The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida is investing up to $900,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for agricultural resource priorities in the state. Fiscal Year 2022 conservation resource priorities for the NRCS in Florida are: climate resilience, grazing, soil health, and urban agriculture.
Grants from $25,000 to $250,000 will be awarded to applicants matching those funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources. That can include cash or in-kind contributions. U.S. based, non-federal entities and individuals are eligible to apply for projects carried out in Florida.
Conservation Innovation Grants are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. The CIG projects inspire creative problem solving that boosts production on farms, ranches, and private forests that improve water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat. Under the state CIG, public and private grantees develop the tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges.
Up to 10 percent of the funds are for proposals from historically underserved producers, veteran farmers or ranchers, or community-based organizations that represent these entities.
The deadline to submit a proposal is August 31, 2022. For more information, contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.