Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 21 NOFO0001096
The RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) opportunity for Federal fiscal year 2021 is a competitive funding announcement from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The purpose is to bring NRCS together with external partners to co-invest in conservation projects that tackle natural resource concerns affecting farms, watersheds, and broader regions. The program is designed to produce real, measurable conservation outcomes by focusing on defined resource concerns and objectives, and by pairing federal support with strong partner contributions that expand the overall reach and effectiveness of conservation work.
At its core, RCPP funds projects implemented on agricultural land and non-industrial private forest land. Partners are expected to propose projects that either target resource objectives within a state or multi-state area, or address one or more primary resource concerns within a designated Critical Conservation Area (CCA). NRCS and the selected partners jointly design, carry out, and evaluate these projects, with a strong emphasis on results and accountability tied to the natural resource issues the project claims it will improve.
What makes this particular funding opportunity distinct is that it is specifically for the RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) track rather than the more traditional RCPP Classic approach. The AFA option is intended for project structures that do not fit well within Classic and that could be implemented more effectively with the flexibilities AFA provides. Because of that, applicants are expected to clearly explain why their approach is innovative and why AFA is the right vehicle. In practical terms, applicants should be prepared for added responsibilities as well, since AFA awards can involve greater administrative and technical assistance obligations on the partner side compared with Classic projects.
The announcement points to examples in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) that illustrate the kinds of efforts that may be well-suited for an AFA. These include projects that use innovative strategies to leverage the federal investment in conservation, projects that use pay-for-performance models (where payments or funding are tied to verified outcomes), and projects involving large-scale infrastructure investments that deliver conservation benefits to agricultural producers and non-industrial private forest owners. Even with these flexibilities and alternative structures, the projects still need to align with RCPPs main emphasis: engaging producers and landowners in adopting conservation practices, systems, or approaches that benefit working lands.
For FY 2021, NRCS announced funding availability for up to 15 RCPP AFA projects. Individual awards can be as large as $10,000,000 (the stated award ceiling), and the opportunity is open geographically across all 50 states as well as eligible U.S. areas and territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Pacific territories such as Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The program is categorized as discretionary funding, with an activity focus in agriculture and natural resources, and is associated with CFDA number 10.932.
Applications were required to be submitted through the NRCS Programs Portal (https://nrcs-sites.secure.force.com). The notice listed a webinar for prospective applicants scheduled for April 1 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, with additional application resources posted on the national RCPP webpage. Questions from partners were directed to the program email inbox at rcpp@usda.gov. The opportunity record shows it was created March 16, 2021, with an original closing date of May 28, 2021, under funding opportunity number USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 21 NOFO0001096. Finally, proposals are evaluated through a competitive process using four main criteria: impact, partner contributions, innovation, and partnerships and management, which together reflect both the expected conservation results and the applicants capacity to deliver them.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ RCPPAFA 21 NOFO0001096
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangement for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2021." and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.932.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 16, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2021. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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