Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreements Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Announcement for Program Funding – NEBRASKA | USDA NRCS NE MULTI 23 NOFO0001237

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NE MULTI 23 NOFO0001237

The Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreements FY 2023 funding opportunity for Nebraska is a competitive grant program offered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its main goal is to fund partner-led conservation projects that make practical use of NRCS resources while tackling local natural resource concerns across the state. The program is designed to push collaboration among organizations and communities, strengthen conservation leadership at the state and local level, and support on-the-ground work that improves agriculture, environmental outcomes, and natural resources.

Awards are made as cooperative agreements, which typically means NRCS expects to stay meaningfully involved during the project period rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. Proposed projects must take place in Nebraska and can run from 1 to 3 years, giving applicants flexibility to plan shorter pilot efforts or multi-year initiatives. The notice also makes clear that the competition is compliance-driven: applications will be screened for completeness and adherence to the funding announcement requirements, and any submission that is incomplete or does not follow the rules will be removed from consideration and the applicant will be notified.

A wide range of applicants are eligible, reflecting the program's collaboration focus. Eligible entities include tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments (such as counties, cities, townships, special districts, and independent school districts), public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status and, as listed in the source data, nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status). The opportunity listing also includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses among eligible applicants. Organizations are allowed to submit more than one application as long as each proposal is for a different project, and an organization may receive more than one award, which can be important for applicants proposing multiple distinct conservation efforts in different areas or with different partners.

The funding is offered under CFDA number 10.902 and is categorized under agriculture, environment, and natural resources. The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000 per award, and NRCS expects to make about 12 awards under this Nebraska announcement. While the notice excerpt does not provide a detailed list of project themes or priority resource concerns, it emphasizes addressing local natural resource issues and leveraging NRCS resources, which typically aligns with conservation planning, implementation support, outreach, training, demonstration projects, or partnership-based efforts that improve soil, water, habitat, and related resource outcomes.

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, with a deadline of 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 8, 2023. The announcement highlights a practical point that often affects applicants: agency staff cannot help with Grants.gov account or technical access problems, so technical issues must be directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. For questions about the content of the notice itself, applicants were directed to the federal awarding agency contact listed in section G of the full NFO, and questions were expected to stay narrowly focused on clarifying information already contained in the announcement (for example, confirming dates or resolving discrepancies). The notice explicitly states that questions about whether an organization is eligible or whether a specific project idea is strong enough to fund would not be addressed.

NRCS provided an estimated timeline for decisions and award processing. The agency anticipated making selection decisions by June 8, 2023 and expected to execute awards by September 1, 2023, while noting these dates were estimates and could change. The opportunity was published on March 8, 2023, under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NE MULTI 23 NOFO0001237, and it is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity using the cooperative agreement instrument.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreements Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Announcement for Program Funding – NEBRASKA" 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 Mar 08, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 08, 2023 Applications must be received by 1159 pm Eastern Time.. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS NE MULTI 23 NOFO0001237

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