USDA-NRCS-NHQ-REJ-21-NOFO0001121: Conservation Outreach: Racial Equity and Justice Conservation Cooperative Agreements
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Natural Resources Conservation Service notices from 2021.
Natural Resources Conservation Service offered grants of up to $1.0 million (at least $100,000) to nonprofits, colleges and universities, tribes and individuals. It expected to make $50.0 million in total. Applications closed on October 25, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed September 13, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$1.0 million
- Award floor$100,000
- Total funding$50.0 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | August 25, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | October 25, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 24, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, tribes and individuals.
All 6 applicant types the notice lists
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Individuals
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Soil and Water Conservation awards averaged $601,371; this notice allows up to $1.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (52% over five years) went to nonprofits.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Updated on 09/13/2021 to include webinar information below Funding Opportunity Summary (For more information, download from the Related Documents tab of this opportunity the Request for Applications (RFA) titled "Request for Applications_USDA-NRCS-NHQ-REJ-21-NOFO0001121") The Office of Outreach and Partnerships Division (OPD) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all NRCS customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching the underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and landowners. In this Request for Applications (RFA), NRCS requests applications for four OPD priority areas through the Racial Equity and Justice Conservation Cooperative Agreements. The goal of this outreach is for NRCS in collaboration with partners to expand the delivery of conservation assistance to historically underserved farmers and ranchers, including socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning, tribal and veteran. Proposals should support activities that introduce the concepts of climate-smart agriculture and to assist producers with planning and implementation of conservation practices and principles. In accordance with 2 CFR §415.1(d), this is a non-competitive RFA restricted to eligible entities listed in section C.1. NRCS has determined that noncompetitive awards under this RFA are in the best interest of the Government and necessary to the accomplishment of the goals of the program to provide outreach and technical assistance to historically underserved communities. The anticipated amount for cooperative agreements under this solicitation is approximately $50 million in fiscal year (FY) 2022. Key Dates This RFA solicits applications for eligible entities to enter into cooperative agreements with NRCS. Applications must be received by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time on October 25, 2021. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding. Webinar Updated on 09/13/2021: Webinar will conducted on September 24, 2021 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm ET. Participants can join the webinar using this link https://usdanrcs.adobeconnect.com/rqr7a4l864zr/ Individuals wanting to participate in the webinar are asked to send an email to NRCS-DCWA2-Outreach-and-Partnership-Division@USDA.GOV . Entering Webinar in the Subject line of the email is all that’s needed for indicating interest in participating.
Who has won Soil and Water Conservation grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Soil and Water Conservation (10.902) awarded $1.5 billion across 2,560 grant awards, an average of $601,371 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Association of Conservation Districts | District of Columbia | 11 | $119 million |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | District of Columbia | 15 | $89.5 million |
| Pheasants Forever, Inc. | Minnesota | 28 | $44.8 million |
| Whiteriver Regional Irrigation | Arkansas | 2 | $43.2 million |
| The American Farmland Trust | District of Columbia | 16 | $32.6 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is USDA-NRCS-NHQ-REJ-21-NOFO0001121 still open?
No. It closed on October 25, 2021.
Who can apply for Conservation Outreach: Racial Equity and Justice Conservation Cooperative Agreements?
Natural Resources Conservation Service accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, tribes and individuals.
What is the deadline for Conservation Outreach: Racial Equity and Justice Conservation Cooperative Agreements?
Closed October 25, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $1.0 million each. About $50.0 million in total.
Who has won Soil and Water Conservation grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were National Association of Conservation Districts, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Inc. The program made 2,560 awards worth $1.5 billion in that time.
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