Regional Conservation Partnership Program

 

To further the conservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of soil, water (including sources of drinking water and groundwater), wildlife, agricultural land, and related natural resources on eligible land on a regional or watershed scale based on Partner lead strategies and goals. To encourage eligible partners to cooperate with producers in implementing projects that will result in the adoption, installation, and maintenance of eligible activities that affect multiple agricultural or nonindustrial private forest operations on a local, regional, State, or multistate basis. To encourage the flexible and streamlined delivery of conservation assistance to producers through partnership agreements. To engage producers and eligible partners in conservation projects to achieve greater conservation outcomes and benefits for producers than would otherwise be achieved.

Active 10.932 Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants; Z - Salaries and Expenses Not applicable. Food Security Act of 1985, Title XII, Part Subtitle I, Public Law 99-198
The Agricultural Act of 2014, Section 2401, Public Law 113-79
as amended by, Agriculture Act of 2018, Part Subtitle G, Section 2701-2707, Public Law 115-334 Producers in an approved partner project area who have priority resource concerns related to soil, water, and related natural resources, or who need assistance with complying with Federal and State environment laws. A participant may be an owner, landlord, operator, or tenant of eligible agricultural lands or non-industrial forestlands. Limited resource producers, small-scale producers, social disadvantaged individuals, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, Alaska natives, and Pacific Islanders are encouraged to apply. To be eligible the agricultural producers participating within an approved project area must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions and in compliance with the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) payment limitations. Partnering entities must prove their eligibility by providing documents indicating their legal status and agree to provide such information to NRCS as the agency deems necessary or desirable to assist in its determination of eligibility for program benefits and for other program implementation purposes. To be eligible to participate, a producer must be within an approved project area, must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions (7 CFR part 12), and must be in compliance with the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) payment limitations (7 CFR part 1400). To be eligible as a Partner, for a Programmatic Agreement, you must be one of the following: An agricultural or silvicultural producer association or other group of producers, a state or unit of local government, an Indian tribe, a farmer cooperative, a water district, irrigation district, acequia, rural water district or association, or other organization with specific water delivery authority to agricultural producers, municipal water or wastewater treatment entity, Institution of Higher Education, an organization or entity with an established history of working cooperatively with producers on ag land, an entity, such as Indian tribe, State government, local government or a nongovernmental organization that has a farmland or grassland protection program that purchases agricultural land easements, and a Conservation District. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. For each program year the Natural Resources Conservation Service issues an announcement of program funding (APF) through the Grants.gov website. Application procedures are outlined in the APF. For each program year, the Natural Resource Conservation Service issues an announcement of program funding. Application procedures are outlined in the APF. Deadlines for proposals for partnership agreements identified in applicable notices of availability of funding. Deadlines for producer applications under a partnership agreement identified in the partnership agreement and posted by the partner and NRCS on applicable websites and through other publications. For each program year, the Natural Resource Conservation Service issues an announcement of program funding. Application procedures are outlined in the APF. A partner may not appeal any adverse determination to the Chief of the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The agency decision for development and submission of a full proposal is final and there is no appeal process, or opportunity for reconsideration. This is included in the APF. Producers participating in RCPP in an approved project area may appeal an adverse determination through appeal process under 7 CFR parts 11 and 614. A partnership agreement shall not exceed five years. NRCS may extend a partnership agreement for one time for up to 12 months. Renewal opportunities exist. Applications will be evaluated against the following four standards: Solutions 25 percent, Contributions 25 percent, Innovation 25 percent and Participation 25 percent. Technical assistance is provided for conservation planning, design and implementation of conservation practices for eligible participants. Financial assistance is provided to producers for implementation of conservation activities. Not applicable. Natural Resources Conservation Service makes periodic random reviews of the operation and maintenance of the contract items. Partnership Agreement copies are maintained in National Headquarters, Washington, DC and official Partnership Agreements are maintained in State and producer contracts and agreements in the local NRCS office and Federal record centers for specified number of years. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Eligible partners enter into multi-year partnership agreements, not to exceed five years, with NRCS to promote conservation and address resource concerns on eligible agricultural lands. RCPP is intended to leverage investment in natural resources conservation along with services and non-Federal resources of other eligible partners. Identified in partnership agreement. For more information on this and other related conservation programs, consult the local telephone directory where your land is located for location of the USDA service center. For a list of NRCS State offices with telephone numbers and addresses, information is available on the internet at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/. Kari Cohen, Branch Chief, Program Projects Branch, Financial Assistance Programs Division
Natural Resources Conservation Service
1400 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250 US
kari.cohen@usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-6037
Fax: (202) 720-4265 http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/farmbill/rcpp 12-1004-0-1-302 (Salaries and Expenses) FY 18$30,950,000.00; FY 19 est $117,703,000.00; FY 20 est $123,654,000.00; FY 17$25,778,000.00; FY 16$34,646,000.00; - (Cooperative Agreements) FY 18$41,903,000.00; FY 19 est $274,639,000.00; FY 20 est $288,527,000.00; FY 17$26,574,000.00; FY 16$24,507,000.00; - There is no minimum amount and the maximum amount for any fiscal year will be established by the Chief of NRCS. Regulations for the program will be promulgated at 7 CFR part 1464. Related program manuals, handbooks and leaflets are issued by NRCS. Not applicable.