Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS IA IPC 22 NOFO0001131
The Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) Fiscal Year 2022 funding announcement is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) opportunity designed to support Iowa-based conservation projects that make practical, on-the-ground improvements and strengthen local conservation capacity. NRCS is using this program to leverage its own resources by partnering with other organizations, with an emphasis on tackling locally important natural resource concerns, encouraging collaboration across partners, and building conservation leadership at the state and community level. A key theme in the announcement is that projects should be closely connected to real implementation needs in Iowa, especially efforts that directly help Iowa NRCS Field Offices deliver conservation assistance in the field. The program is not intended to fund research; research-focused proposals are explicitly excluded and will not be accepted or reviewed.
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements (a type of federal award that typically involves substantial involvement by the agency), and the opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.902. NRCS indicates it anticipates up to $3,000,000 may be available for FY 2022 IPC projects, although it also cautions that budget constraints could prevent awards from being made. The announcement lists an award ceiling of $1,500,000 per award and anticipates about 10 awards. Project periods are expected to run between 3 and 5 years, reflecting a preference for multi-year efforts that can build momentum, maintain staffing and partnerships, and produce durable conservation outcomes rather than one-time activities.
Eligibility is broad but clearly defined. Applicants may include Iowa-relevant units of government (city or township governments, county governments, and state governments), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, qualifying nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category), and both public and private institutions of higher education. Proposals must be for projects based in Iowa and must align with the conservation issue priorities identified in Section A(2) of the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) posted in the Related Documents section for this listing. The announcement also notes that organizations with existing IPC cooperative agreements can use this opportunity to request additional funding to continue or expand prior work, so it is not limited only to brand-new initiatives.
From an administration and reporting standpoint, applicants should expect a competitive selection process and ongoing coordination with NRCS. Awardees may be asked to provide project updates directly to Iowa NRCS Leadership, potentially through formal presentations, which signals that NRCS wants visibility into progress and an active partnership approach rather than a hands-off grant. Because the opportunity is administered through Grants.gov, applicants must submit their full application package there by the stated deadline, and the announcement stresses that agency staff will not troubleshoot Grants.gov account or technical issues.
The timeline in the notice is specific. Applications were due through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on April 4, 2022. For Grants.gov technical problems, applicants were directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support (1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov), while questions about the NOFO itself were to be directed to the federal agency contact listed in Section G of the NOFO. Even then, questions were limited to clarifications about the written notice (for example, dates, page references, or discrepancies), and NRCS stated it would not respond to questions about eligibility edge cases or the strengths and weaknesses of a proposed project. NRCS estimated it would make selections by May 31, 2022 and execute awards by September 16, 2022, while also noting these dates were subject to change.
In practical terms, IPC FY 2022 is best understood as a partnership-driven conservation implementation program for Iowa, aimed at delivering measurable resource benefits through coordinated projects that complement and extend NRCS field capacity. Competitive proposals under this announcement would be expected to show strong collaboration, a clear connection to Iowa conservation priorities described in the NOFO, and a work plan focused on implementation and support rather than research.Apply for USDA NRCS IA IPC 22 NOFO0001131
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Announcement for Program Funding" 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 Feb 01, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 04, 2022 Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 1159 pm Eastern Time on April 4, 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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) FY 2022 (USDA NRCS)
1) What is the Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) FY 2022 funding opportunity?
The Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) Fiscal Year 2022 funding announcement is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) opportunity that supports Iowa-based conservation projects. The focus is on practical, on-the-ground improvements and strengthening local conservation capacity through partnerships that leverage NRCS resources and expand conservation assistance delivered in the field.
2) What is the main purpose of the program?
The program is intended to help tackle locally important natural resource concerns in Iowa by encouraging collaboration among partners and building conservation leadership at both the state and community level. A central theme is that projects should be closely connected to real implementation needs in Iowa, especially efforts that directly help Iowa NRCS Field Offices deliver conservation assistance.
3) Is this program intended to fund research projects?
No. The announcement explicitly states the program is not intended to fund research. Research-focused proposals are excluded and will not be accepted or reviewed.
4) What type of federal funding instrument is used for awards?
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements, which are a type of federal award that typically involves substantial involvement by the agency. This aligns with the program’s emphasis on active coordination and partnership with NRCS.
5) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.902.
6) How much total funding is NRCS expecting to make available for FY 2022 IPC projects?
NRCS indicated it anticipated up to $3,000,000 may be available for FY 2022 IPC projects. The notice also cautions that budget constraints could prevent awards from being made.
7) What is the maximum (ceiling) amount per award?
The announcement lists an award ceiling of $1,500,000 per award.
8) About how many awards does NRCS expect to make?
NRCS anticipated about 10 awards.
9) How long are project periods expected to last?
Project periods are expected to run between 3 and 5 years. The notice reflects a preference for multi-year efforts that can build momentum, maintain staffing and partnerships, and produce durable conservation outcomes rather than one-time activities.
10) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad but specific. Applicants may include:
- Iowa-relevant units of government (city or township governments, county governments, and state governments)
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Qualifying nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category)
- Public institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
11) Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Both public and private institutions of higher education are eligible. The notice also specifies that within the nonprofit category, eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits exclude institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category.
12) Do projects have to be located in Iowa?
Yes. Proposals must be for projects based in Iowa.
13) Do proposals need to align with specific conservation priorities?
Yes. Proposals must align with the conservation issue priorities identified in Section A(2) of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) posted in the Related Documents section for the listing.
14) Can organizations with existing IPC cooperative agreements apply for more funding?
Yes. The announcement notes that organizations with existing IPC cooperative agreements can use this opportunity to request additional funding to continue or expand prior work, so it is not limited only to brand-new initiatives.
15) Is the selection process competitive?
Yes. Applicants should expect a competitive selection process.
16) What level of involvement should awardees expect from NRCS?
Because awards are cooperative agreements, awardees should expect ongoing coordination with NRCS. The notice indicates awardees may be asked to provide project updates directly to Iowa NRCS Leadership, potentially through formal presentations. This signals an active partnership approach rather than a hands-off grant.
17) Where must applications be submitted?
The opportunity is administered through Grants.gov, and applicants must submit their full application package there by the stated deadline.
18) Will NRCS help troubleshoot Grants.gov technical issues?
No. The announcement stresses that agency staff will not troubleshoot Grants.gov account or technical issues.
19) What was the application deadline for IPC FY 2022?
Applications were due through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on April 4, 2022.
20) Who should applicants contact for Grants.gov technical problems?
For Grants.gov technical problems, applicants were directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.
21) Who should applicants contact with questions about the NOFO?
Questions about the NOFO itself were to be directed to the federal agency contact listed in Section G of the NOFO.
22) What kinds of questions would NRCS answer about the NOFO?
Questions were limited to clarifications about the written notice (for example, dates, page references, or discrepancies). NRCS stated it would not respond to questions about eligibility edge cases or the strengths and weaknesses of a proposed project.
23) When did NRCS expect to make selections and execute awards?
NRCS estimated it would make selections by May 31, 2022 and execute awards by September 16, 2022. The notice also stated these dates were subject to change.
24) What kinds of projects are likely to be a strong fit based on the announcement?
Based on the description provided, strong-fit projects would be partnership-driven conservation implementation efforts in Iowa that deliver measurable resource benefits, show strong collaboration, align with the Iowa conservation priorities in the NOFO, and clearly connect to real field implementation needs, including supporting Iowa NRCS Field Offices in delivering conservation assistance.
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| Announcement for Conservation Partnership Funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022– MISSOURI Apply for USDA NRCS MO MULTI 22 NOFO0001132 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MO MULTI 22 NOFO0001132 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Conservation Collaboration Grant Agreements Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Announcement for Program Funding – NORTH DAKOTA Apply for USDA NRCS ND MULTI 22 NOFO0001127 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ND MULTI 22 NOFO0001127 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – Alaska Apply for USDA NRCS AK CIG 22 NOFO0001148 Funding Number: USDA NRCS AK CIG 22 NOFO0001148 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $415,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Wisconsin State Program Apply for USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141 Funding Number: USDA NRCS WI CIG 22 NOFO0001141 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Ohio Program Apply for USDA NRCS OH CIG 22 NOFO0001135 Funding Number: USDA NRCS OH CIG 22 NOFO0001135 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Conservation Planning and Technical Service Provider (TSP) Training Development Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CTA 22 NOFO0001128 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ CTA 22 NOFO0001128 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| 2022 Soil Science Collaborative Research Proposals Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ SOILS 22 NOFO0001124 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ SOILS 22 NOFO0001124 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – New Mexico Apply for USDA NRCS NM CIG 22 NOFO0001159 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NM CIG 22 NOFO0001159 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – New York Apply for USDA NRCS NY CIG 22 NOFO0001158 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NY CIG 22 NOFO0001158 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – Connecticut Apply for USDA NRCS CT CIG 22 NOFO0001157 Funding Number: USDA NRCS CT CIG 22 NOFO0001157 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – UTAH Apply for USDA NRCS UT CIG 22 NOFO0001145 Funding Number: USDA NRCS UT CIG 22 NOFO0001145 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 – MONTANA Apply for USDA NRCS MT CIG 22 NOFO0001142 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MT CIG 22 NOFO0001142 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Pennsylvania State Program Apply for USDA NRCS PA CIG 22 NOFO0001147 Funding Number: USDA NRCS PA CIG 22 NOFO0001147 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Announcement for proposals to provide NRCS easement programs restoration assistance in the State of Florida Apply for USDA NRCS FL MULTI 22 NOFO0001130 Funding Number: USDA NRCS FL MULTI 22 NOFO0001130 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
| NY FY2022 Contribution Agreement Apply for USDA NRCS NY MULTI 22 NOFO0001123 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NY MULTI 22 NOFO0001123 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,800,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grants Missouri Program Apply for USDA NRCS MO CIG 22 NOFO0001156 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MO CIG 22 NOFO0001156 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Minnesota (MN) Fiscal Year (FY) 22 Grant Agreement Notice of Funding Opportunity for For-Profit and Non-Profit Organizations Apply for USDA NRCS MN MULTI 22 NOFO0001161 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MN MULTI 22 NOFO0001161 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| FY 22 Florida Agriculture Conservation Easement Program Apply for USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130 Funding Number: USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Conservation Partnership Grant Agreement Funding Opportunity for NRCS Missouri Apply for USDA NRCS MO MULTI 22 NOFO0001155 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MO MULTI 22 NOFO0001155 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $650,000 |
| Montana Partners for Conservation Fiscal Year 22 Apply for USDA NRCS MT MULTI 22 NOFO0001164 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MT MULTI 22 NOFO0001164 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
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