The USDA NRCS is offering the Missouri Conservation Partnership and Technical Assistance Grant to support natural resource conservation and climate-smart agriculture.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) is being released prior to appropriation and/or apportionment of funds for fiscal year 2023. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The NRCS, an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is seeking opportunities to partner with and support the efforts of natural resource conservation partners in Missouri. The overall intent of this solicitation is to enter into partnerships to provide technical assistance in the delivery, development, promotion, and support of soil, water and wildlife conservation programs to Missouri’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners. Key technical assistance emphasis areas for FY 2023 proposals include Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry focusing on conservation planning, forest management planning and practice implementation, native forage establishment and management, and nutrient management via advanced technologies and precision conservation. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to educate farmers, ranchers, and landowners in successful application of Farm Bill programs and deliver conservation planning, management, and implementation of climate smart conservation practices related to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. The Missouri State Conservationist reserves the right not to fund any or all applications. NRCS will accept applications under this notice for single or multiyear applications submitted by eligible entities.

For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.

Key Dates

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 1, 2023. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.

The agency anticipates making selections by May 15, 2023 and expects to execute awards by September 15, 2023. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. A webinar will be conducted at 9:00 a.m. Central Standard Time, on Tuesday, April 11th, 2023. Information on how to participate may be obtained by contacting Brad McCord or Amanda Zapien at 573-876-0901 or brad.mccord@usda.gov, or Amanda.zapien@usda.gov