GAINESVILLE — On Sept. 5, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $65 million through two funding opportunities for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. Of this funding, $25 million will be delivered through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest clean energy and climate investment in history, which directed USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to prioritize CIG On-Farm Trials projects that use diet and feed management to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminants, as well as other projects that have climate mitigation benefits.

“This year’s Conservation Innovation Grants competition is unique in that we’re able to increase available funds because of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which will fund projects that address climate change, with a particular focus on solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “Science and innovation are the keys to helping farmers, ranchers and forest landowners succeed in the face of global challenges, like climate change. We’re eager to see what innovations come to fruition and can be integrated into our programs and tools, thanks to this influx of new funding.”

This announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to grow the American economy from the middle out and bottom up, by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, driving over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing investments to date, creating good-paying jobs, and building a clean energy economy to tackle the climate crisis and make our communities more resilient. The Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $19.5 billion for NRCS conservation programs, including $25 million for this year’s CIG On-Farm Trials. NRCS is committed to supporting farmers, ranchers, private landowners and Tribal Nations, to build resilient agricultural operations, combat climate change, ensure equity, and support voluntary conservation on working lands.

Two separate CIG funding opportunities are now available on grants.gov: $50 million through CIG On-Farm Trials and $15 million is available through CIG Classic.

For CIG On-Farm Trials, this year’s funding priorities are:

USDA Invests $65 million for Conservation Innovation Grants
• Irrigation water management technologies
• Nutrient management
• Feeding management and enteric methane reduction
• Grazing lands
• Soil health demonstration trials

For CIG Classic, this year’s funding priorities are:
• Forestry
• Habitat conservation and restoration for wildlife and invertebrates

• Managing agricultural lands to improve local water quality
• Energy conservation
• Economics
• Strengthening conservation through indigenous knowledge

Strong consideration will be given to proposals that include Historically Underserved entities and individuals.

This opportunity is open to all domestic non-federal entities and individuals based in the United States for projects carried out in the U.S. Applications are being accepted now through Oct. 30, 2023.

Webinars are scheduled as follows to provide more information to interested applicants:

Classic NOFO: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGCLASSIC-23-NOFO0001311: View Opportunity | GRANTS.GOV
A webinar for CIG Classic applicants is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2023 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Information on how to participate in the Microsoft Teams webinar can be obtained through the following link and phone number:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 202-650-0123
Phone Conference ID: 621 758 351#

On-Farm Trials NOFO: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGOFT-23-NOFO0001312: View Opportunity | GRANTS.GOV
A webinar for On-Farm Trials applicants is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2023 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Information on how to participate in the Microsoft Teams webinar can be obtained through the following link and phone number:
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 202-650-0123
Phone Conference ID: 565 622 505#
USDA Invests $65 million for Conservation Innovation Grants

Applicants must submit their applications through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 30, 2023. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

For questions regarding this opportunity, please email the following individual, providing the opportunity number in the subject line:
Name: CIG Staff Email: nrcscig@usda.gov Send a copy to: FPAC.BC.GAD@USDA.GOV