Conservation Innovation Grants Wisconsin State Program | USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141

The Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Wisconsin State Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) designed to spur the development, testing, and broader adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. The focus is on projects carried out in Wisconsin that advance conservation in agriculture, environmental stewardship, and natural resource management. In practice, this program is meant to help move new conservation ideas from concept to real-world use by supporting pilot efforts, demonstrations, and other applied projects that can be replicated or scaled.

For fiscal year (FY) 2022, NRCS is offering up to $500,000 total for the Wisconsin CIG competition, with an award ceiling of $500,000 for any single project. Projects can run from one to three years, allowing applicants to propose anything from a shorter proof-of-concept effort to a multi-year implementation and evaluation project. NRCS anticipates making about three awards, although the exact number can depend on application quality, budgets, and agency decisions.

Eligibility is broad and includes nearly all non-federal entities and individuals, with federal agencies being the only group explicitly excluded. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and individual applicants. This wide eligibility is intended to encourage participation from a mix of partners such as producers, universities, conservation districts, NGOs, Tribes, and private-sector innovators.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and the deadline is 11:59 pm Eastern Time on April 11, 2022. Applicants who are new to Grants.gov are directed to follow the steps described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO), since registration and submission setup can take time. If technical problems come up with Grants.gov itself, applicants are instructed to contact Grants.gov Applicant Support (1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov), and not NRCS staff, because agency personnel cannot assist with Grants.gov account or system issues.

NRCS set an estimated timeline in which selections are expected by May 2, 2022, with awards anticipated to be executed by August 18, 2022, though those dates are explicitly noted as subject to change. The agency also limits the types of questions it will respond to during the competition: applicants should only ask for clarification tied to the content of the NFO (for example, confirming dates, page references, or resolving inconsistencies). Questions about whether an organization is eligible or whether a specific project idea is strong are not expected to be addressed.

Key identifiers for this opportunity include the Funding Opportunity Title "Conservation Innovation Grants Wisconsin State Program," the Funding Opportunity Number "USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141," and the CFDA number 10.912. The opportunity was created on February 10, 2022, and the original closing date is April 11, 2022.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Innovation Grants Wisconsin State Program" 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 Feb 10, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 11, 2022 Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 1159 pm Eastern Time on April 11, 2022.. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 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), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, 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, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141

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