Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ VPA HIP 19 GEN0010429
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released a competitive funding opportunity for Federal fiscal year 2020 under the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). The purpose of this grant program is to help State and Tribal Governments create new, or strengthen existing, public access programs that encourage private landowners and land operators to voluntarily open working lands like farms, ranches, and forests for public use. The access being promoted is specifically tied to wildlife-dependent recreation, with hunting, fishing, and related outdoor activities emphasized as core outcomes.
NRCS made up to $50 million available under this competition, with an expected total of about 30 awards. Individual awards are capped at $3,000,000, and projects can last for as long as three years. A notable feature of the program is that it allows a portion of each award to support habitat work: up to 25 percent of the funds in any single grant can be used as incentives to improve wildlife habitat on lands that are enrolled in the public access program. In practice, this means recipients can pair access expansion with targeted habitat improvements, as long as those improvements are tied to the enrolled access lands and align with the program's objectives.
Eligibility is limited to governmental applicants: State governments and Native American tribal entities are the intended applicants, and the opportunity is structured so that only State and Tribal Government programs can compete for and administer these funds. The grants are discretionary and issued as standard grants (not loans or cooperative agreements as the primary instrument). The funding activity falls under agriculture, environment, and natural resources, and it is associated with CFDA number 10.093.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, with a firm deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 27, 2019. NRCS also scheduled an informational webinar for potential applicants on October 10, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, intended to walk through the competition and help applicants understand expectations, submission steps, and program priorities. The official posting lists the opportunity as "Notice of Funding Opportunity for NRCS' Voluntary Public Access - Habitat Incentives Program competition for FY 2020" with the funding opportunity number USDA NRCS NHQ VPA HIP 19 GEN0010429, originally posted on September 27, 2019, and directs applicants to the full opportunity announcement for complete requirements and guidance.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ VPA HIP 19 GEN0010429
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Funding Opportunity for NRCS’ Voluntary Public Access- Habitat Incentives Program competition for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.093.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 27, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 27, 2019 Applications must be received by 1159 p.m. Eastern time on November 27, 2019.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) funding opportunity?
It is a competitive grant opportunity released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for Federal fiscal year 2020. The program funds State and Tribal Government efforts to create new, or strengthen existing, public access programs that encourage private landowners and land operators to voluntarily open working lands for public use tied to wildlife-dependent recreation.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The purpose is to help State and Tribal Governments expand or improve public access programs that motivate private landowners and land operators to voluntarily provide public access to working lands (such as farms, ranches, and forests), specifically to support wildlife-dependent recreation.
What kinds of public activities is the program designed to support?
The program emphasizes wildlife-dependent recreation, with hunting, fishing, and related outdoor activities identified as core intended outcomes of the access being promoted.
What types of land are referenced as "working lands" for this program?
The opportunity highlights working lands such as farms, ranches, and forests that are privately operated, and that may be opened for public use on a voluntary basis by landowners and land operators.
Who is eligible to apply for these grants?
Eligibility is limited to governmental applicants. The intended applicants are State governments and Native American tribal entities, and the competition is structured so only State and Tribal Government programs can compete for and administer these funds.
Are private landowners or nonprofit organizations eligible to apply directly?
Based on the opportunity description provided, eligibility is limited to State governments and Native American tribal entities. The program focuses on encouraging private landowners and operators to provide access, but the applicants themselves must be State or Tribal Government entities.
How much total funding was made available for FY 2020 under this competition?
NRCS made up to $50 million available under the FY 2020 VPA-HIP competition.
How many awards did NRCS expect to make?
The opportunity indicated an expected total of about 30 awards.
What is the maximum award amount for an individual grant?
Individual awards are capped at $3,000,000.
How long can projects last under this grant?
Projects can last for as long as three years.
Can grant funds be used for wildlife habitat improvements?
Yes. A notable feature of this program is that it allows a portion of each award to support habitat work as incentives tied to lands enrolled in the public access program.
How much of a grant can be used for habitat incentives?
Up to 25 percent of the funds in any single grant can be used as incentives to improve wildlife habitat on lands that are enrolled in the public access program.
Do habitat improvements have to be connected to the lands enrolled for public access?
Yes. The description indicates habitat incentives must be for lands enrolled in the public access program and should align with the program objectives, pairing access expansion with targeted habitat improvements on the enrolled access lands.
Is this opportunity a grant, a loan, or a cooperative agreement?
The awards are discretionary and issued as standard grants (not loans). The description also notes that grants, rather than cooperative agreements, are the primary instrument.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 10.093.
What topic areas does this funding opportunity fall under?
The funding activity falls under agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
What is the official title of the opportunity?
The official posting lists the opportunity as "Notice of Funding Opportunity for NRCS' Voluntary Public Access - Habitat Incentives Program competition for FY 2020."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NRCS NHQ VPA HIP 19 GEN0010429.
When was the opportunity originally posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on September 27, 2019.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
What was the application deadline?
The deadline was 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 27, 2019.
Was there an informational webinar for potential applicants?
Yes. NRCS scheduled an informational webinar intended to walk through the competition, including expectations, submission steps, and program priorities.
When did the informational webinar take place?
The webinar was scheduled for October 10, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Where should applicants look for complete requirements and guidance?
The posting directs applicants to the full opportunity announcement for complete requirements and guidance.
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