USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311.pdf

Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Fiscal Year 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity

No. USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 1

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO)

SUMMARY INFORMATION

Deadline date modifications: pgs. 1 and 30 Grants.gov user role instruction correction: pg. 17

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’s Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Classic Program for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2023

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-

NOFO0001311

Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.912, Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a web based, Governmentwide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the Federal Government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $15 million in CIG funding 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 through the development of technical manuals, guides and for practical instruction for the private sector.

Applications will be accepted from all non-Federal entities and individuals based in the United States (see Section III(A) Eligible Applicants). Projects may be between 1 and 3 years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award in FY 2023 is $2 million.

For new users of Grants.gov, see Section IV(A) for information about steps required before submitting an application through Grants.gov.

Key Dates

Applicants must submit their applications through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on November 3, 2023. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

https://sam.gov/content/home mailto:support@grants.gov

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 2

For inquiries specific to the content of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) requirements, contact the Federal awarding agency (Section VII of this NFO). Please limit questions to specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.

A webinar for CIG Classic applicants is scheduled for September 12, 2023 at 2pm Eastern Time.

Information on how to participate in the Microsoft Teams webinar can be obtained through the following link and phone number:

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 202-650-0123 Phone Conference ID: 621 758 351#

Applicants are encouraged to visit the CIG website to learn more about the CIG program.

Questions about this announcement can be directed to: nrcscig@usda.gov.

The agency anticipates making selections by January 15, 2024 and expects to execute awards by May 31, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts

The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $250,000, and the estimated funding ceiling is $2 million. The funding floor is defined as the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total Federal funding amount requested, not the total project budget, which includes a non-Federal share generally referred to as “match.”

Federal Financial Assistance Training

The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for additional instruction on Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public through https://www.cfo.gov/grants-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: (1) laws, regulations, and guidance; (2) financial assistance mechanisms; (3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; (4) cost principles;

and (5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_NDU0N2Y0NzQtZTNlNy00MjQ4LTk4YTYtMTgxNGE3Njg2MzM0%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%2522ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%252235b4f15e-ef81-4aa2-8652-d20f29cc0359%2522%257d&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc51e9935be074a5bd81b08db9c20aefc%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C638275436908253237%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yIctQAuOXg8KT%2FBNUB%2B%2Fe2dfcxd1XHU2vMfPbtP1e%2Fg%3D&reserved=0 https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/cig-conservation-innovation-grants mailto:nrcscig@usda.gov

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 3

Table of Contents

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

B. Overview

C. Innovative Conservation Projects or Activities

D. CIG Classic 2023 Priorities

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

B. Type of Award

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Other

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Information for New Users of Grants.gov

B. Electronic Application Package

C. Content and Form of Application Submission

D. Submission Dates and Times and Correspondence

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review and Selection Process

B. Merit and Technical Criteria

C. Historically Underserved Criteria

D. Administrative and Risk Criteria

E. Awards Over the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (if applicable)

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Federal Award Notices

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

C. Patents, Inventions, and Copyrights

D. Reporting

VII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 4

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

APPENDIX A: CREATING A BUDGET

APPENDIX B: SAMPLE PLEDGE AGREEMENT

APPENDIX C: APPLICATION PACKAGE CHECKLIST

The following are not in this document, but will be found in Grants.gov with this document:

Attachment A – Cover Letter Template Attachment B – Instructions for Completing SF424 Attachment C – Instructions for Completing SF424A

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 5

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

CIG is authorized under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8). The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority to administer EQIP, including CIG, to the Chief of NRCS. EQIP is funded and administered by NRCS under the authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation.

B. Overview

The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production.

CIG projects present innovations that are expected to result in the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and inventive approaches to agricultural producers (such as market-based systems) into technical manuals and guides and to be used in 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.

C. Innovative Conservation Projects or Activities

1. CIG funds development and field testing, on-farm research and demonstration, evaluation, or implementation of:

a. approaches to incentivizing conservation adoption, including market-based and conservation finance approaches; and

b. conservation technologies, practices, and systems.

2. Projects or activities under CIG must:

a. comply with all applicable Federal, tribal, state, and local laws and regulations throughout the duration of the project;

b. use a technology or approach that was studied sufficiently to indicate a high probability for success;

c. demonstrate, evaluate, and verify the effectiveness, utility, affordability, and usability of natural resource conservation technologies and approaches in the field;

d. adapt and transfer conservation technologies, management practices, systems, approaches, and incentive systems to improve performance and encourage adoption; and

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 6

e. 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 using those technologies and approaches demonstrates clear innovation.

NRCS strongly encourages the submission of CIG proposals that address the innovative conservation needs of urban farmers in metropolitan areas as well as projects focused on climate change. These topics can be submitted as long as they also address at least one of the priority areas described in Section I(D).

NRCS intends to award at least 10 percent of the funds available through this notice to proposals from historically underserved (HU) producers or community-based organizations comprised of or representing these entities (see Section IV(C)(6), “Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers”).

D. CIG Classic 2023 Priorities

For FY 2023, NRCS is only accepting proposals that address one or more of the priorities listed in this section. Each proposal must clearly identify a primary priority on the proposal cover page. The primary priority selected by an applicant will determine which expert peer panel will review the application.

1. Forestry

Forests play a significant role in reducing carbon dioxide through carbon sequestration. Forests store carbon in trees, shrubs, and soil. Forest management and tree planting, included as part of an agroforestry system, support tree growth and increase carbon storage. This priority area will accept proposals for climate smart forestry and agroforestry in one of the following two areas:

a. Agroforestry (alley cropping, silvopasture, forest farming or multistory cropping, riparian forest buffers, and windbreaks shelterbelts) integrates trees into crop and livestock systems to address conservation needs, increase carbon storage, and build sustainable agricultural systems. Agroforestry systems can be expensive to implement, and it may take several years before the producer benefits financially from the conservation practice. There is a lack of tools to help producers weigh the costs and benefits of transitioning to agroforestry systems. Projects will be given higher priority that develop innovative tools for landowners that include:

• economic tools to help producers determine the financial benefits of adopting agroforestry. Tools should integrate entry costs, return on investment (such as improved production, income diversification, energy reduction), and conservation benefits (wildlife habitat, moisture management, soil health, odor mitigation, or reduced heat stress in livestock), and

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 7

• conservation practices and intermediate activities to help offset implementation and transition costs.

b. Forests face increasing stress from extreme weather including longer and warmer seasons, drought, and precipitation intensity. To support forest landowners with maintaining healthy forests, assistance is needed in selecting native tree species adapted to climate shifts. Projects will be given higher priority that include both of the following:

• a regionally specific guide (or guides) that helps private forest landowners and forest managers incorporate climate change considerations into forest management and climate adaptation efforts, and

• databases of suitable native tree and shrub species for seed zones within the specific region of the guide.

2. Habitat Conservation and Restoration for Wildlife and Invertebrates

This priority is focused on innovations to identify, improve, and expand habitats for wildlife and native beneficial invertebrate populations critical for ecosystems, agriculture, or other natural resource services. Native insect and invertebrate populations are plummeting with more than one million species under threat of extinction in the coming decades (Cardoso, 2020).1 This decline impacts entire ecosystems as well as producers who depend on crop pollination. Higher priority will be given to projects that have a large impact on invertebrate conservation or can leverage other resource opportunities that have stackable conservation benefits.

The following are examples of projects, but accepted proposals are not limited to these examples:

a. Grassland management, including innovative ways to manage grasslands to increase wildlife or invertebrate food abundance

b. Agroforestry, such as managing native tree and shrub communities that improve stream rehabilitation and increase riparian wildlife or invertebrate populations

c. Cover crop systems that help manage beneficial invertebrates, such as

• systems that maximize beneficial invertebrate production for wildlife or to provide ecosystem services, and

• formulation of seed mixes for cover crops that support native invertebrate populations or specific species beneficial for crop pollination and plant health.

d. Replanting with native plants, including

• economic studies on the costs and benefits of using native plants for habitat restoration, and

1 Cardoso, Pedro, et. al, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719317823 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320719317823

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 8

• identifying native or non-invasive non-native host plants that support insect populations that feed wildlife where native plant species can replace invasive species.

e. Climate resilience through improved techniques to establish support for invertebrates and wildlife and climate-resilient plants that address drought and water retention aspects.

f. Urban Agriculture, such as

• using beneficial insects for pest control, and

• substituting native varieties for urban vegetation to support native beneficial invertebrates and improve socio-ecological benefits (e.g., shade, pollinator habitat, privacy, stormwater management)

All projects should include some level of economic assessment that shows the cost of innovation and should be related to agricultural systems.

3. Managing Agricultural Lands to Improve Local Water Quality

Water quality issues persist nationwide, particularly issues related to the loss of nutrients from agricultural lands. For example, subsurface nitrogen and soluble phosphorous loss contributes to water quality impairment in local receiving water bodies. This can negatively impact the use of those water bodies for community drinking water systems, recreation and tourism opportunities, and healthy aquatic habitats for fish, plants, and wildlife.

Traditional agricultural land management might not consider risks to receiving water bodies. Current agricultural nutrient management decisions are often based on field production goals and recommendations from universities, crop consultants, and agrichemical dealers. However, the impacts of field loss of nutrients on the receiving aquatic systems can vary greatly among different watersheds or groundwater recharge areas. Farm management of water and nutrients on a field-by-field bases, without attention to how nutrient loss affects the local receiving waterbody, creates a disconnect that could in some circumstances result in a negative outcome for local water resources (i.e., the receiving water body or groundwater recharge area).

NRCS seeks creative, integrated solutions to address specific water quality improvement or protection goals at a local water resource level (e.g., locality, soil and water conservation district, sub-watershed, or groundwater recharge area). Proposals submitted under this priority area will apply strategies, operational processes, and decision support tools to

a. identify and address nutrient reduction goals at a local water resource level and tie those reduction goals to conservation and management at the field level (and vice versa), and

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 9

b. provide comprehensive, site-specific nutrient loss risk assessments and management plans for specific water quality improvements or the desired outcomes at the local water resource level

NRCS prioritizes projects that result in a system of conservation and management practices at the field level that (1) demonstrate water quality improvement or protections at the local water resource level and (2) evaluate agricultural economic and production impacts and benefits to individual producers.

The following are examples of projects, but acceptable proposals are not limited to these:

a. A water body consistently experiences harmful algae bloom outbreaks that impact the quality of livestock water. A decision support tool is developed for producers to connect their nutrient management plan to the downstream goal of reducing harmful algae blooms, which may be more stringent than the current recommendations.

b. Drinking water wells in a rural community are experiencing excess nitrate, which is leading to cases of ‘blue baby’ syndrome. Data show that the excess nitrate is likely coming from intense dairy operations in the groundwater recharge area of the drinking water wells. The project develops a conservation strategy to mitigate the excess nitrate loss from the dairies while maintaining their economic viability.

c. Agricultural production is increasing or shifting in a watershed that contributes to a waterbody with high ecological, recreational, and tourism value for the local community. A decision support tool is developed to avoid excess nutrient contributions from the watershed to protect the waterbody, incorporating local agricultural businesses such as agrichemical dealers and crop consultants.

4. Energy Conservation

Agricultural producers typically rely on a range of energy sources. They use energy directly (e.g., electricity or propane) and indirectly (e.g., fertilizer or feed). Most producers can increase the energy efficiency of their equipment, systems, and management strategies. Many producers can capture or convert onsite renewable resources to meet some portion of their energy needs. Few producers have a clear path to evaluate their operation, develop a priority sequence that mixes energy efficiency and renewable resource improvements, and implement the necessary actions to move towards energy self-sufficiency. A robust analysis for a producer should increase the potential to deliver high resource and economic benefits with reduced life-cycle costs.

NRCS seeks proposals for approaches to conserve energy for agricultural producers that help them achieve (or get closer to) energy self-sufficiency (i.e., net zero energy).

Successful applicants will demonstrate merit in one or more of the following sub-priorities.

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 10

a. Holistic approaches to improve energy efficiency and enhance the use of renewable energy resources tested at multiple producer operations

b. Significant gains (compared to standard practice) in one or more of the following areas:

• energy efficiency for one or more energy-using systems (e.g., irrigation, field operations, poultry ventilation, grain drying, or parlor operations).

• use of onsite renewable resources to meet onsite energy needs

• use of advanced control systems to maximize the benefits of energy-efficient equipment and systems with onsite renewable resource systems

For this priority area, evaluators will also consider how well the proposal addresses the following items:

• an estimate of what fraction of producers currently rely on the standard practice relative to the innovative approach proposed (base this estimate on the relevant geographical area of the proposed project and include the basis of the estimate)

• Measurement & Verification (M&V) protocols to support conservation benefit claims.

• energy benchmarks or energy use index data to improve results

• alternative funding mechanisms (e.g., prescriptive lists and rebates) that may streamline adoption of the proposed energy conservation practices, reduce administrative burdens, or both.

5. Economics

Every conservation plan provides an opportunity to do more with every dollar.

Applying economic methods and financial tools can help producers find ways to get more resource and dollar benefits from every dollar spent on conservation.

A more holistic approach to conservation that identifies key core practices to build from or that uses sets of practices (as opposed to individual practices) may help to foster more conservation with little additional cost. Understanding how costs and benefits change with compounded practices is the emphasis of this priority area.

This priority area will find synergies with practices that already exist and assess the financial and environmental benefits to those synergies. The innovation will be in the compounding of practices that are not currently combined. The following are examples of projects, but applications are not limited to these examples:

a. A range planting to further improve erosion control immediately after a biomass project took trees from a range site

b. Inter-organization collaborations to better use economic dollars

• These projects will combine projects that are normally performed separately and assess the economic and conservation benefits of this combination.

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 11

• Priority will be given to projects that focus on climate change benefits in conservation practices. The conservation practices addressed do not have to be established government practices. Projects will be prioritized that have high quality on-farm economic evaluation in addition to their potential impact to conservation. Each project should include some type of in-depth economic analysis such as sensitivity analysis 2 or marginal analysis 3 within their project methods and evaluation.

6. Strengthening Conservation through Indigenous Knowledge

Incorporating indigenous knowledge and stewardship methods into conservation planning processes can reveal innovative conservation methods and practices that are culturally relevant to tribal nations and indigenous peoples. Indigenous conservation management systems and practices, including culturally traditional crops or indigenous management practices, can increase future agriculture and forestry resilience. The attention of this priority area is innovative ideas that can increase conservation in the United States based on indigenous knowledge, priorities and perspectives.

Priority will be given to projects that address conservation needs for tribal and other indigenous lands. Proposals must address one or more of the following sub-priorities:

a. innovatively translating existing conservation practices (i.e., conservation practices currently represented in agricultural or forestry landscapes) to meet the needs of tribal nations or indigenous peoples using indigenous knowledge;

b. introducing indigenous cropping systems or cultural crops (e.g., perennial plantings or rotations such as agroforestry, systems that integrate perennial grains into rotation, or transition to xeric farming);

c. fostering the conservation of culturally relevant species (e.g., bison, sugar maple, camas, river cane, salmon) or promoting tribal food sovereignty;

d. employing innovative or repurposed planning tools, guidance documents, or climate smart agriculture and forestry adaptation practices that use traditional ecological knowledge in a dynamic response to a changing climate;

e. demonstrating the conservation benefits of indigenous forestry management with the implementation of agroforestry and multistory cropping systems (also known as forest farming); and

2 A sensitivity analysis addresses what would happen if part of a plan is changed a little bit and then this change, in a model, is repeated many times to understand potential outcomes (i.e., value analysis, risk analysis, expected value analysis, etc.).

3 A marginal analysis addresses what would happen if a plan is augmented and uses modeling to see what would happen to resources and dollars with each possible addition to the plan.

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 12

f. improving livestock and ecosystem management through indigenous uses of silvopasture and grazing management systems.

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

1. Estimated Funding

The Federal funding agency expects to award approximately $15 million through this opportunity. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount.

2. Start Dates and Performance Periods

Projects may be between 1 to 3 years in duration. Applicants should plan their projects based on an estimated project start date of May 31, 2024.

3. Number of Awards

The agency expects to make between 15 and 20 awards.

B. Type of Award

1. Type of Federal Award

The agency plans to award grant agreements pursuant to this opportunity.

2. Procurement Contracts

The agency does not expect to award procurement contracts associated with this

NFO.

3. Eligibility of Renewal or Supplemental Project Applications

Applications to renew or supplement existing projects are not eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards. An application to renew is an application submitted to continue an existing agreement that meets the objectives and requirements of this NFO. An application to supplement an existing project is an application that adds components to an existing agreement so that it will meet the objectives and requirements in this NFO.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applicants and applications must meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline to be considered for award. Eligible applicant type is determined by the implementing program

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 13 statute. Applicant entities identified in the SAM.gov exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited or restricted, or excluded from receiving Federal contracts and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program (2 CFR 200.206(d)). Neither foreign entities nor individuals are eligible to apply for this opportunity

This opportunity is open to all domestic non-Federal entities and individuals based in the United States for projects carried out in the United States. “Based in the United States” includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

B. Other

Any award made pursuant to this NFO will be made to a single entity. Applicants that apply as “partnerships” or other similar groupings must clearly describe the relationship between the applicant and the “partner” parties. In all but exceptional cases, an awardee/sub-awardee relationship must be reflected in the award.

An applicant organization may submit more than one application for different projects or that propose different approaches. In the case of applications submitted as revisions or corrections to a previously submitted application under this NFO, the agency will consider the last application submitted prior to the established deadline.

Awards made pursuant to this NFO are not Farm Bill program contracts; therefore, the awards in and of themselves are not limited by the payment limitation in 16 USC Chapter

58. However, any agricultural producers receiving a payment through participation in a project awarded under this NFO must meet the eligibility requirements of 7 CFR Part 12 and 7 CFR Part 1400 and have control of the land involved for the term of the proposed award period.

1. Specific CIG Eligibility

All CIG projects must involve EQIP-eligible producers that meet EQIP’s eligibility requirements listed in 7 CFR 1466.6(b)(1) through (3):

a. Must comply with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions (7 CFR Part 12).

b. Must be a person, joint operation, Indian tribe, or Native corporation, or other legal entity that is engaged in agricultural production or forestry management or has an interest in the agricultural or forestry operation as defined in 7 CFR Part 1400.

c. Must have control of the land involved for the term of the proposed contract period.

2. EQIP Payment Limitation and Duplicate Payments https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2017-title7-vol10/pdf/CFR-2017-title7-vol10-sec1466-6.pdf https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2005-title7-vol10/CFR-2005-title7-vol10-part1400 https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2005-title7-vol10/CFR-2005-title7-vol10-part1400

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 14

The following provisions apply to CIG funding:

a. CIG funds are awarded through grant agreements. These grant agreements are not EQIP contracts; thus, CIG awards themselves are not limited by the payment limitation found at Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.

3839aa-7), which limits payments to $450,000 for all legal entities, including individuals, that entered an EQIP contract between FY 2019 and FY 2023.

b. All agricultural producers receiving a payment through participation in a CIG project must meet the eligibility requirements of 7 CFR 1466.6(b)(1) through (3) noted previously. In addition, producers receiving a payment for participating in a project must meet the adjusted gross income requirements under Section 1001D(b)(1) of the 2018 Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 1308-3a(a)(1)). All agricultural producers receiving a payment through participation in a CIG project must have an adjusted gross income (AGI) that does not exceed $900,000. If awarded a grant, grantees must self-certify and maintain records showing that participating producers receiving payments using CIG funding meet the EQIP eligibility and AGI requirements. Under 7 CFR part 1400, the Chief may waive the AGI limit on a case-by-case basis, if the Chief determines that environmentally sensitive land of special significance would be protected as a result of such waiver. CIG grantees may request waivers for participating producers once their project commences.

c. Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985, 16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2, prohibits duplicative payments. Accordingly, direct or indirect payments cannot be made for a practice when an individual or legal entity has already received funds or is contracted to receive funds through any USDA conservation program (e.g., Conservation Reserve Program, EQIP, Agricultural Management Assistance, Conservation Stewardship Program, etc.). If awarded a grant, grantees must self-certify that payments to producers using CIG funding are not duplicative.

3. Historically Underserved (HU) Farmers and Ranchers

NRCS is committed to the success of our nation’s HU producers, businesses, and partners. HU producers play a vital role in securing a healthy agricultural economy for our country and are momentous leaders in protecting, enhancing, and sustaining our valuable natural resources. NRCS encourages proposal submissions from entities that represent or are composed entirely of HU producers.

For the FY 2023 CIG award process, at least 10 percent of the total funds available for CIG are set aside for proposals that benefit HU producers. These HU funds (referred to as the HU set aside) will ensure that equity is incorporated in the planning and delivery of CIG projects to align with NRCS’s Justice 40 goals.

Projects that benefit HU producers also qualify for a reduced rate of matching funds, as detailed in Section IV(C)(6). The regulatory definitions of the HU https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2017-title7-vol10/pdf/CFR-2017-title7-vol10-sec1466-6.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE-2010-title16/USCODE-2010-title16-chap58-subchapIV-partIV-sec3839aa-2

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 15 farmer or rancher categories are located at the NRCS HU Farmers and Ranchers web page.

To compete for the HU set-aside funds, applicants must indicate their intent on the cover page and complete an HU narrative section as described in Section

IV(C)(6).

Applicants competing in the HU set aside must meet all other requirements of this announcement, including addressing at least one CIG priority listed in this notice.

4. Technical Assistance for CIG Projects

All technical assistance required to carry out a CIG project is the responsibility of the grantee. NRCS designates an NRCS employee as a technical contact for each grant award. Technical contacts provide oversight activities during the project such as site visits, reviewing performance reports, financial reports, and audits to ensure that standards, objectives, terms, and conditions for the projects are accomplished. Technical Contacts also evaluate project results and work with grantees on any relevant end-of-project efforts to disseminate project results.

NRCS employees, however, are not substantially involved in carrying out grant activities.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

This NFO requires applicants to share 50 percent of total project costs. Project costs therefore, include Federal and non-Federal shares. The non-Federal share, or “match” provided by the applicant has to be a minimum of 50 percent of the total project costs, except for applicants competing for the HU set aside (see Section IV(C)(6)).

Applications that do not include the required level of cost-sharing will be ineligible for award and will be eliminated from the competition through an initial proposal screening. Cost sharing may be achieved with contributions of cash, services, materials, equipment, or third-party in-kind contributions. Recipients with unrecovered indirect costs may also use those to meet cost-sharing obligations. Funds from another Federal award cannot be used as match except where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such a program can be applied to matching or cost sharing.

Additional details about cost sharing or matching funds can be found at 2 CFR

200.306. Refer to Section IV of this NFO for information about any required submittals related to match or cost-share requirements. While the pace of cost-sharing or matching may vary throughout the award period, the agency will actively monitor cost-sharing or matching levels as it receives payment requests to ensure the total cost sharing or matching requirement is met by the end date of the award performance period. Additional details about cost sharing or matching funds are located at 2 CFR 200.306.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/underserved-farmers-ranchers https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/underserved-farmers-ranchers https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 16

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Information for New Users of Grants.gov

1. Overview

While a Grants.gov account is not required to download an NFO and related documents, it is required to submit an application. If your organization has never applied through Grants.gov, please be aware that there are several steps you must take to register your organization before you can submit an application. Completing those steps can take a significant amount of time, so plan accordingly.

For information about the Grants.gov pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle, see the Grants.gov pre-award phase web page.

2. Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Carefully review the registration steps and gather information requested prior to beginning the registration process to avoid last-minute searches for required information. For assistance with the registration process, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Organizations must complete all steps to register (steps IV(A)(3)(a) through (e)).

Complete organization instructions are included on the Grants.gov Organization Registration web page.

Although creating a Grants.gov account online can take only minutes, SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, organizations should begin the process early to ensure they have sufficient time to complete registration and meet required application submission deadlines.

Individuals are not subject to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) or SAM requirement and may begin with step (c), Create a Grants.gov Account.

3. Steps to Register

a. Obtain a UEI: All entities applying for funding must have a UEI issued by SAM.gov. Applicants must enter the UEI in the data entry field labeled "UEI" on the SF-424.

b. Register with SAM: All organizations must register with System for Award Management (SAM) to apply online through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Part of the SAM registration process includes designating an Electronic Business point of contact (EBiz POC). The EBiz POC plays an integral part in the organization’s Grants.gov registration and application process. The individual in that role must authorize all other roles in Grants.gov.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to the Grants.gov “Step 2 Register with SAM” web page.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 17

c. Create a Grants.gov Account: From the Grants.gov webpage, click “Register” in the top right-hand corner and follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions on the Grants.gov Applicant Registration web page.

d. Add an Organization Applicant Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to the Grants.gov .

e. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an organization applicant profile, you must establish roles for individuals in the organization. The authorized organizational representative (AOR) role is critical; it gives an individual permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. Without this role, the organization cannot submit any applications. The request for role assignment will be routed to the organization’s EBiz POC for approval. Once approved, the AOR can submit an application online. For more detailed instructions about creating a EBiz POC authorized profile on Grants.gov, refer to the EBiz POC Authorizes Profile Roles web page.

Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to the Grants.gov Track Profile Role Status web page.

4. Electronic Signature

When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role. This step (step IV(A)(3)(e)) is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

5. Workspace.

Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each NFO, you can create individual instances of a workspace. An applicant can start an application in Workspace and return to work on it later.

6. Apply for an Opportunity

The following is an overview of applying through Grants.gov. For complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to the Grants.gov Workspace Overview web page.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 18

a. Create a Workspace. Creating a workspace allows you to complete an application online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace. Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the status of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Grants.gov Adobe Software Compatibility web page to download the appropriate version of the software.

Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory and must be completed to successfully submit your application.

Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant’s name, address, and UEI. Once it is completed, the information will transfer (i.e., prepopulate) to the other forms.

c. Submit a Workspace. Submit your application through workspace by clicking the “Sign and Submit” button on the “Manage Workspace” page, under the “Forms” tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to ensure that you have enough time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

d. Track a Workspace Submission. After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the “Track My Application” page under the “Applicants” tab or the “Details” tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to the Grants.gov Applicant Training web page.

B. Electronic Application Package

Applicants interested in applying to this NFO must submit their application through Grants.gov; the agency will not accept applications submitted by email, fax, courier, or any other method. Applicants are urged to submit early to the Grants.gov system.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 19

For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518- 4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

Address to Request Application Package

All information necessary to apply for this opportunity is included in the Grants.gov opportunity announcement.

C. Content and Form of Application Submission

The agency may choose not to consider applications that are incomplete or that fail to comply with the required content, format, and page limits.

Applications must contain the content, format, and information set forth in this section to receive consideration for funding. Submit a separate application for each project if submitting more than one. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the part of NRCS or others as to the relative merits of the project described in the application.

Applicants must submit a single copy of the application in the following format:

• each page of the document must be numbered, letter-sized (8.5 x 11 inches), and use a white background that has 1-inch margins; and

• the text of the application must be typed, single spaced, black, and in a standard font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Courier, or similar) no smaller than 12-point.

1. Application Form

Complete SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance. See Instructions for Completing SF-424 in Attachment A to this NFO.

2. Cover Page (1 page maximum)

Applications that fail to provide a cover page will be rejected in the first stage of screening. On a single page, provide the following information in the order outlined:

a. The applicant entity’s name.

b. The project title.

c. The project duration in years.

d. The amount of Federal funding requested.

e. The amount of non-Federal cost-share committed (match).

mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/

USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: Conservation Innovation Grants Classic Program Page 20

f. The name, phone number, and email address for the applicant’s technical contact (usually the project director), this person is considered the primary contact for the project by NRCS.

g. The name, phone number, and email address for the applicant’s administrative contact (usually an individual in a grants office or project manager working under a project director).

h. The geographic location of the project, be sure to list all states with on the ground activities.

i. The priority that is addressed by the project, list only one priority from Section I(D). If the proposal addresses more than one priority, you must select a primary priority. The priority that you select will determine the panel that will review your application.

j. If the selected priority has more than one sub-priority, identify the sub-priority by number and name.

k. An estimated number of participating producers expected to be involved with the project.

l. Identify if the project is competing for HU set aside (see Section IV(C)(e) for further definition).

m. An estimated number of HU producers expected to be involved with the project.

n. A brief description (1 to 3 sentences) of the innovative conservation approach or approaches that is the focus of the project (please be concise).

o. If relevant, list any NRCS practice standards that this project could potentially inform (if multiple exist, select the top five).

3. Project Abstract (1-page maximum)

Provide a concise project summary (in nontechnical language) that captures the issue or problem that the project will address, the project goal, the innovative approach to be employed (including the role of participating partners), the anticipated project results and key deliverables, and the predicted impact to conservation more broadly.

4. Project Narrative (15-page maximum)

The project narrative must cover all proposed activities to be carried out…