Conservation Innovation Grants

" Updated " 07/13/2007

Link to 2007 Conservation Innovation Grant page .

Washington's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is participating in the 2006 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) State Component. CIG is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals.

CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. CIG will benefit agricultural producers by providing more options for environmental enhancement and compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations. NRCS administers the CIG program. The CIG requires a 50-50 match between the agency and the applicant.  The CIG has two funding components - national and state.

• The CIG National Component offers eligible entities the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $1 million. NRCS is making available up to $20 million in this nationwide competition.

• The CIG State Component offers eligible entities the opportunity to apply for grants up to $50,000. This competition is limited to applications for projects within Washington state. Washington NRCS is one of 26 states participating in the CIG program.

2006 Program Facts

Up to $150,000 is available for the Washington CIG state competition. Funds will be awarded through a statewide competitive grants process. The Request for Proposals document outlines the entire application process. Proposals are requested from eligible government or non-government organizations or individuals for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between one and three years in duration. All proposals must be received in the NRCS Washington state office no later than 4:00 p.m. (PDT) on Monday, May 1, 2006. Complete applications will be evaluated by a technical peer review panel and scored based on the "Criteria for Proposal Evaluation" identified in the "Request for Proposals" document.

CIG State Component

For Fiscal Year 2006, Washington State will offer only the CIG Natural Resource Concerns component.  Applicants will not receive more than one award within the Natural Resource Concern component.

Natural Resource Concerns Component

Applications must demonstrate the use of innovative technologies or approaches, or both, to address a natural resource concern or concerns. The natural resource concerns for possible funding through Washington State’s Conservation Innovation Grants for fiscal year 2006 are:

Water Resources
The objective of this natural resource concern is to implement new technologies and/or approaches to maintain, restore, or enhance water quality and/or quantity in watersheds with predominantly agricultural land uses while sustaining productivity.  Subtopics include, but are not limited to:

    •    Nutrient, pesticide, and pathogen transport to surface water and groundwater;
    •    Sediment transport to surface water;
    •    Irrigation management for water conservation;
    •    Aquifer recharge/maintenance of groundwater supplies; and
    •    Increased water supplies/availability through alternative treatment or reuse strategies.

Soil Resources
The objective of this conservation concern is to implement new technologies and/or approaches to maintain, restore, or enhance soil resources associated with agricultural and forest land uses while sustaining productivity.  Subtopics include, but are not limited to:

    •    Erosion reduction;
    •    Accumulation of harmful levels of constituents in soils, including nutrients, metals, salts; and
    •    Overall soil quality and productivity.

Atmospheric Resources
The objective of this conservation concern is to implement new technologies and/or approaches to maintain, restore, or enhance air quality and atmospheric resources through agricultural and forest practices while sustaining productivity. Subtopics may include but are not limited to:

    •    Agricultural emissions of particulates, odors, volatile organic compounds, and greenhouse gases;
    •    Bio-based energy opportunities; and
    •    Quantification and reduction of volatile organic compounds and odors.

Grazing Land and Forest Health
The objective of this conservation concern is to implement new technologies and/or approaches to maintain, restore, or enhance grazing land and forest health while sustaining productivity. Subtopics may include but are not limited to:

    •    Invasive species management on grazing, wildlife habitat (aquatic and terrestrial) and forest land;
    •    Invasive species location and identification and;
    •    Control of invasive species.
 

  These documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

2006 Grant Application Materials

   2006 Request for Proposals  (100 KB)

  Fiscal Year 2006 Application Package Check List  (22 KB) 

  SF 424A Supplemental Instructions (17 KB)

  Example of a completed SF 424a (126 KB)

  Obtaining a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number (23 KB)

All OMB standard forms (SF) necessary for CIG submission are available on the following OMB website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_forms.html

Rules, Notices, and Additional Information

For More Information

For more information please see the National NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants webpage, review the CIG Announcement of Program Funding on the Grants.gov webpage, read the information in the files listed above, or contact one of the Washington NRCS personnel listed below.

Jeff Kuhlmann
Soil Conservationist - Programs
509-323-2272

Dave Brown
Assistant State Conservationist - Programs
509-323-2971

 

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