FY20 Iowa IPC Fact Sheet.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service offers voluntary Farm Bill conservation programs that benefit agricultural producers and the environment.

Benefits IPC encourages collaboration in addressing some of Iowa’s most pressing natural resource concerns. NRCS identifies potential projects for leveraging NRCS and partner resources that often result in production and operational benefits. Working together, NRCS and Partners build conservation technical capacity and develop and implement effective project outcomes .

Priority The priority of the Iowa Partners for Conservation awards will be to leverage NRCS and partner resources on proposals that address the following strategic goals of the Iowa NRCS Strategic Plans:

1. Provide high quality technical services that help our customers achieve their conservation goals.

2. Increase adoption of conservation in Iowa.

Helping People Help the Land

Overview

Collaboration is the act of working together to accomplish shared objectitves. The NRCS Iowa Partners for Conservation awards (IPC) are competitive agreements that leverage NRCS and partner resources to address local natural resource concerns. NRCS encourages collaboration and development of state and community-level conservation leadership.

IPC At-a-Glance:

• Authorized through the Soil

Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, Public Law 76, N/A Stat. N/A, 16 U.S.C. 590 a-f

• Funding source: Conservation Technical Assistance, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Soil and Water Conservation, (CTA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Emergency Water Protection Program-Floodplain Easement (EWP_FPE), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

• 2020 Funding Floor/Ceiling: $75,000

- $1,500,000

Iowa Partners for Conservation

March 2020

Iowa NRCS

IPC

Priorities:

1. Provide high quality technical services that help our customers achieve their conservation goals

2. Increase adoption of conservation in Iowa

Special Emphasis on Projects that:

1. Conduct on-site (field) monitoring and follow up of Easement and Other Stewardship Lands.

2. Promote Soil Health engagement in the agronomic community (private sector) with the help of conservation agronomists.

3. Conduct on-site (field) practice certifications and follow-up with producers on conservation seeding establishment.

4. Facilitate conversations with NRCS staff and partners at the field level regarding Iowa NRCS’ new conservation delivery schedule. The conversations need to result in relationships between field staff and resource team members.

5. Provide legal service, survey, and restoration of floodplain easements.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

h t t ps : / /www.n rcs .usda .gov /wps / po r t a l / n r cs / i a /peop le /pa r t ne rs / r eques t+ fo r+p roposa l s+ ( r f p ) /

State Emphasis The IPC emphasizes Iowa-based projects that build technical capacity and leverage non- Federal and non-government resources to achieve positive conservation outcomes. Projects may be farm-based, multi-county, small watershed, or Statewide in scope. Collaborative projects that provide on-the-ground support for Iowa NRCS Field Offices are highly encouraged. Research proposals will not be funded.

Application Process An IPC funding notice is announced on www.grants.gov for single or multi-year projects, not to exceed five years. Awards will be awarded through a competitive process. The natural resource concerns eligible for funding through IPC will be identified in the funding announcement and may change annually to focus on new and emerging, high priority natural resource issues.

Proposals may be submitted at any time between March 11, 2020 and 10:59 p.m. CST on May 11, 2020. Proposals in the possession of NRCS may, if eligible, receive consideration throughout FY 2020. Funding decisions will be made by the NRCS Iowa State Conservationist, with consideration given to program funding availability.

Proposals must be submitted as outlined in the funding announcement.

* Proposals that fail to comply with the criteria and format will not be considered for funding.

Proposal Guidelines The IPC application process requires submission of the required federal application documents and a completed FY20 IPC Request for Proposal Template. The Iowa NRCS format must be used to complete the application. An Adobe form is provided on the Iowa NRCS website at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/ portal/nrcs/ia/people/partners/ request+for+proposals+(rfp)/.

Follow the RFP guidelines regarding the allowable formatting and length of each section.

Proposals that include conservation planning assistance MUST document which steps of the NRCS 9-step planning process will be included in the planning process, who has responsibility for each step, and document how each step will be executed.

More Information Once funds for IPC become available, a funding notice is posted on the federal e-Grants portal, www.grants.gov. The funding notice will specify the information required from applicants. Complete applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov.

Once the RFP has been posted, the RFP, forms and help documents will be available at https:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/ nrcs/ia/people/partners/request +for+proposals+(rfp)/.

Eligibility Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits, Private institutions of higher education.

No matching funds are required for this award, however, applicants with matching funds will receive additional consideration in the ranking process. Any combination of cash and in-kind funding can be used to meet the non-federal match.

Proposals must include written verification, including the dollar value, of commitments of matching support (including both cash and in-kind contributions) from third parties.

The grantee is also responsible for providing the technical assistance required to successfully complete the project. NRCS will provide substantial technical oversight for each project receiving an award.

New and Beginning, Historically Underserved, Military Veteran Farmers, Ranchers, and Forest Landowners NRCS recognizes the need to encourage projects that that include participation of historically underserved veteran farmers and ranchers, beginning farmers and ranchers, and those with limited resources.

For additional information contact Judy.Martinson@ia.usda.gov