Alaska State Conservation Innovation Grants Program | USDA NRCS AK CIG 21 NOFO0001055

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS AK CIG 21 NOFO0001055

The Alaska State Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with funding tied to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.912. The program is designed to stimulate the development, testing, and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. In practical terms, the goal is to move new, promising conservation ideas from concept to real-world application, helping land managers and communities improve natural resource outcomes using methods that go beyond standard or widely adopted practices.

For federal fiscal year 2021 in Alaska, NRCS made up to $469,750 available for the state competition. Projects funded under this notice must be carried out in Alaska, and awards can support project periods ranging from one to three years. The program set an estimated minimum federal award size (funding floor) of $5,000 and an estimated maximum federal award size (funding ceiling) of $469,750. The ceiling also functions as the maximum possible amount for any single award under this announcement, meaning one project could potentially receive the entire available amount if selected, although the notice also anticipates approximately three awards.

Eligibility is broad and includes most non-federal entities and individuals, with federal agencies being the only explicit exclusion. Eligible applicants listed in the notice include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit entities (including small businesses and other for-profits); and individuals. This wide eligibility is meant to encourage participation from a range of organizations that can pilot new conservation tools, practices, or systems and demonstrate their effectiveness in Alaska conditions.

Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 14, 2021. Because Grants.gov account and submission issues must be handled through the Grants.gov help desk rather than NRCS staff, applicants with technical problems were directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Program-specific questions about the funding opportunity could be submitted up to March 26, 2021, with NRCS indicating that answers would be posted on Grants.gov about two weeks before the application deadline to ensure all applicants had access to the same clarifications. NRCS also encouraged applicants to review the Alaska State CIG website for additional background on the program.

The timeline in the notice indicated that NRCS expected to make project selections by June 18, 2021 and to execute awards by August 31, 2021. A program contact was provided for questions about the announcement: Amanda Crowe (amanda.crowe@usda.gov, 907-761-7757). The official notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) identifier for this competition is USDA-NRCS-AK-CIG-21-NOFO0001055, and the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the agriculture, environment, and natural resources areas.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alaska State Conservation Innovation Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 22, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 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 $469,750.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS AK CIG 21 NOFO0001055

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