected a competitive field and wanted applicants to align closely with the rules and expectations in the notice.

The agency projected that proposal selections would be made by January 2023, with project negotiations and final awards targeted for completion by June 1, 2023. NRCS notes these dates were estimates and could change, which is typical for federal assistance programs where review timelines depend on the volume and complexity of applications and internal processing requirements.

Administratively, NRCS emphasized that this funding is considered federal financial assistance, which brings with it the standard grants management expectations, including compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and the Uniform Guidance framework. The notice strongly encouraged applicants to complete free “Grants 101” training available through CFO.gov, covering topics like governing rules and guidance, financial assistance mechanisms, administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit/risk management concepts. This is a practical hint that successful applicants should be prepared not only to implement conservation outcomes, but also to manage federal funds with appropriate internal controls, documentation, and reporting discipline.

The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant in the Agriculture and Natural Resources funding activity category, under CFDA (now Assistance Listing) number 10.932. It was published under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPNM 22 NOFO0001221, with the opportunity posted on August 15, 2022 and closing on October 31, 2022. Eligibility is described broadly as “Others,” with additional eligibility details provided in the full notice, meaning applicants needed to consult the NFO’s eligibility section to confirm their status before applying.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USDA-NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program Critical Conservation Area Nutrient Management Grants for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.932.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 15, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 31, 2022 Applicants must submit their applications through Grants.gov by 1159 pm Eastern Time on October 31, 2022.. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPNM 22 NOFO0001221

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