Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ SOILS 23 NOFO00001285
The 2023 SPSD Collaborative Soil Science Research opportunity is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Notice of Funding Opportunity focused on cooperative research that directly informs, strengthens, and improves the national soil survey effort. The core expectation is that funded projects will produce practical, soil-survey-relevant deliverables that address known gaps in soil survey knowledge and databases, with clear explanation of how the work will be used by soil survey programs and personnel. NRCS frames this as a cooperative research program in soil science and soil survey, meaning applicants are not just submitting an academic research plan, but a plan built around real coordination with the people who conduct and maintain soil survey products.
A defining requirement is significant collaboration with soil survey personnel. Proposals must show meaningful involvement from entities such as the National Soil Survey Center research staff, Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) Soil Survey offices, and/or NRCS regional offices. This collaboration is not optional or peripheral; it needs to be central to the project design, with deliverables tied explicitly to soil survey needs and workflows. NRCS also notes that projects should have regional application, reflecting priorities shaped through discussions and feedback gathered during the 2022 Regional Conferences of the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). The agency signals an intent to fund at least one proposal from each NCSS region, emphasizing balanced regional impact rather than concentrating awards in one geography.
The research topics NRCS is looking for are geared toward emerging and high-need issues that intersect with ecological sites and soil survey. Examples called out include urban soil survey challenges, ecosystem services, wetlands and hydric soils, climate-related questions, wildfire impacts, and soil biodiversity. Beyond topic relevance, NRCS emphasizes utility: proposals should strengthen collaboration between soil survey staff and research teams and should ideally result in practical tools and approaches that MLRA staff can use. There is also a strong preference for projects that leverage long-term monitoring sites and experimental locations, suggesting that NRCS values studies that can connect short-term project outputs to longer-term datasets and repeated measurements that improve survey interpretations over time.
The notice highlights an additional area that can improve competitiveness: Dynamic Soil Survey Research Support. Proposals that include this element, described as targeted toward close collaboration with National Soil Survey Center researchers, will receive extra consideration. In practice, this signals that NRCS is encouraging projects that integrate with ongoing dynamic soil survey methods or data modernization efforts and that deepen collaboration with national-level soil survey research capacity.
Funding is expected to total up to about $3,000,000 across the opportunity, depending on actual FY2023 funding availability, since the notice was released prior to final appropriation and apportionment. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements under CFDA 10.903, and NRCS anticipates about five awards. Individual projects are expected to run 2 to 3 years, with a required total project cost between $50,000 and $500,000, and a stated award ceiling of $500,000. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, with activity areas spanning agriculture, environment, natural resources, and research and development.
Eligibility is narrow and specific: applicants must be institutions of higher education that are part of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. Both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education may apply, but the key gatekeeping requirement is CESU network participation. Applicants are expected to apply through Grants.gov, and the agency explicitly notes that NRCS staff cannot help troubleshoot Grants.gov account or submission issues; technical support must go through Grants.gov Applicant Support.
The opportunity places strong emphasis on data stewardship and transparency. Every proposal must include a data management plan, and all data and deliverables must be made publicly available in accordance with USDA regulations. This requirement is a major compliance and planning item, since it affects how teams collect, document, store, and publish datasets and project outputs, and it reinforces that NRCS is funding work meant to be broadly usable by the soil survey community rather than kept within a single lab or institution.
Key dates are clearly defined. Applications had to be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 22, 2023. NRCS projected selection decisions by August 18, 2023, with awards expected to be executed by September 30, 2023, while noting these are estimates and may change. For applicants trying to align work with a specific NCSS region, NRCS points to its NCSS regional maps and contacts page for location-based context and coordination pathways.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ SOILS 23 NOFO00001285
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2023 SPSD Collaborative Soil Science Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.903.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 08, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2023 Applications must be received by 1159 pm Eastern Time. (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 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: 2023 SPSD Collaborative Soil Science Research (USDA NRCS)
What is the 2023 SPSD Collaborative Soil Science Research opportunity?
It is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Notice of Funding Opportunity for cooperative soil science research that directly informs, strengthens, and improves the national soil survey effort.
What is the main purpose NRCS is trying to achieve with this funding?
The central goal is to fund projects that produce practical, soil-survey-relevant deliverables that address known gaps in soil survey knowledge and databases, and clearly explain how the work will be used by soil survey programs and personnel.
What does NRCS mean by "cooperative research" in this program?
NRCS frames this as research designed around real coordination with the people who conduct and maintain soil survey products. Applicants are expected to propose not only a research plan, but a plan built around meaningful collaboration with soil survey personnel and workflows.
How important is collaboration with soil survey personnel?
Significant collaboration is a defining requirement. Proposals must show meaningful involvement from soil survey personnel such as National Soil Survey Center research staff, Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) Soil Survey offices, and/or NRCS regional offices. This collaboration needs to be central to the project design, not optional or peripheral.
Which NRCS or soil survey entities are specifically mentioned as potential collaborators?
The opportunity specifically mentions the National Soil Survey Center research staff, MLRA Soil Survey offices, and NRCS regional offices as examples of entities whose meaningful involvement should be demonstrated in proposals.
What kinds of deliverables are expected from funded projects?
NRCS expects practical deliverables that are directly relevant to soil survey needs. Deliverables should address gaps in soil survey knowledge and databases and be tied explicitly to soil survey needs and workflows, with a clear explanation of how soil survey programs and personnel will use them.
Does NRCS prefer projects with broad applicability?
Yes. NRCS notes that projects should have regional application, reflecting priorities shaped through discussions and feedback gathered during the 2022 Regional Conferences of the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS).
How does NRCS intend to distribute awards across regions?
NRCS signals an intent to fund at least one proposal from each NCSS region, emphasizing balanced regional impact rather than concentrating awards in a single geography.
What research topics does NRCS indicate are of interest?
NRCS highlights emerging and high-need issues at the intersection of ecological sites and soil survey. Examples listed include urban soil survey challenges, ecosystem services, wetlands and hydric soils, climate-related questions, wildfire impacts, and soil biodiversity.
Are proposals expected to create tools or methods that soil survey staff can use?
Yes. NRCS emphasizes utility and notes that projects should strengthen collaboration between soil survey staff and research teams and should ideally result in practical tools and approaches that MLRA staff can use.
Is there a preference for using long-term monitoring sites or experimental locations?
Yes. NRCS expresses a strong preference for projects that leverage long-term monitoring sites and experimental locations, indicating value in connecting short-term project outputs to longer-term datasets and repeated measurements that improve survey interpretations over time.
What is "Dynamic Soil Survey Research Support" and why does it matter?
Dynamic Soil Survey Research Support is described as an element targeted toward close collaboration with National Soil Survey Center researchers. Proposals that include this element receive extra consideration, signaling that deeper integration with national-level soil survey research capacity and dynamic soil survey methods/data modernization efforts can improve competitiveness.
How much total funding is expected to be available under this opportunity?
Total funding is expected to be up to about $3,000,000 across the opportunity, depending on actual FY2023 funding availability because the notice was released prior to final appropriation and apportionment.
How many awards does NRCS anticipate making?
NRCS anticipates about five awards.
What is the expected project period (length of performance)?
Individual projects are expected to run 2 to 3 years.
What is the required project budget range and the maximum award size?
The required total project cost is between $50,000 and $500,000, and the stated award ceiling is $500,000.
What funding instrument will NRCS use for awards?
Awards will be made as cooperative agreements.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.903.
How is this opportunity categorized in terms of funding type and activity areas?
It is categorized as discretionary funding. Activity areas span agriculture, environment, natural resources, and research and development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education that are part of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. Both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education may apply, but CESU network participation is the key requirement.
Does being a university automatically make an organization eligible?
No. The eligibility requirement is not only being an institution of higher education; the institution must also be part of the CESU network.
How do applicants submit an application?
Applications are expected to be submitted through Grants.gov.
Can NRCS help with Grants.gov account or technical submission problems?
No. NRCS explicitly notes that staff cannot help troubleshoot Grants.gov account or submission issues. Technical support must go through Grants.gov Applicant Support.
Is a data management plan required?
Yes. Every proposal must include a data management plan.
Do project data and deliverables have to be made public?
Yes. All data and deliverables must be made publicly available in accordance with USDA regulations. This is a major compliance and planning requirement and reinforces that NRCS is funding work meant to be broadly usable by the soil survey community.
What was the application deadline?
Applications had to be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 22, 2023.
When did NRCS expect to make selection decisions?
NRCS projected selection decisions by August 18, 2023, noting this timeline was an estimate and could change.
When were awards expected to be executed?
Awards were expected to be executed by September 30, 2023, with NRCS noting these dates were estimates and may change.
How can an applicant determine the relevant NCSS region for their work?
NRCS points applicants to NCSS regional maps and an NCSS regional contacts page for location-based context and coordination pathways.
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