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Conservation Innovation GrantsProgram DescriptionJanuary 2005 Use this link for a .PDF version of
CIG Overview Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG), authorized under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, EQIP funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals. CIG funding will be available for single- or multiyear projects. Authority Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 was amended by section 2301 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-171), and established CIG with funding from EQIP. The Secretary of Agriculture delegated the authority for EQIP to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who is a vice president of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Scope CIG is available in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. How Conservation Innovation Grants Work Funding for CIG is announced each year through a Request for Proposals (RFP). Funds for single- or multi-year projects will be awarded through a nationwide competitive grants process. CIG competitions will emphasize projects that have a goal of providing benefits over a large geographic area. These projects may be watershed based, regional, multi-State, or nationwide in scope. Applications should demonstrate the use of innovative technologies or approaches, or both, to address a natural resource conservation concern or concerns. The natural resource concerns eligible for funding through CIG will be announced in the RFP, and may change annually. All CIG applications must include a letter of review from the appropriate NRCS State Conservationist(s). State Conservationists will review proposed projects for potential duplication of effort, ethics concerns, and consistency with NRCS needs and overall EQIP objectives. Complete applications are evaluated by a technical peer review panel and scored against criteria identified in the RFP. Scored and ranked applications will be forwarded to an NRCS Grant Review Board. The Grant Review Board will make recommendations for project approval to the NRCS Chief. Final selections will be made by the Chief. Awards will be made through a grant agreement. At least 50 percent of the total cost of the project must come from non-Federal matching funds (cash and in-kind contributions) provided by the grantee. The grantee also is responsible for providing the technical assistance required to successfully complete the project. NRCS will provide technical oversight for each project receiving an award. In addition to the nationwide grants competition, the State component of CIG will be piloted in a limited number of States in fiscal year 2005. The State component will emphasize projects that have a goal of providing benefits CIG Program Description page 2 January 2005 within a limited geographic area. Projects may be farm-based, multi-county, small watershed, or Statewide in scope. Public notices in each participating State (separate from the National RFP) will announce the availability of funds for the State CIG competitions. Eligibility Entity or Individual: To be eligible, CIG applicants must be an Indian Tribe, State or local unit of government, non-governmental organization, or individual. Project: To be eligible, proposals must: • Involve producers who are eligible for technical or financial assistance under EQIP. • Describe a project to develop an innovative conservation approach or technology, or both. • Address one or more of the CIG natural resource conservation concerns identified in the RFP.
Application Process The CIG application process is outlined below: 1. When funds for CIG become available, an RFP is published on the NRCS website and on www.grants.gov, to solicit project proposals from Federally-recognized Tribes, State and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations and individuals. 2. Interested eligible entities and individuals have 75 days from the publication of the RFP to submit proposals to NRCS. 3. Peer review panels score and rank proposals against the evaluation criteria described in the RFP. Ranked proposals are forwarded to a Grant Review Board. 4. An NRCS Grant Review Board certifies the rankings from the peer review panels, and ensures that the proposal evaluations are consistent with program objectives. The Board then makes recommendations for awards to the NRCS Chief. 5. Final award selections are made by the Chief. 6. Selected applicants enter into grant agreements with NRCS. Following signature by NRCS and the grantee, grant funds are obligated. Identifying Natural Resource Conservation Concerns The CIG natural resource conservation concerns were identified through an information gathering process that included the NRCS State Conservationists, other Federal agencies, and agricultural and environmental stakeholders. The natural resource concerns may be reviewed and updated each year to ensure that CIG continues to address critical resource conservation needs. Grant Agreements Once selected, grant recipients must work with the designated NRCS official to finalize and sign grant agreements, incorporating all necessary project requirements. A grant agreement is the legal instrument with which the Federal government establishes partnerships with State, Tribal, or local government entities or non- governmental organizations. Documenting Progress on Funded Projects Grant recipients are required to submit progress reports to NRCS. These reports will describe the applicant’s progress towards the purposes and goals of the project and document adherence to program guidelines. In addition, a final report must be submitted to NRCS upon completion of the project. For More Information If you need more information about CIG, please contact Kari Cohen, 14th and Independence SW, Room 5239-S, Washington, D.C., 20250; hone: (202) 720-2335; fax: (202) 720-4265; email: kari.cohen@usda.gov. Additional information, including Federal Register notices, is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig. Visit
USDA on the Web at: http://www.usda.gov/farmbill
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