Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS LA CIG 19 GEN0010004
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for federal fiscal year 2019 to support projects carried out in Louisiana that test, demonstrate, and help scale up new or improved conservation approaches tied to agricultural production. The program is designed to move practical conservation innovations from the idea or pilot stage into real-world use, with a clear emphasis on getting results adopted by agricultural producers, incorporated into NRCS technical references (such as manuals and guides), or transferred into broader private-sector use. In practice, this means proposals should go beyond general outreach or planning and instead focus on showing how an innovation works on the ground and how it can realistically be replicated.
Funding for this Louisiana competition totals up to $150,000 statewide for FY 2019, with NRCS expecting to make about two awards. Individual awards can be as large as $75,000, and projects may run from one to three years depending on the scope and timeline needed to produce credible outcomes. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant under CFDA 10.912, and the opportunity is titled "Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS' Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2019) - Louisiana" (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS LA CIG 19 GEN0010004).
Eligibility is broadly open to non-federal entities and individuals, meaning organizations and applicants outside the federal government can apply, but federal agencies themselves are not eligible. This broad eligibility is intended to encourage participation from a wide range of potential innovators, including nonprofits, universities, local or state organizations, private businesses, and producers, as long as the work is conducted within Louisiana and aligns with the program purpose.
CIG funding typically supports pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. The announcement specifically defines on-farm conservation research as applied research that answers a specific conservation question using a statistically valid design and farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands. This definition signals that NRCS is looking for projects with measurable methods and credible evaluation, not just informal trials. Examples of the kinds of innovations CIG often aims to advance include new management systems, improved conservation technologies, and innovative approaches such as market-based conservation systems, provided they can be demonstrated in agricultural settings and translated into wider use.
A central requirement of this opportunity is the cost-share (match). Any selected recipient must provide non-federal matching funds at least equal to the amount of federal funding requested, effectively a 1:1 match. Applications that do not include the required cost-share are ineligible, so the match is not optional and should be fully addressed in the proposal and budget. The match can come in multiple forms, including cash contributions as well as allowable in-kind support such as services, materials, equipment, or third-party in-kind contributions, as described in the announcement (noted as Section IV, subsection 8). This requirement is meant to ensure applicants have committed resources and partners invested in implementation and outcomes, which also helps demonstrate that the project can be sustained and scaled after the grant period ends.
The application deadline for this FY 2019 Louisiana CIG competition was May 31, 2019 at 5:00 PM CST, and the opportunity was initially posted on March 20, 2019. Overall, the program is geared toward practical, field-ready conservation innovation in Louisiana agriculture, with competitive proposals expected to combine clear conservation benefits, solid project design and evaluation, and a credible plan for adoption or technology transfer beyond the grant-funded pilot.Apply for USDA NRCS LA CIG 19 GEN0010004
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, education, environment, food and nutrition, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS' Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2019 - Louisiana" 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 Mar 20, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2019 5PM CST. (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 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) competition for federal fiscal year (FY) 2019 in Louisiana. It funds projects carried out in Louisiana that test, demonstrate, and help scale up new or improved conservation approaches connected to agricultural production.
What is the official title and funding opportunity number?
The opportunity is titled "Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS' Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2019) - Louisiana" and the Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NRCS LA CIG 19 GEN0010004.
What program or CFDA number is associated with this grant?
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant under CFDA 10.912.
What is the main purpose of the Louisiana CIG program?
The program is intended to move practical conservation innovations from the idea or pilot stage into real-world use. It emphasizes field-ready results that can be adopted by agricultural producers, incorporated into NRCS technical references (such as manuals and guides), or transferred into broader private-sector use.
What kinds of projects are a good fit for this opportunity?
The announcement highlights pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research that can credibly show how an innovation works on the ground and how it can realistically be replicated and scaled.
Does the program support general outreach or planning-only projects?
The opportunity places a clear emphasis on demonstration and real-world application. Proposals are expected to go beyond general outreach or planning and instead show how an innovation works in practice and how it can be replicated.
What does NRCS mean by "on-farm conservation research"?
On-farm conservation research is defined as applied research that answers a specific conservation question using a statistically valid design and farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands. This signals that NRCS is looking for measurable methods and credible evaluation rather than informal trials.
What types of innovations can CIG help advance?
Examples mentioned include new management systems, improved conservation technologies, and innovative approaches such as market-based conservation systems, as long as they can be demonstrated in agricultural settings and translated into wider use.
How much funding is available statewide for Louisiana in FY 2019?
Total funding for this Louisiana competition is up to $150,000 statewide for FY 2019.
How many awards does NRCS expect to make?
NRCS expects to make about two awards.
What is the maximum award size?
Individual awards can be as large as $75,000.
How long can a project last?
Projects may run from one to three years, depending on the scope and timeline needed to produce credible outcomes.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly open to non-federal entities and individuals. This includes applicants outside the federal government such as nonprofits, universities, local or state organizations, private businesses, and producers, as long as the work is conducted within Louisiana and aligns with the program purpose.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
No. Federal agencies themselves are not eligible under this opportunity.
Does the project have to take place in Louisiana?
Yes. The opportunity is for projects carried out in Louisiana.
Is a match (cost-share) required?
Yes. Any selected recipient must provide non-federal matching funds at least equal to the amount of federal funding requested. This is a required 1:1 match, and applications that do not include the required cost-share are ineligible.
How much match is required?
The match must be at least equal to the federal amount requested. For example, if requesting $75,000 in federal funds, at least $75,000 in non-federal match is required.
What forms can the match take?
The match can include cash contributions and allowable in-kind support such as services, materials, equipment, or third-party in-kind contributions, as described in the announcement (noted as Section IV, subsection 8).
What happens if an application does not include the required match?
Applications that do not include the required cost-share are ineligible.
Why does NRCS require a 1:1 cost-share?
The stated intent is to ensure applicants have committed resources and partners invested in implementation and outcomes, and to help demonstrate that the project can be sustained and scaled after the grant period ends.
What is the application deadline for this FY 2019 Louisiana competition?
The application deadline was May 31, 2019 at 5:00 PM CST.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was initially posted on March 20, 2019.
What should competitive proposals emphasize?
Competitive proposals are expected to combine clear conservation benefits, solid project design and evaluation (including credible methods), and a realistic plan for adoption or technology transfer beyond the grant-funded pilot.
What does NRCS mean by "scaling up" in this context?
In this announcement, scaling up is tied to moving an innovation beyond a concept or small pilot into practical, replicable use, with outcomes that can be adopted by producers, incorporated into NRCS technical references, or transferred into broader private-sector use.
How is success or credibility signaled in the announcement?
The announcement underscores measurable approaches such as statistically valid designs for on-farm conservation research and the expectation that projects produce credible outcomes that can be replicated and adopted.
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