Minnesota Fiscal Year (FY) 21 Contribution Agreement | USDA NRCS 10902 6322XXXX 21 0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS 10902 6322XXXX 21 0002

The Minnesota Fiscal Year (FY) 21 Contribution Agreement opportunity is a competitive federal funding announcement from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The program is designed to leverage NRCS resources in Minnesota by supporting partnerships that tackle local natural resource concerns, strengthen collaboration across sectors, and build conservation leadership at the state and community level. NRCS is using contribution agreements as the funding instrument, with projects expected to run for about 2 to 3 years. Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov, and proposals were screened for completeness and compliance, with incomplete or noncompliant submissions removed from consideration.

This opportunity focuses on two main initiative tracks. The first, Connecting Agriculture Retailers with Conservation Delivery, is aimed at increasing conservation on private lands by strengthening the working relationship between NRCS and the private agricultural industry, especially retailers and farmer cooperatives that already have trusted, day-to-day connections with producers. The intent is to weave NRCS conservation programs and services into retailer networks so that conservation becomes a more routine part of agronomic decision-making and service delivery. Projects under this track are expected to help retailers better understand NRCS programs, learn how to coordinate effectively with NRCS staff, and play a practical role in assisting conservation implementation. At the same time, NRCS wants its own staff to build stronger knowledge of what agricultural retailers and cooperatives offer farmers, and to improve local office familiarity with core agronomic principles and the economic realities that influence farm planning. In other words, the category is about building a two-way bridge: retailers become better conservation messengers and implementation partners, and NRCS becomes better aligned with the agronomic and business context producers operate in.

The second track, Connecting the Urban Consumer with Rural Producers, centers on improving public understanding of conservation work happening on farms and making the connection between food production and natural resource stewardship more visible to urban communities and organizations. Activities contemplated under this track include outreach and education that highlights the conservation-and-agriculture interface for general audiences, as well as agritourism-style engagement such as field days or on-farm events. The broader goal is to showcase the ecosystem benefits generated by conservation practices on working lands in a way that is accessible and meaningful to the public, helping urban residents see how farm management decisions relate to water, soil health, habitat, and other environmental outcomes.

In terms of funding, NRCS anticipated approximately $350,000 total available for FY 2021 under this announcement, with an expected two awards. Individual federal award sizes were projected to range from $50,000 (the funding floor) to $300,000 (the funding ceiling), and those figures represent the total federal share per agreement across the full project period rather than per year. The opportunity was open to domestic applicants, with eligibility described broadly in the announcement (listed as "Others" with additional detail referenced in the full notice). Key dates included a question deadline of January 15, 2021, an application deadline of 11:59 pm Eastern Time on February 26, 2021, anticipated selections by March 12, 2021, and target award execution by June 1, 2021. The notice also pointed applicants to free federal financial assistance training (Grants 101) covering the legal and administrative rules that govern federal awards, including uniform guidance requirements, cost principles, and audit and risk management expectations.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Minnesota Fiscal Year (FY) 21 Contribution Agreement" 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 Dec 28, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 26, 2021 Applications must be received by 1159pm Eastern Time on February 26, 2021.. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA NRCS 10902 6322XXXX 21 0002

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