2024 Wyoming Conservation Cooperative Agreements | USDA NRCS WY MULTI 24 NOFO0001356

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS WY MULTI 24 NOFO0001356

The 2024 Wyoming Conservation Cooperative Agreements opportunity is a discretionary federal funding competition run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) in Wyoming. It is designed to fund cooperative agreements that help Wyoming NRCS carry out conservation work tied to Farm Bill program implementation and related technical assistance. The notice is published as USDA-NRCS-WY-MULTI-24-NOFO0001356 and is connected to multiple Assistance Listings on SAM.gov, including Soil and Water Conservation (10.902), EQIP (10.912), CSP (10.924), ACEP (10.931), CRP (10.069), and RCPP (10.932). In practical terms, this means NRCS is looking for partners who can strengthen outreach, planning, and on-the-ground conservation delivery that supports these established conservation authorities and programs.

Funding is expected to total up to about $2,000,000 across the competition, with an estimated five awards. Individual awards are anticipated to range from a federal share of $25,000 at the low end to $1,000,000 at the high end, depending on the scope and strength of proposed work. The notice also flags that it was released before final fiscal year 2024 appropriations or apportionment, so final funding levels could shift if federal budget decisions change. Even so, NRCS is clearly signaling an intention to invest in partnership-driven capacity that makes conservation programs easier to deliver and more effective for producers and communities in Wyoming.

Project priorities center on improving the resiliency of Wyoming agriculture through climate-smart agriculture approaches that address specific, targeted resource concerns. The resource concerns called out include climate resiliency and drought, plant productivity and forest health, air quality, water quality, water quantity, soil health, wildlife habitat, and outreach. These priorities align with the Wyoming NRCS Strategic Plan, and applicants are expected to design projects that directly connect proposed activities to these issues in a way that strengthens conservation outcomes. A major emphasis is placed on proposals that provide direct technical assistance to NRCS staff, especially assistance that supports implementation of Farm Bill conservation programs, which suggests NRCS is looking for partners who can expand capacity, improve service delivery, and help move conservation planning and practice adoption forward at a practical level.

The applicant pool is broad and includes many typical government and community partners. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. NRCS also highlights its interest in maintaining a full spectrum of partnerships, explicitly including tribes, urban producers, and organizations that work on behalf of historically underserved farming, ranching, and forestry communities. That emphasis indicates competitive proposals will likely demonstrate credible relationships and a clear plan to reach producers and land managers who may face barriers to participating in conservation programs.

Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov, with the deadline set for April 19, 2024 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (9:59 pm Mountain Time). The agency noted that Grants.gov technical support is handled by the Grants.gov Applicant Support line and email rather than by NRCS program staff, and that NRCS would only address questions tied to specific items in the notice (for example, clarifying dates or resolving discrepancies), not pre-reviewing ideas for eligibility or competitiveness. The anticipated timeline listed selections by around May 5, 2024, with awards expected to be executed by August 31, 2024, while also noting these dates were estimates and could change.

Finally, NRCS clarifies what this competition is not. Conservation Contribution Agreements and Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are described as separate announcements, and applicants are told not to submit those types of proposals under this notice. The funding mechanism here is specifically a cooperative agreement, meaning applicants should expect meaningful involvement by NRCS in the project (as is typical for cooperative agreements) rather than a more hands-off grant relationship. For organizations newer to federal financial assistance, the notice points to the free Grants 101 training offered through the CFO Council site, covering core topics like federal assistance rules, administrative requirements under Uniform Guidance, cost principles, and audit and risk management basics.

• The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2024 Wyoming Conservation Cooperative Agreements" 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 2024-03-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-19. (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 5 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS WY MULTI 24 NOFO0001356

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