Regional Conservation Partnership Program

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Purpose

To advance partner-driven solutions to conservation on agricultural land.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

Proposed projects must generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource objectives in a State/multistate area or address one or more primary resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA).

Decarbonization Considerations

Climate-smart agriculture is listed as a priority for the 2023 RCPP applications. Consider co-locating renewable energy with active agricultural land, such as agrivoltaics that strategically leverage solar panels to increase shade and reduce water consumption on-site. For additional information, see here: https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/articles/potential-agrivoltaics-us-solar-industry-farmers-and-communities

Equity Considerations

See the "Equity Design Considerations for Federal Funding" for general considerations and additional sector-based resources: https://cityrenewables.org/resources/equity-design-considerations-for-federal-funding/

Helpful Tips

At least four weeks prior to the application deadline, and before starting an application in the RCPP portal or grants.gov, eligible entities interested in applying to RCPP are advised to request a meeting with the appropriate NRCS State RCPP coordinator(s).

Other Notes

For 2023 awardees, see here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/rcpp-regional-conservation-partnership-program/regional-conservation