This funding will leverage NRCS resources to get conservation on the land, address local natural resource issues, encourage collaboration, and develop state and community-level conservation leaderships. Proposals for current funding will be accepted now through May 8, 2023.

Projects that add to NRCS’s capacity to provide conservation assistance and apply conservation programs will be given top priority. Eligible applicants include:

• Federally recognized tribal governments,
• State and local units of government,
• Non-profit organizations having a 501(c)(3) status, and
• Institutions of higher education.

The purpose of Conservation Collaboration Agreements is to leverage NRCS and partner resources to:

1. Assist communities and groups to build and strengthen local food projects that provide healthy food and economic opportunities.
2. Improve Urban conservation – messaging, training, and delivery of urban conservation.
3. Improve soil health.
4. Improve landscape performance in dealing with water quantity issues; either excess or inadequate, and downstream impacts.
5. Improve water quality.
6. Improve habitat for local wildlife species of concern.
7. Improve the environmental and economic performance of working agricultural lands.
8. Improve the use and effectiveness of new technologies in agriculture.

Emphasis will be placed on projects that:

1. Build technical capacity to implement Farm Bill Conservation Programs.
2. Build technical capacity of NRCS and partner field conservation employees.
3. Build the capacity of local partners to develop and implement effective projects.
4. Leverage non-Federal and non-government resources to achieve positive natural resources conservation outcomes.

Proposals are requested for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. Entities may submit more than one application as long as the proposals are for different projects, and entities may receive more than one award. Nebraska NRCS anticipates up to a total of $4,000,000 will be available for award this year, with each individual award bound by minimum funding of $50,000 and a maximum of $1,000,000

More detailed information about this funding opportunity is available at https://www.grants.gov/ by searching under Grant Opportunities for USDA-NRCS-NE.

For more information about Conservation Collaboration Agreements, contact Tammy Timms, acting assistant state conservationist for partnerships and initiatives at tammy.timms@usda.gov or (402) 437-4114.

Original source can be found here.