USDA NRCS California – Conservation Cooperative Agreements | USDA NRCS CA MULTI 24 NOFO0001334

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS CA MULTI 24 NOFO0001334

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering the 2024 California Conservation Cooperative Agreements under Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) number USDA-NRCS-CA-MULTI-24-NOFO0001334. This is a discretionary federal financial assistance opportunity using a cooperative agreement instrument, focused on environment and natural resources work in California that supports USDA conservation priorities. The NOFO is tied to multiple Assistance Listing (CFDA) program authorities that commonly fund and support on-the-ground conservation and related technical work, including Soil and Water Conservation (10.902), Environmental Quality Incentives Program or EQIP (10.912), Conservation Stewardship Program or CSP (10.924), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program or ACEP (10.931), and the Conservation Reserve Program or CRP (10.069). Collectively, those authorities point to projects that strengthen soil health, water quality and quantity, habitat and working lands conservation, and the planning and technical assistance needed to help land managers implement conservation practices.

A wide range of applicant types are eligible, reflecting the cooperative, partnership-based nature of NRCS work. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). NRCS expects to make about 15 awards under this announcement, indicating a competitive process with multiple projects likely funded across the state rather than a single large award.

Funding per award is relatively small to mid-sized, with an estimated federal share floor of $25,000 and a ceiling of $75,000 per cooperative agreement. These amounts refer to the total federal share for the entire agreement, not a specific budget period, so applicants should structure their scope, milestones, and budgets to fit within that total range. Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, applicants should anticipate meaningful federal involvement during the project period (for example, coordination with NRCS staff, alignment with NRCS technical standards or program delivery needs, and collaborative reporting and oversight), even though the NOFO text provided does not list specific project categories.

The key submission requirement is that applications must be filed through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, although the opportunity record also shows an original closing date of April 8, 2024, so applicants should rely on the deadline stated in the official NOFO and verify the active deadline in Grants.gov before submitting. For Grants.gov technical problems, applicants must use Grants.gov Applicant Support (1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov), since NRCS program staff will not help troubleshoot account or system issues. NRCS will answer only narrow questions about what is written in the NOFO (such as dates, page references, or clarifying inconsistencies), and will not provide feedback on whether an applicant or a draft concept is eligible or likely to be competitive. NRCS estimates selections will be made by May 3, 2024, with awards executed by September 6, 2024, but those dates are explicitly estimates and may shift.

A final practical note included in the announcement is that this NOFO was released prior to final appropriation and/or apportionment for fiscal year 2024, meaning actual award amounts and the number of awards could be affected by congressional appropriations actions or continuing resolutions. The notice also points applicants to free "Grants 101" federal financial assistance training from the CFO Council, which covers core compliance topics such as federal regulations and guidance, assistance mechanisms, Uniform Guidance administrative requirements, cost principles, and risk management/single audit expectations. This is a useful signal that applicants should be prepared for standard federal financial assistance rules and documentation, even when the award instrument is a cooperative agreement.

• The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USDA NRCS California – Conservation Cooperative Agreements" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-08. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 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), 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.

Apply for USDA NRCS CA MULTI 24 NOFO0001334

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