Soil and Water Conservation
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.902
- Agency
-
National Resources Conservation Service
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 5,616 $1,630,610,470 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 12-1000-0-1-302
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service awards grants and cooperative agreements under Assistance Listing 10.902 to fund conservation technical assistance, watershed planning, water quality improvement, and climate-smart agriculture implementation across all fifty states and U.S. territories, with the most recent award made on September 30, 2026.
The program funds concrete conservation activities deployed on private agricultural, forest, and grazing lands: erosion control and streambank stabilization, water quality improvement and nutrient management planning, soil health and conservation agriculture education, watershed assessments and restoration planning, wetland and coastal habitat restoration, integrated pest management site assessments, and equipment upgrades supporting conservation infrastructure. Recent awards also support workforce training, demonstration farm networks, and technical capacity building for conservation districts and tribal organizations.
Since 2004, the program has obligated $1.63 billion in federal funding across 5,616 awards, with combined federal and non-federal dollars totaling $1.68 billion. Cooperative Agreements dominate the portfolio at 93 percent of awards, with Project Grants comprising the remaining 7 percent. Award volume has trended upward: 2022 saw 425 awards, rising to 593 in 2024, though 2025 and 2026 activity appears significantly lower at 79 and 7 awards respectively in the source data, suggesting potential timing or reporting lags. The National Resources Conservation Service funds 99.9 percent of awards by count and dollar volume, with negligible participation from the Western Region office and Foreign Agricultural Service.
Award sizes cluster around $50,000 to $525,000 for individual projects, though larger infrastructure and capacity-building agreements exceed $1 million—including $3.7 million for technical assistance customer support, $2 million for debris removal and watershed nutrient reduction coordination, and $1.5 million for coastal restoration in Massachusetts. Recent funded projects include water quality improvement worksheds in Georgia's Chattooga River basin, snow survey and water supply forecasting systems, and farmer-rancher-forester technical capacity building in South Dakota.
Open grant opportunities posted in 2024 and early 2025 remain current or recently closed. The NRCS New Jersey Community Gardens/Farm Agreement (due June 6, 2025, posted January 7, 2025) seeks conservation education and sustainable agriculture projects in underserved communities, open to nonprofits, government entities, and tribes. Vermont's Conservation Solutions Through Strategic Partnerships offering (closed October 12, 2024) provided up to $1.2 million for technical service partners. State-level cooperative agreement opportunities in Massachusetts, Ohio, Iowa, Wyoming, and Nebraska solicited 2024–2025 proposals for farm conservation planning, energy efficiency technical assistance, and conservation collaboration, with award ceilings typically $200,000–$600,000 and five-year performance periods. No recently posted federal opportunities appear in the source data as currently open.
Objective and description
- Objective
Provide conservation technical assistance to private landowners, conservation districts, tribes, and other organizations through a national network of locally-respected, technically-skilled, professional conservationists and assist them in conserving
- Description
Soil and Water Conservation provides federal funding and technical assistance for conservation efforts, supporting landowners, tribes, and organizations in implementing sustainable practices like erosion control, water management, and climate-smart agriculture through grants, cooperative agreements, and Farm Bill programs. It aims to protect natural resources, enhance land productivity, and address issues like soil erosion, water quality, and habitat preservation.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
The CTA Program is delivered to private individuals, groups of decision makers, tribes, units of governments, and non-governmental organizations in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Marshall Islands.
- Beneficiary eligibility
General public, State governments, and local governments.
- Uses of assistance
Technical assistance to the general public in planning and applying natural resource conservation practices, systems, and treatment; and furnishing technical natural resource conservation information to State and local governments. Technical assistance to decision-makers on lands in agriculture, forestry and related uses for planning and applying natural resource conservation practices, systems, and treatment; and furnishing technical natural resource conservation information to State and local governments.
- Use restrictions
All funds awarded through agreements are discretionary.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Proposals are selected based on cost-effectiveness, environmental benefits, and alignment with priority area goals, such as assisting with legal compliance. Technical review boards rank applications focusing on delivering one-on-one conservation planning and proven technologies to land users.
- Deadlines
Deadlines and selection processes vary by state and solicitation, with many recent opportunities closing in the spring for that fiscal year.
- Appeals
If a participant disagrees with a final technical determination (such as wetland or highly erodible land determinations), they have the right to file an appeal with the USDA National Appeals Division (NAD) Deadline: Appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days of receiving the final technical determination. Process: The NAD, which is independent of the NRCS, conducts an impartial hearing where an Administrative Judge reviews evidence to determine if the agency's decision was in error. Options: In addition to NAD, producers may sometimes appeal through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee. Representation: Participants may be represented by others, but must file a written authorization form
Grant opportunities
Show 39 more
Latest 49 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 5,616 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Fish And Wildlife Foundation | $177,852,505 | 11% |
| 2 | National Association Of Conservation Districts | $139,900,251 | 9% |
| 3 | Pheasants Forever, Inc. | $57,269,886 | 4% |
| 4 | Farm Journal, Inc. | $41,000,000 | 3% |
| 5 | The American Farmland Trust | $37,840,168 | 2% |
| 6 | Intertribal Agriculture Council, Inc. | $25,554,029 | 2% |
| 7 | MCL Jasco Inc. | $18,594,972 | 1% |
| 8 | Caldwell County | $17,246,774 | 1% |
| 9 | Iowa State University Of Science And Technology | $16,652,271 | 1% |
| 10 | Colorado State University | $16,140,671 | 1% |
10 of 2,160 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$22,943,550 |
| FY2025 | $171,325,353 |
| FY2024 | $503,085,939 |
| FY2023 | $304,996,654 |
| FY2022 | $166,029,713 |
| FY2021 | $164,103,329 |
| FY2020 | $178,750,181 |
| FY2019 | $2,567,890 |
| FY2018 | $1,327,744 |
| FY2014 | $21,000 |
| FY2012 | $9,646,748 |
| FY2011 | $18,727,717 |
| FY2010 | $43,210,605 |
| FY2009 | $29,849,182 |
| FY2008 | $32,800,277 |
| FY2007 | $14,166,372 |
Show all 16
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.902?
Assistance Listing 10.902 is Soil and Water Conservation, a federal grant program run by National Resources Conservation Service (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Soil and Water Conservation?
Its CFDA number is 10.902: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.902 awarded?
5,616 grant awards under 10.902 have obligated $1,630,610,470 in federal funds to 2,160 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.902?
The recipients obligated the most under Soil and Water Conservation are National Fish And Wildlife Foundation ($177,852,505), National Association Of Conservation Districts ($139,900,251) and Pheasants Forever, Inc. ($57,269,886).
How much did 10.902 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 10.902 obligated $171,325,353 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.902?
None of the latest 49 opportunities under 10.902 is open now. The latest, NRCS NJ Community Gardens/Farm Agreement FY2025, was posted on January 7, 2025.
On GovTribe
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