Natural Resources Conservation Service grants

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-Classic-26-NOFO0001450 Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Due Date : NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026. Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2026 notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-AFA-26-NOFO0001451. The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services. Partners use this notice to propose projects that improve natural resources in one or more states or focus on priority concerns in NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas (CCAs). NRCS works with these partners to plan and carry out projects on farms, ranches and private forest land. Through the program, NRCS can provide funding to support both partners and producers. Proposals are selected through a competitive process based on their impact, the partner’s contributions, and how well the partnership is managed. Up to $310 million is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA announcement using the Working Families Tax Cut Act, Public Law 119-21 funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Up to $30 million of the total available funding is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA.  Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal . See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP  web page listed below. For More Information : Applicants must contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a State Conservationist questionnaire to guide the conversations in alignment with program requirements and state level agency needs. Proposals submitted without the benefit of the lead partner meeting with the State Conservationist to discuss how their project can meet agency needs and program requirements through a completed questionnaire risk receiving reduced ranking scores. Without having this meeting, potential partners will not be able to answer one or more of the questions within program rules and NRCS needs. A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement’s posting) is on the How to Apply to RCPP page. Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox ( rcpp@usda.gov ) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply. 2026 RCPP NOFO Applicant Resources This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Please refer to the RCPP website for more information . Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural   Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov) Ÿ  RCPP NOFO Applicant Webinar – June 30, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8329fd1-0409-4b9c-9f37-9e184fc7f84e@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 Ÿ  RCPP NOFO Applicant Easement Webinar – July 9, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/24547ad1-f99e-4161-a3ee-0bad228230c9@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 Information on all webinars will be posted to the How to Apply to RCPP   page .

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026   Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-AFA-26-NOFO0001451   Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)   Due Date : NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026.   Note: The RCPP AFA and Classic FY 2026 notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) will run concurrently. For information on Classic proposals please see USDA-NRCS-NHQ- RCPP-Classic-26-NOFO0001450. The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services. Partners use this notice to propose projects that improve natural resources in one or more states or focus on priority concerns in NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas  (CCAs). NRCS works with these partners to plan and carry out projects on farms, ranches and private forest land. Through the program, NRCS can provide funding to support both partners and producers. Proposals are selected through a competitive process based on their impact, the partner’s contributions, and how well the partnership is managed. Up to $310 million is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2026 Classic announcement using the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding Working Families Tax Cut Act, Public Law 119-21 . Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Up to $30 million of the total available funding is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2026 Classic announcement.  RCPP AFAs are intended to reimburse projects led by partners that clearly demonstrate their capacity, resources, and ability to provide technical and financial assistance to benefit conservation implementation. The expectation is that AFA Partners will be ready to implement the project quickly. The 2018 Farm Bill provides the following examples of project types that might be implemented through RCPP AFA: ·      projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the Federal investment in conservation. ·      projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach.   Note: Pay for performance is a partner negotiated method used to pay for quantifiable benefits of implemented conservation activities in lieu of reimbursement for practice installation and management activities at NRCS payment rates.   ·      projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investments that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners. NRCS can make up to 15 AFA awards through this funding opportunity through Farm Bill funding. Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal . See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below. For More Information : Applicants must contact the appropriate state conservationists and state RCPP Coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservationist questionnaire to guide the conversations in alignment with program requirements and state level agency needs. Proposals submitted without the benefit of the lead partner meeting with the state conservationist to discuss how their project can meet agency needs and program requirements through a completed questionnaire risk receiving reduced ranking scores. Without having this meeting potential partners will not be able to answer one or more of the questions within program rules and NRCS needs. A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement’s posting) is on the How to Apply to RCPP web page. Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox ( rcpp@usda.gov ) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.   2026 RCPP NOFO Applicant Resources This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural   Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)   Ÿ  RCPP NOFO Applicant Webinar – June 30, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8329fd1-0409-4b9c-9f37-9e184fc7f84e@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 Ÿ  RCPP NOFO Applicant Easement Webinar – July 9, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/24547ad1-f99e-4161-a3ee-0bad228230c9@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 Information on all webinars will be posted to the How to Apply to RCPP page .

The purpose of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Project (FSCP) is to respond to the threat feral swine pose to agriculture, native ecosystems, and human and animal health. Feral swine are a destructive, non-native, invasive species and their populations have expanded across the United States since the 1980’s. Over an estimated $3.4 billion in damage, including agricultural, is caused by feral swine each year. The species can have significant negative impacts on plant and animal habitats, soils, water quality, as well as other natural and cultural resources. Livestock and humans are also susceptible to diseases carried by feral swine. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 directs the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out the pilot program where the Secretary has determined that feral swine have been identified as such a threat and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act extended this authority. FSCP funding will be available for projects identified by USDA in conjunction with State Technical Committees in states determined by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services as having high feral swine densities. Please visit the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program webpage (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feral-swine-eradication-and-control-pilot-program) to find the proposed pilot projects looking for applicants. Additional information about proposed pilot project activities in the following states Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas will also be available on the webpage. Pilot projects will consist broadly of three coordinated components: 1) feral swine removal by APHIS, 2) restoration efforts supported by NRCS or non-federal partner, and 3) assistance to producers for feral swine control provided through grants with non-federal partners. This call for proposals is intended to address component 2 and component 3 described above for non-federal partners to provide landowner assistance for restoration and/or on-farm trapping efforts and provide related services as part of the pilot projects described above. Funding for these services will be provided through grant agreements between partners and NRCS. All projects will be a collaborative and coordinated effort between the selected partner, NRCS, and APHIS. It is required that APHIS maintains operational control of feral swine management activities. A webinar for NRCS' Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program 2026 is scheduled for July 29, 2026 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time and August 20, 2026 3-4 p.m. Eastern Time.

NRCS is announcing the availability of $3 million in WMBP grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from eligible entities as identified in Section B.1. Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. A webinar for WMBP applicants is scheduled for July 30, 2026 at 3 pm Eastern Time. Information on how to participate in the Microsoft Teams webinar can be obtained through the following link: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/4685b4dd-a1ce-4ad6-81e3-d4318799cb11@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697

NRCS is announcing the availability of CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials). Through On Farm Trials projects, awardees recruit producers and provide them with technical assistance and incentive payments to stimulate the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches. For 2026, applications will be accepted from eligible entities for projects addressing at least one of the following priorities: irrigation management technologies, new and innovative grazing land management solutions, nutrient management, and soil health demonstration trial (SHD). Up to $50 million is available for On-Farm Trials in 2026. On-Farm Trials projects may be between 3 and 5 years in duration. Application deadline: Submit through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 27, 2026. A webinar for On-Farm Trials applicants is scheduled for June 17, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Information on how to participate in the Microsoft Teams webinar can be obtained through the following link: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d5892e45-05fb-40de-999b-a431e3871963@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 The agency anticipates making selections by 4th quarter of calendar year 2026 and expects to execute awards by 4th quarter of calendar year 2026. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

The CIG program stimulates the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) to agricultural producers through the development of technical manuals, guides, and for practical instruction for the private sector.   Applications will be accepted from all non-Federal entities and individuals based in the United States (see Section B Eligibility). Application deadline: Submit via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 27, 2026.   A webinar for CIG Classic applicants is scheduled for June 18, 2026 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:   https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/397aeb03-fb5b-4d7b-803d-6753acad2a03@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697   Email questions on this webinar to nrcscig@usda.gov. Applicants are encouraged to visit the CIG website to learn more about the CIG program. The agency anticipates making selections by 4th quarter of calendar year 2026 and expects to execute awards by 4th quarter of calendar year 2026. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.