Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities

The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities aim to achieve the following outcomes through a variety of pilot projects: • Increased markets (supply and demand) for climate-smart commodities; • Increased adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture and For

In response to the climate crisis, USDA is pursuing actions within the agriculture sector to support the production of climate-smart commodities. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, a "climate-smart commodity" is defined as an agricultural commodity that is produced using agricultural (farming, ranching, or forestry) practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. Adoption of these practices can produce other associated environmental benefits. Through Partnerships, USDA will support a set of pilot projects that provide incentives to producers and landowners to implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on working lands; measure/quantify and monitor the carbon and greenhouse gas benefits associated with those practices; and develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.

Eligibility is further restricted to domestic applicants. Applicants and applications must meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline to be considered for award. Eligible applicant type is consistent with the statutory authority for this funding opportunity. Applicant entities identified in the SAM.gov exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/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)). The primary applicant must demonstrate an existing relationship with and/or prior experience working with producers or landowners. Additionally, at minimum one project partner must have existing experience working with underserved producers or landowners. This information will be used when evaluating the application in the equity criteria. Individuals, including individual agricultural producers, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, may also be eligible as subrecipients but may not be the primary applicant/recipient. Recipients may only enroll agricultural producers and land owners who are compliant with highly erodible land (HEL) and wetland conservation (WC) requirements as described under 7 CFR part 12. Awards made pursuant to the relevant NOFO are not subject to any payment limitations. However, any agricultural producers or land owners receiving a payment through participation in a project awarded under a relevant NOFO 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.

Partnering entities must prove their eligibility by providing documents indicating their legal status and agree to provide such information to NRCS as the agency deems necessary or desirable to assist in its determination of eligibility for program benefits and for other program implementation purposes

Financial assistance may be used for activities that support implementation of climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on working lands; measurement, quantification and monitoring of the carbon and greenhouse gas benefits associated with those practices; and market development and promotion of the resulting climate-smart commodities. Technical assistance, except for Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) determinations, is not provided and will need to be provided by the recipient.

Projects may be between 1 and 5 years in duration, with up to two years of no- cost extensions considered on a case-by-case basis. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Recipients of assistance must complete and transmit to the agency Standard Form (SF) 270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement in accordance with agreement General Terms and Conditions to initiate agreement payments.

Projects performed pursuant to this opportunity may be subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by USDA NRCS on August 26, 2022 for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. A copy of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities is available at www.usda.gov/climate-smart-commodities. The overall impacts of the funding opportunity were considered in the Programmatic EA. For any project that involves on-the-ground activities undertaken by partners and agricultural producers following the issuance of the award, but prior to any ground disturbing activities related to the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project, the awardee may be required to work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to complete an Environmental Evaluation (EE) related to each individual producer's activities under the project. Based on the outcome of the EE, the project may proceed as planned, proceed under an alternative designed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential adverse impacts, or awardees may be required to prepare or pay for preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS), should the EE find that an EA or EIS is required.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov. The NOFO includes a detailed description of all application requirements. Each applicant is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov. The NOFO includes a detailed description of application selection criteria.

Merit/technical reviews will be conducted by a technical review board nominated by the approving official. Risk reviews will be conducted. The approving official will make the final award decisions. A multi-phase approval process may be utilized if determined necessary by the approving official. After the agency reviews applications and makes award selections, GAD will prepare award packages, including a Notice of Grant or Agreement Award (ADS-093). The agency may provide notice that an application has been selected before it actually makes the Federal award. As such, the selection notification is not an authorization to begin performance. Any pre-award costs incurred by the awardee will not be reimbursed. The Notice of Grant and Agreement Award (ADS-093) signed by the authorized agency official is the only authorizing document.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov. The NOFO contains all pertinent deadlines.

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are not eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards under this listing. USDA may consider renewal or supplementation of awards issued under this listing. No-cost extensions of time may be appropriate and approved on a case-by-case basis.