Grants for State governments - Agriculture

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program, funded by the USDA, allocates approximately $2 million for infrastructure grants to Vermont businesses and organizations aiming to strengthen local and regional food systems. The grants support projects that improve the aggregation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, and wholesaling of Vermont food products. This track encourages development of Vermont value-added products and promotes fair wages and job creation. A 50% match is required, which can be reduced to 25% for historically underserved farmers. Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and are available from fall 2024 through February 2027.

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Office of New Drugs (OND), is announcing this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for a Cooperative Agreement. The proposed work directly supports the U.S. FDAs stated goal of protecting public health from unacceptable risks from nitrosamine impurities in human drugs. Although significant experimental and policy/regulatory initiatives have been undertaken in this area, there remains a need for further research into and development and refinement of translational and implementable practices that will protect the public against nitrosamine risks while ensuring continued safe access to critical therapeutic drugs. The aim is to improve the safety of human drugs with potential nitrosamine impurity liabilities. In addition to the work outlined above, the award recipient will assess how best to ensure that this research and practices development continues among industry members, non-profits, and/or academic institutions once the FDA funding for this cooperative agreement ends.

This program provides training, mentorship, and funding for underserved agricultural entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help them develop and scale their businesses, ultimately benefiting their communities.

The Agency will make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, (such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations) to provide associations Technical Assistance and/or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. The Technical Assistance and/or training will assist communities, Indian Tribes, and Nonprofit Corporations to identify and plan for community facility needs that exist in their area. Once those needs have been identified, the Grantee can assist in identifying public and private resources to finance those identified community facility needs.

The Food Safety Education Fund grants program is funded through assessments of $3 to $5 from each licensed Michigan food establishment to provide food safety training and education to consumers; and training and education to food service establishment employees and agents of the director who enforce Michigan’s food regulations (i.e., local health department sanitarians and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development food safety inspectors). Donor Name: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) State: Michigan County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/24/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Funding Information Up to $365,000 is available for the 2024-2025 grant cycle for projects focused on food safety training and education. Of the $365,600, $242,500 will be available for consumer food safety education and $114,100 for education to food service establishment employees and agents of the director of MDARD. The monies that go into the fund come from assessments of $3.00 to $5.00 on food establishment licenses. Grant Period The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is now accepting proposals for grants that will run from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. Multi-year proposals will be considered on an individual basis, contingent on future year funding. Eligibility Criteria  The Michigan Food Law of 2000, Section 4117, directs money in the fund to be used for providing food safety training and education to consumers, food service establishment employees and agents of the director who enforce the Michigan Food Law of 2000. Applicants must be Michigan governmental and non-profit organizations and entities. Producers, marketers, processors, growers are NOT eligible for this grant opportunity. Proposals with subgrantees will be considered. Proposals should not include funding for required routine training such as HACCP or manager certification such as ServSafe. Proposal Considerations and Selection Criteria  Proposals will be scored and selected based on the following criteria: Goals/objectives to improve food safety Statewide need and audience Measurable outcomes Partnering with other organizations Matching funds Opportunities to build upon previously funded projects. For more information, visit MDARD.

The National Institute of Food and Agricultures Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI) focuses oncollaborative science engagement that intends to develop a community of researchers across both crops and animalsthat will lay the foundation for expanding knowledge concerning genomes and phenomes of importance to the agriculture sector of the United States. Success of the initiative will inform approaches to understanding how variable weather, environments, and production systems interact with genetic diversity present in crops and animals to impact growth and productivity. This will provide greater accuracy in predicting crop and animal performance under variable conditions and more efficient selection of well-adapted, superior genotypes that farmers and ranchers can produce.

SUMMARY INFORMATIONFederal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Maryland Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Conservation Technical Assistance for Fiscal Year 2024 MarylandNotice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-MD-CONTR-24-NOFO0001339Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as theCatalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under:Soil and Water Conservation 10.902Conservation Reserve Program 10.069Agricultural Conservation Easement Program 10.931Environmental Quality Incentives Program 10.912Regional Conservation Partnership Program 10.932which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home.SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes.Notice of Funding Opportunity SummaryThe Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture, is announcing potential availability of agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to promote public awareness of Farm Bill activities throughout Maryland.Proposals must be for projects based in Maryland and focus on Farm Bill conservation. Research proposals will need to meet the requirements in order to be accepted.Proposals will be accepted from eligible entities identified in Section C of this announcement for competitive consideration of awards for projects between one and five years in duration.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 Maryland State Conservationist reserves the right not to fund any or all applications.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity forinformation about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 5th, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. 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 July 15th, 2024, and expects to execute awards by August 1st, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

This funding opportunity supports California-based organizations in developing and demonstrating innovative farming practices that reduce chemical pesticide use while promoting sustainable pest management.

This grant provides funding to agricultural professionals and organizations in the Western U.S. to implement educational and demonstration projects that promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices based on previous research findings.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF)(formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund) to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/11/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The program will advance this goal by investing in projects that: Restore the quality and connectivity of stream and riparian habitats with a focus on improving habitat for river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout and wood turtles; Improve management of forest blocks to enhance age and structural diversity, resulting in improved forest conditions for native wildlife, with a focus on improving habitat for golden-winged warbler and New England cottontail; and, Promote hayfield management that allows for successful grassland bird breeding, with a specific focus on habitat for bobolink. Approximately $2 million is available this year. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoetis Foundation and Sylvamo. Program Priorities  Proposals should strive to contribute to goals detailed in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), and specifically the strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. (Applicants interested in supporting the priorities for Coastal Habitats in the business plan are encouraged to apply to NFWF’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund and National Coastal Resilience Fund.) Priority implementation strategies for NEFRF funding in 2024 are detailed below. Approximately $625,000 in program funding will be set aside for projects that direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices benefitting select Working Lands for Wildlife target species, especially northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers. Projects should Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. In addition, projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes and should consider traditional knowledge where relevant. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award. Grant Period Projects should plan to start no later than six months after the award date and be completed within three years. Geographical Areas  Projects are eligible from throughout the program boundary, which includes all of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, as well as parts of New York. However, within the Long Island Sound and Connecticut River watershed, NEFRF will only consider projects to sustain and restore healthy forests, grasslands and fish passage projects. All other projects should apply to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF). Eligibility Criteria  Eligible and Ineligible Entities: Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include U.S. Federal government agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Description The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA)is announcing the availability of up to $1,125,000 in FY 2024 to be awarded under Limited Competition to State animal food regulatory programs. The intended outcome of this NOFO is to advance efforts for a nationally integrated animal food safety system through the implementation and advancement of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) by State animal food regulatory programs. Applicants must refer to the Eligibility section of this NOFO to determine which funding track they should apply for: AFRPS Development or AFRPS Maintenance. Applicants should take sustainability into account when designing projects proposed under this cooperative agreement to maximize the longevity of resulting outcomes, resources, and program infrastructure beyond the end of the project period. The AFRPS allows for the development of risk-based animal food safety programs by establishing a uniform basis for measuring, evaluating, and improving the performance of State animal food regulatory programs in the Unites States. By achieving and maintaining implementation of these program Standards, Federal and State food regulatory programs can better direct their regulatory activities toward preventing animal food safety hazards, that can cause illness or injury to animals or humans, in facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold animal food materials/supplies. Consequently, the safety and security of the United States animal food supply and protection of human public health will improve. The AFRPS are comprised of eleven Standards (See link below in Program Goals Section) which establish foundations for the critical elements that serve as an objective framework to evaluate and improve components of a State animal food program. These elements cover the State animal food program's regulatory foundation, training, inspection program, auditing, animal food-related illness or death and emergency response, enforcement program, outreach activities, planning and resources, laboratory services, sampling program, and assessment and improvement of Standard implementation. Achieving and maintaining implementation of the program Standards will require comprehensive self-assessment on the part of a State program and will encourage continuous improvement and innovation. FDA recognizes that the time required for achieving full implementation of the AFRPS will vary between States. However, all State animal food regulatory programs will be expected to implement improvement plans to ensure continuous improvement and demonstrate that they are moving towards full implementation. State animal food regulatory programs receiving funds under this cooperative agreement will be expected to achieve and maintain full implementation within 5 total year or less of funding under an AFRPS Cooperative Agreement(s). Grantees will achieve and maintain implementation with the AFRPS (most recent published version). For the purpose of this funding opportunity, "full implementation" is defined as the State animal food regulatory program having all elements, systems, and programs, as required in the Program Elements and Documentation sections of the AFRPS; and can demonstrate the use of those elements, systems, or programs. If implementation is not achieved by the end of funding year 5, the State program will provide a detailed improvement plan on how the remaining AFRPS elements and documentation requirements will be fully implemented and demonstrated. The improvement plan will include: A detailed timeline including what needs to be accomplished to implement the element and/or documentation requirement, and when the work will be completed. The outcomes of the work provided under this cooperative agreement are as follows: 1. State animal food regulatory programs will take significant steps to achieve and maintain implementation of the AFRPS, which is recognized as a critical element to creating a national, fully integrated food safety system. 2. State animal food regulatory programs will contribute to the continuous improvement of the AFRPS through attendance at an annual face-to-face meeting, active participation in committees, and other initiatives supporting the AFRPS. 3. Develop strategies for achieving and maintaining implementation of the AFRPS that can be replicated or leveraged across state programs to promote national consistency. 4. Provide a foundation for supporting advisory/regulatory action based upon findings of regulatory activities conducted by State animal food regulatory programs. Only the following State animal food programs will be eligible to apply: State animal food regulatory programs with current FDA animal food safety inspection contracts (providing funding to State animal food regulatory programs) and are also enrolled in the AFRPS, or those that apply for an FDA animal food safety inspection contract and enroll in the AFRPS, are eligible to apply for funding under this cooperative agreement. An animal food safety inspection contract must be executed prior to this cooperative agreement being awarded. A condition of the award will be maintaining a current FDA animal food safety inspection contract in satisfactory condition throughout the cooperative agreement project period. The FDA will provide one year of funding for this project with the hopes of making another NOFO in FY 2025 to help align project objectives, outputs, reporting, terms and conditions, and project periods for all AFRPS project awardees, and to provide continued funding for awardees under this project to achieve the objectives of the project. The anticipated release of another NOFO in FY2025 will also help align project periods for awardees under this NOFO as well as those currently awarded under PAR-20-132 (for which the project period and funding will end on 6/30/2025). For AFRPS, it is anticipated that full implementation of the AFRPS will be achieved within 5 total funding years under an AFRPS Cooperative Agreement(s), based on a verification audit of your program to ensure the elements have been implemented.

SUMMARY INFORMATION Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Kentucky NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP WRE) Acquisition Services Agreement Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-KY-ACEP- 24-NOFO0001367 Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.931 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, which can be found at: https://sam.gove/content/home. SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes. Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking proposals to assist with due diligence for acquiring Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE), including contracting for title exams, updates, and closing services; boundary surveys; appraisals and cultural resource investigations. ACEP WRE provides funding for the purchase of conservation easements held by NRCS, and to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands on eligible land. Proposals are requested for consideration of cooperative agreements with a period of performance not to exceed five years. For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity 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 TBD. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. 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.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local non-profits and school groups for projects that promote environmental sustainability, such as water conservation, waste reduction, energy efficiency, and educational initiatives.

Fiscal Year 2024 Key Objectives Application proposals must include at least one of the following three objectives identified below. Proposals may contain more than one objective. As noted in Section 4, applicants must map their proposed activities and indicators measuring success to the objective(s) using the Activities/Indicators Tracker. If awarded, grantees will be required to use the FNS-908 Performance Progress Report to report on progress towards activities that align with the required objective(s) listed on the Activities/Indicators Tracker. Carefully considering proposed activities and indicators will prepare grantees for their performance progress reporting requirements if awarded. The project examples aligned with each objective listed below are only suggestions. A PTIG project may assist State agencies in making investments in systems to improve efficiency, provide excellent customer service, and meet Federal standards as they face unprecedented operational challenges. FNS welcomes other projects that support these objectives and encourages applicants to propose innovative ideas to solve both common and unique problems associated with SNAP application and eligibility processes. 1. Modernize SNAP customer service and client communication to improve accessibility, transparency, and responsiveness in processing applications and determining eligibility. 2. Improve administrative infrastructure and day-to-day SNAP operations in processing applications and determining eligibility. 3. Invest in technology and systems to encourage cross collaboration and cross enrollment between SNAP and other Federal, State, and local assistance programs. Please read the full announcement for additional details.

This grant provides funding to U.S. agricultural entities to develop and expand markets for American agricultural exports in emerging markets, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for a cooperative agreement to support, manage and facilitate Public-Private Partnerships and Collaborative activities as part of the Critical Path Initiative and to support regulatory science efforts. FDA and grantees will work together to develop innovative, collaborative projects in research, education, and outreach. These projects can help foster drug product innovation to 1) support efforts to accelerate drug product development; 2) support approaches to advanced manufacturing; 3) facilitate translation of basic science discoveries into therapeutics; and 4) facilitate approaches to enhance the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of drug products. Projects are identified by FDA. Multiple awards may be funded under this NOFO and are directly dependent on drug development priorities and subject to the availability of funding.

The 2025 Regional Agricultural Promotion Program is a financial support program that aims to boost U.S. agricultural exports and diversify markets by providing partial refunds to nonprofit agricultural organizations, cooperatives, and state agencies that carry out approved marketing activities.

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-24-NOFO0001354 Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 12, 2024. Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2024 notices of funding opportunity (NFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPPAFA-24-NOFO0001355. The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services. Using guidance contained in this notice, partners propose projects that generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource concerns in a state or multistate area by addressing one or more priority resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA). NRCS and partners collaborate to design, promote, and implement RCPP projects on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Through RCPP, NRCS may provide both financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds to project partners and agricultural producers for implementing projects. RCPP proposals are evaluated through a competitive proposal process based on three criteria: impact, partner contributions, and partnership and management. Up to $1.5 billion is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement, which includes $300 million of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding and $1.2 billion of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS will prioritize using IRA funds for projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation activities as described in section F.(3)a. of this announcement. Up to $100 million is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement. Any unused funds may be available for other partnership agreements. Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below. For More Information: Applicants are expected to contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservation questionnaire to record the results of this conversation. Proposals without a completed questionnaire may have their score and ranking reduced. A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcements posting) is on the NRCS How to Apply to RCPP web page. Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox ([email protected]) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply. 2024 RCPP NFO Applicant Outreach Webinar This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The same material will be covered at both webinars followed by a question-and-answer section. Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov) April 23, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/e2f45f75-7ea4-410b-b1c9-567537cd2454@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 May 30, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/226dcb51-0b57-43b1-b340-95e535238713@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 NRCS will schedule additional webinars on RCPP easements and providing outreach to tribal applicants. Information on all webinars will be posted to the RCPP how to apply page.

Notice of Funding Opportunity SummaryThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing potential availability of cooperative agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to assist with conducting important coastal restoration throughout Massachusetts. NRCS recognizes the importance of shellfish, salt marsh, and eelgrass restoration and the beneficial outcomes it can have on the environment and climate change. Restoration of rare and declining communities, including coastal habitats has been an underutilized practice in Massachusetts. This agreement will be used to encourage the restoration of coastal habitats through the use of this NRCS practice by conducting outreach, providing training, identifying and completing projects, and monitoring of outcomes.NRCS-Massachusetts is making a funding opportunity available for applicants to submit proposals with an award ceiling of $600,000 and a minimum project award of $300,000. NRCS will be awarding a cooperative agreement for up to a five-year period. If, in coordination with NRCS, additional resources are needed at a rate that exceeds this schedule, NRCS may add funds to this agreement to support continued partnership over the performance period.The primary goal is to expand coastal restoration to NRCS customers throughout eastern Massachusetts. The project list ranges in size from less than an acre private or leased property to several hundred-acre private properties. Applicants will identify the average number of projects they could complete with a minimum of five being acceptable for this agreement. NRCS will work with the selected applicant to make the choice of priority restoration sites each year of the agreement based on interest and need. Applicants will be required to hold 1-2 restoration trainings per year for NRCS staff and partners to expand their knowledge on the subject. Applicants should provide a list of training ideas to NRCS for the length of the agreement. Applicants will be awarded based on the specified scoring criteria in Section E of this announcement. Eligible applicants are identified in Section C of this announcement. Applicants should be familiar with all applicable state, federal, local laws, policies, and regulations that apply to coastal restoration in the locales of Massachusetts.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on June 29, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. 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 June 30, 2024, and expects to execute awards by August 15, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

This program provides funding to Wisconsin farmers and their partners to conduct research on improving nitrogen use in agriculture through collaborative field studies.