Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing the availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) State Program funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies.
Donor Name: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS)
State: South Dakota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/23/2023
Size of the Grant: $150,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into government technical manuals and guides, or to the private sector. CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches or private forest lands.
Priorities
The USDA NRCS South Dakota will prioritize proposals that address resource concerns that improve the health of soil, water, air, plants, animals, or energy within their state. Project proposals will be accepted to address one or more soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy resource concerns.
Funding Information
- NRCS South Dakota expects to award approximately $150,000 through this opportunity. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount.
- Projects may be between 1 and 3 years in duration. Applicants should plan their projects based on an estimated project start date of September 1, 2023.
Innovative Conservation Projects or Activities
CIG funds the development and field testing, on-farm research and demonstration, evaluation, or implementation of:
- Approaches to incentivizing conservation adoption, including market-based and conservation finance approaches; and
- Conservation technologies, practices, and systems.
- Projects or activities under CIG must comply with all applicable federal, tribal, state, and local laws and regulations throughout the duration of the project; and
- Use a technology or approach that was studied sufficiently to indicate a high probability for success;
- Demonstrate, evaluate, and verify the effectiveness, utility, affordability, and usability of natural resource conservation technologies and approaches in the field;
- Adapt and transfer conservation technologies, management, practices, systems, approaches, and incentive systems to improve performance and encourage adoption;
- Introduce proven conservation technologies and approaches to a geographic area or agricultural sector where that technology or approach is not currently in use.
Technologies and approaches that are eligible for funding in a project’s geographic area using an EQIP contract for an established conservation practice standard are ineligible for CIG funding, except where the use of those technologies and approaches demonstrates clear innovation.
Eligibility Criteria
All U.S. domestic, non-Federal entities and individuals are eligible to apply for projects carried out in South Dakota. US Federal agencies are not eligible to apply to this opportunity or impart their work to non-federal portion of the budget.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
