Arkansas Conservation Innovation Grant 2017 | USDA NRCS AR CIG 17 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS AR CIG 17 01

The Arkansas Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) 2017 opportunity was a discretionary grant program intended to help move practical, proven conservation ideas into wider real-world use across Arkansas agriculture. The central goal was to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies that improve environmental outcomes while supporting agricultural production. Rather than funding early-stage or laboratory research, the program emphasized applying or demonstrating conservation practices and tools that have already shown promise, with a clear focus on increasing adoption and scaling up emerging strategies. Projects were expected to generate results that could be transferred into USDA NRCS technical manuals and guides or otherwise taken up by the private sector, helping new methods become part of standard conservation practice.

Funding supported hands-on, on-the-ground conservation work such as pilot projects and field demonstrations, with an emphasis on sharing knowledge, skills, technologies, and facilities among producers, communities, governments, and institutions. The intention was to make conservation advances accessible to a broader group of users, not just the project team. While traditional research projects were generally not eligible, the program did allow on-farm conservation research in a specific sense: studies designed to answer a defined conservation question using statistically valid methods (including adequate replication and analysis) while using farm-scale equipment on actual farm fields. Even then, any research component needed to directly stimulate innovative natural resource management approaches tied to agricultural production.

Proposals could be submitted for single-year or multi-year efforts, but the total project period could not exceed three years. Eligibility was broad and included Indian Tribes, state and local governments (including counties, cities or townships, and special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), individuals, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. In other words, the opportunity was open to a wide range of applicants who could credibly implement and demonstrate conservation innovation in Arkansas.

Applications went through a structured review process. First, proposals were screened for completeness and compliance with the solicitation requirements; incomplete or noncompliant submissions were removed from consideration and applicants were notified of elimination. Complete proposals received by the deadline were then evaluated by a technical peer review panel using proposal evaluation criteria referenced in the program instructions (section V.B.). After technical review, proposals and reviewer input were forwarded to the Arkansas Review Board, which made recommendations to the NRCS State Conservationist. The NRCS State Conservationist made the final award selections.

Key administrative details included the funding opportunity title "Arkansas Conservation Innovation Grant 2017" and opportunity number "USDA NRCS AR CIG 17 01." It was associated with CFDA number 10.912 and categorized under Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources. The opportunity was created on December 23, 2016, with an original closing date of March 3, 2017. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $75,000, and the program anticipated making about five awards. The agency listed was the Department of Agriculture (with the notice referencing NRCS and the Arkansas selection process), and the overall purpose remained consistent throughout: encourage practical demonstration and adoption of conservation innovations that can be replicated and integrated into broader NRCS guidance or private-sector practice.

• The Department of Agriculture, Utah State Office in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Arkansas Conservation Innovation Grant 2017" 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 Dec 23, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 03, 2017. (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 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having 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 AR CIG 17 01

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: