Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375
The Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) opportunity for FY 2024 in South Carolina is a competitive, discretionary grant program run by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its core goal is to spur the development, testing, and adoption of new or improved conservation approaches and technologies that work alongside agricultural production. The emphasis is not on paying producers to implement standard practices, but on proving and moving forward innovations that can be replicated and scaled, ultimately reaching more producers and acres across a region or the state.
CIG funding is designed to support projects such as pilot efforts, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. In this context, on-farm conservation research means applied, real-world investigation that answers a specific conservation question using a statistically valid study design and farm-scale equipment on working farms, ranches, or private forest lands. A key expectation is that the work will produce outcomes that can be transferred into practice, whether through direct adoption by agricultural producers, incorporation into government technical references like manuals and guides, or uptake by private-sector partners. Because of that, proposals should be built around clear deliverables and a plan for moving results beyond a single operation.
For this South Carolina competition, NRCS states that projects should create benefits at a broader level, meaning the results should be useful to a region of the state or statewide rather than primarily benefiting one farm. NRCS is also explicitly prioritizing "climate-smart" conservation activities. Projects that directly improve soil carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) tied to agricultural production are positioned as higher priority. The intent is to back innovations that measurably improve environmental outcomes while remaining practical for producers and nonindustrial private forestland owners.
Eligibility and participation requirements are an important part of this opportunity. All projects must involve producers who are eligible for EQIP (the Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and who meet EQIP eligibility requirements referenced in 7 CFR 1466.6(b)(1) through (3). Applications must meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline to be considered, so partnerships and producer involvement need to be in place early. While the opportunity is broadly open, it is limited to U.S. applicants that are non-Foreign and non-Federal, and projects must be carried out in South Carolina. Federal agencies cannot apply, and they also cannot shift their work into the non-federal portion of the project budget. In addition, individuals who are business owner/operators cannot apply as individuals, which typically means those applicants should apply through an eligible organization rather than in a personal capacity.
Applicants should also be aware of federal compliance screening tied to SAM.gov. Any entity that appears in the SAM.gov exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving federal contracts or certain types of federal assistance will not be considered for funding, consistent with 2 CFR 200.206(d). In practice, that makes registration and status in SAM.gov an essential pre-submission checkpoint.
Key administrative details for this notice include the official title and identifiers: the opportunity is "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 - South Carolina" with Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375, and it falls under CFDA 10.912. The application deadline listed is July 9, 2024. The award ceiling is $150,000 per award, and NRCS expects to make about 6 awards under this South Carolina announcement.Apply for USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 - South Carolina" 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 2024-05-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-09. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) competition for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 in South Carolina. It is a competitive, discretionary grant program designed to develop, test, and help move forward new or improved conservation approaches and technologies that work alongside agricultural production.
What is the main purpose of CIG funding in South Carolina?
The core purpose is to spur innovation in conservation and accelerate adoption beyond a single operation. NRCS is looking for projects that can be replicated and scaled to reach more producers and acres across a region of the state or statewide, rather than primarily benefiting one farm.
Does CIG pay producers to implement standard conservation practices?
No. The emphasis is not on paying producers to implement standard practices. The focus is on proving and advancing innovations and then moving those innovations into wider use.
What types of projects can CIG support?
CIG funding is designed to support projects such as pilot efforts, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. Projects are expected to produce outcomes that can be transferred into practice and used beyond a single operation.
What does NRCS mean by "on-farm conservation research" in this notice?
In this context, on-farm conservation research means applied, real-world investigation that answers a specific conservation question using a statistically valid study design and farm-scale equipment on working farms, ranches, or private forest lands.
What kind of results or deliverables is NRCS expecting?
NRCS is expecting clear deliverables and a plan for moving results beyond a single operation. Outcomes should be transferable into practice, such as direct adoption by agricultural producers, incorporation into government technical references (manuals and guides), or uptake by private-sector partners.
Where must the project be carried out?
Projects funded under this announcement must be carried out in South Carolina.
How broad should the project benefits be?
NRCS states that projects should create benefits at a broader level, meaning the results should be useful to a region of the state or statewide rather than primarily benefiting one farm.
What priorities is NRCS emphasizing for this South Carolina competition?
NRCS is explicitly prioritizing "climate-smart" conservation activities. Projects that directly improve soil carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) tied to agricultural production are positioned as higher priority.
What environmental outcomes are considered higher priority?
Higher-priority outcomes include measurable improvements related to soil carbon, nitrogen loss reduction, and greenhouse gas emissions reductions or sequestration (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) connected to agricultural production, while remaining practical for producers and nonindustrial private forestland owners.
Who must be involved in every project?
All projects must involve producers who are eligible for EQIP (the Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and who meet the EQIP eligibility requirements referenced in 7 CFR 1466.6(b)(1) through (3).
When must eligibility requirements be met?
Applications must meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline to be considered. This means producer involvement and partnerships need to be in place early enough to satisfy the requirements before submission.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is limited to U.S. applicants that are non-Foreign and non-Federal. Federal agencies cannot apply.
Can a federal agency participate through the non-federal portion of the budget?
No. Federal agencies cannot shift their work into the non-federal portion of the project budget.
Can an individual apply?
Individuals who are business owner/operators cannot apply as individuals. In practical terms, that typically means those applicants should apply through an eligible organization rather than in a personal capacity.
Are there SAM.gov requirements or restrictions?
Yes. Any entity that appears in the SAM.gov exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving federal contracts or certain types of federal assistance will not be considered for funding, consistent with 2 CFR 200.206(d). Checking SAM.gov registration and status is an essential step before submitting.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline listed in the notice is July 9, 2024.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $150,000 per award.
How many awards does NRCS expect to make in South Carolina?
NRCS expects to make about 6 awards under this South Carolina announcement.
What is the official opportunity title?
The official title is "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 - South Carolina."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NRCS SC CIG 24 NOFO0001375.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under CFDA 10.912.
What does it mean that the program is "competitive" and "discretionary"?
It means applications are competitively reviewed against each other, and funding decisions are made by the agency rather than being automatic or guaranteed for all eligible applicants.
What is the practical takeaway for proposal design based on this notice?
Based on the notice, strong proposals are built around innovation (not standard practice implementation), include EQIP-eligible producer participation, use solid real-world methods (including statistically valid designs for on-farm research), focus on climate-smart outcomes where possible, and include a plan and deliverables that help the results scale regionally or statewide.
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