Agricultural organizations can apply for grants

COLFAX – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting applications from ag organizations for grant funding through April 13 for Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

Up to $225 million is available for conservation partners in the RCPP.

The program leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on agricultural land. This year’s funding includes opportunities for projects to address climate change, benefit historically underserved producers, and support urban agriculture.

“RCPP is public-private partnership at its best,” said Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby. “We’re harnessing the power of partnership to create lasting solutions to global challenges, like climate change, and support producers and communities who have been underserved in the past.”

There are two types of funding opportunities the RCPP Classic and RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA). RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners, and communities, in collaboration with project partners.

AFA partners have more flexibility in working directly with agricultural producers to support the development of new conservation structures and approaches. Project types suited to AFA include:

• Projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the federal investment in conservation

• Projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach

• Projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investment that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners

USDA is accepting project proposals through April 13. View the funding opportunity on grants.gov for RCPP Classic and AFA projects.

Funding is open to agriculture and silviculture associations, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, state and local governments, conservation districts and universities, among others.

Private landowners can apply to participate in an RCPP project in their region through awarded partners or at their local USDA service center.