Announcement for Program Funding for Natural Resources Conservation Service's Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal Fiscal Year 2019 - Idaho | USDA NRCS ID CIG 19 GEN0010106

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS ID CIG 19 GEN0010106

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) opened a FY 2019 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) competition specifically for projects carried out in Idaho. The point of this funding is to push conservation work beyond the standard playbook by helping applicants develop, test, and encourage real-world adoption of new conservation approaches and technologies that still fit with practical agricultural production. NRCS is looking for proposals that do more than generate ideas on paper; funded projects are expected to produce results that can be transferred into day-to-day use by agricultural producers, incorporated into NRCS technical references (like manuals and guides), or moved into broader use through the private sector. In other words, the program is geared toward innovations that can be demonstrated, evaluated, and then taken to scale.

This is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS ID CIG 19 GEN0010106; CFDA 10.912). For Idaho in FY 2019, NRCS made up to $225,000 total available, with an expected two awards. Individual awards could be as large as $75,000, which effectively sets the ceiling for any single project budget under this announcement. Projects could run from one to three years, allowing enough time for planning, implementation, data collection, and outreach depending on what is being piloted or tested.

Eligibility is broad. NRCS invited applications from all non-federal entities and from individuals, with one clear exclusion: federal agencies could not apply. That means a wide range of potential applicants could compete, such as universities, conservation districts, state or local entities, tribes, nonprofits, producer groups, private businesses, and independent researchers or producers, as long as they are not federal agencies and the work is performed in Idaho.

In terms of what NRCS intended to fund, the announcement emphasizes applied, field-based innovation. CIG generally supports pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. The on-farm research definition in the notice is specific: it is an investigation designed to answer a particular applied conservation question using a statistically valid design, using farm-scale equipment, and conducted on working lands such as farms, ranches, or private forest lands. That focus signals that NRCS wanted proposals with credible methods and measurable outcomes, not just informal trials, and that the work should occur under realistic operating conditions where producers would actually adopt the practice or technology.

The deadline was firm: applications had to be received by 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time on July 19, 2019. The announcement also directs applicants to consult the full funding notice in the related documents for the complete set of requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions. Key administrative details from the posting include the agency (USDA-NRCS), the original posting date (June 19, 2019), the closing date (July 19, 2019), the award ceiling ($75,000), and the primary activity areas tied to agriculture, environment, natural resources, and research and development.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Announcement for Program Funding for Natural Resources Conservation Service's Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal Fiscal Year 2019 - Idaho" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 19, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA NRCS ID CIG 19 GEN0010106

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