FY 2023 Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements

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The primary goal of this outreach opportunity is for NRCS, in collaboration with partners, to expand conservation assistance to historically underserved producers and underserved communities and to provide opportunities for students to pursue careers in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. In this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO), NRCS requests proposals addressing priority areas listed under “Program Description” in this NFO (see section A). Projects should support outreach activities that encourage diverse and inclusive participation in NRCS programs and introduce conservation planning and climate smart practices to protect farmland ecosystems, watersheds, and wildlife habitat in geographical areas of underserved communities ranging from rural agriculture to urban and small acreage producers. This NFO is being released prior to appropriation and apportionment of funds for fiscal year 2023. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The NRCS’s Outreach and Partnerships Division provides leadership to ensure that access to all programs and services is fair and equitable, with attention given to reaching historically underserved producers and underserved communities. This a noncompetitive NFO restricted to the eligible applicants listed in section C.1. NRCS has determined that noncompetitive awards under this NFO are in the best interest of the Government and necessary to accomplishing the goals of the program to provide outreach and technical assistance to historically underserved producers and underserved communities. Applicants must submit their applications by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 4/27/2023 in an email sent to sm.fpac.nrcs.dcwa2.opd_applications@usda.gov . For inquiries about the NFO requirements, contact the Federal awarding agency (see section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to clarifying specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. A minimum of three webinars will be available for potential applicants. Webinar information will be posted to the following website https:// www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/partner-with- us/outreach-and-partnerships/equity-in-conservation-cooperative-agreements-2023 .

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