Conservation Innovation Grants Fiscal Year 2013 Announcement for Federal Funding

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The Conservation Innovation Grants program (CIG) was authorized as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) {16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8} under Section 2509 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246). The Secretary of Agriculture delegated the authority for the administration of EQIP and CIG to the State Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who is Vice President of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). EQIP is funded and administered by NRCS under the authorities of the CCC. The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches into NRCS policy, technical manuals, guides, and references, or to the private sector. CIG does not fund research projects and projects intended to test hypotheses do not qualify for a CIG award. CIG is used to apply or demonstrate previously proven technology. It is a vehicle to stimulate development and adoption of conservation approaches or technologies that have been studied sufficiently to indicate a high likelihood of success, and that are a candidate for eventual technology transfer to or institutionalization. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users. CIG funds projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations.South Carolina NRCS will accept applications under this notice for single or multi-year projects, not to exceed 3 years, submitted by eligible entities from South Carolina for the projects within South Carolina. Eligible entities include Federally recognized Indian tribes, State and local units of government, and non-governmental organizations and individuals. Applications are accepted from all SC conservation partners, county conservation districts, local government, non-government entities, and individuals. Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete applications will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be mailed to the applicant. Complete applications received by applicable deadlines will be evaluated by a technical peer review panel based on the Application Evaluation Criteria identified in the application instructions in Section V(B). Applications, along with their associated technical peer review, will then be forwarded to the Review Board. The Review Board will make recommeandations for project approval to the NRCS State Conservationist, who will make the final determination. For the purposes of CIG, the proposed innovative project or activity must encompass the development, demonstration, evaluation, implementation, and monitoring of: 1. Conservation adoption approaches or incentive systems; or 2. Promising conservation technologies, practices, systems, procedures, or approaches, or 3. Environmental soundness with goals of environmental protection and natural resource enhancement.To be given priority consideration, the innovative project or activity must comply with all federal, state, and local regulations throughout the duration of the project and should: 1. Make use of a proven technology or a technology that that has been studied sufficiently to indicate a high probability for success. 2. Demonstrate and verify environmental (soil, water, air, plants, energy, and animal) effectiveness, utility, affordability, and usability of conservation technology in that field; 3. Adapt conservation technologies, management, practices, systems, procedures, approaches, and incentive systems to improve performance and encourage adoption; 4. Introduce conservation systems, approaches, and procedures from another geographic area or agricultural sector, or 5. Demonstrate transferability of knowledge. For FY 2013 SC NRCS will consider proposals that demonstrate the use of innovative technologies and/or approaches to address at least one topics listed below:Categories: 1. Nutrient Management2. Energy Conservation 3. Soil Health 4. Wildlife 5. Water Management 6. Farm Bill Program Outreach 7. Air Quality 8. Silvo-pasture.

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