USDA-NRCS-PA-CIG-19-GEN0010130 Final.pdf

Summary Information

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department Of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)

Funding Opportunity Title: Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS' Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2019-Pennsylvania

Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-PA-CIG-001

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.912, Environmental Quality Incentives Program

NRCS is announcing the availability of CIG to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities for projects carried out in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A total ofup to $250,000 is available for CIG in FY 2019. All non-federal entities (NFE) and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole exception of federal agencies. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award in FY 2019 is $75,000.

APPLICATIONS DUE DATE: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on July 7, 2019.

SUBMISSIONS: Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov. In addition, a PDF of the complete application must be emailed to Denise.Coleman@pa.usda.gov.

Submissions must be received by the time and date due. Late submissions will not be reviewed or considered. The agency will rely on system generated date and time receipt documentation for submission made both via Grants.gov and e-mail to determine whether applications meet the submission deadline. Click here for more on how to submit an application.

The grants.gov electronic submission interface is called Workspace. Workspace is the standard way for organizations or individuals to apply for federal grants in grants.gov. Workspace allows an applicant grant team to access and edit different forms within an application simultaneously.

In addition, the forms may be filled out online or as a PDF. An overview of Workspace can be viewed at grants.gov (WEBINAR - Getting Started with Workspace: Become a Workspace Wizard).

Please allow extra time to register in Workspace because there are several preliminary registration steps before an applicant can submit the application. To register, go to www.grants.gov, click on "Applicants", then click on "Get Registered." If you have completed a prior grants.gov application, you may already have completed the registration process.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication ( e.g., Braille, large print, or audio tape) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Applicants are encouraged to visit the CIG website at https ://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/ to learn more about the CIG program. Questions about this announcement can be directed to Noel Soto at Noel.Soto@pa.usda.gov or by calling 717-237-2173.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

The Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program is authorized as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8). The Secretary of Agriculture delegated the authority for the administration ofEQIP, including CIG, to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). EQIP is funded and administered by NRCS under the authorities of CCC.

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 are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers, into NRCS 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.

C. 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.