Pacific Islands Area Fiscal Year 2022 Conservation Solutions Through Strategic Partnerships Notice of Funding Opportunity | USDA NRCS HI MULTI 22 NOFO0001171

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS HI MULTI 22 NOFO0001171

The Pacific Islands Area Fiscal Year 2022 Conservation Solutions Through Strategic Partnerships Notice of Funding Opportunity is a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Pacific Islands Area (PIA). Its purpose is to fund partner-led projects that deliver on-the-ground conservation solutions and related activities across Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). NRCS is looking to work through strategic partnerships to address priority natural resource concerns identified by the agency (referenced as being detailed in Section A of the full notice), using cooperative agreements as the main award instrument.

This opportunity is tied to multiple NRCS conservation assistance listings (CFDA/Assistance Listings) found on SAM.gov, specifically: 10.902 Soil and Water Conservation (CTA), 10.912 Environmental Quality Incentives Program, 10.917 Agricultural Management Assistance, and 10.924 Conservation Stewardship Program. In practical terms, that means proposed projects should align with NRCS conservation objectives such as improving soil health, protecting and managing water resources, strengthening agricultural and working lands conservation, and supporting stewardship approaches that keep conservation benefits in place over time. While the notice text provided does not list the specific priorities, it makes clear that proposals will be evaluated against those NRCS-identified priorities for the Pacific Islands Area.

NRCS anticipated approximately $1,000,000 total in awards under this announcement for federal fiscal year 2022, with an expected number of awards around 7. Individual awards were expected to fall between a federal funding floor of $60,000 and a ceiling of $500,000 (these figures refer to the total federal share per agreement across the full project period, not per year). Applicants could propose either single-year or multi-year projects, with a maximum project length of five years. The notice also warns that it was released prior to final appropriation/apportionment of FY2022 funds, meaning final funding availability and amounts could be affected by continuing resolutions or a final appropriations act.

Eligible applicants include a broad set of government, nonprofit, and higher-education entities: state or territorial governments, city and county governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category). Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, and the agency emphasized that applications would be screened for completeness and compliance with the notice requirements before being advanced for competitive review. Incomplete or noncompliant submissions would be removed from consideration.

Key administrative dates were clearly laid out. The application deadline was May 27, 2022 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time via Grants.gov, with Grants.gov Applicant Support designated for technical submission issues. NRCS also scheduled an informational webinar for prospective applicants on April 19, 2022 at 1:30 pm Hawaii Standard Time via Microsoft Teams, with an accommodation contact provided for participants with disabilities. The agency projected (as estimates) that selections would be made by July 1, 2022 and that awards would be executed by September 15, 2022, noting that these timelines could change.

Finally, NRCS highlighted that this funding is federal financial assistance and encouraged prospective applicants, especially those newer to federal grants management, to complete the free "Grants 101" training hosted at cfo.gov. That training covers major compliance areas that commonly matter for awardees, including governing laws and regulations, assistance mechanisms, Uniform Guidance administrative requirements, federal cost principles, and risk management and single audit considerations. This emphasis signals that successful applicants should be prepared not only to deliver conservation outcomes, but also to manage federal funds and reporting requirements responsibly under standard federal assistance rules.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pacific Islands Area Fiscal Year 2022 Conservation Solutions Through Strategic Partnerships Notice of Funding Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 08, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 27, 2022. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA NRCS HI MULTI 22 NOFO0001171

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