Environmental Quality Incentives Program (10.912)
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (Assistance Listing 10.912) is run by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $496 million in 859 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $577,615 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $199,647. Half of the 859 awards fell between $75,000 and $560,595, and they ranged from $500 to $75.0 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$496 million
- Grant awards859
- Typical award$199,647
- Awarded in FY 2025$25.0 million
- Size rank375 of 1824
- Type of assistanceDirect payments for specified use
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $79.3 million in fiscal 2021 to $25.0 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 375th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 45% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 52 states and territories.
What the program funds
EQIP promotes agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible national goals and optimizes environmental benefits on eligible land with farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest land owners. It is a voluntary program using partnerships with local, State, Tribal and Federal agencies, producer associations, and nonprofit organizations to provide flexible technical and financial assistance to implement and maintain structural, vegetative, and land management conservation practices, including practices related to organic production.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Agricultural producers who face serious threats 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.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Technical assistance is provided for conservation planning, design and implementation of conservation practices for eligible participants. Financial assistance is provided for implementation of structural, vegetative and land management practices. Payments may be made to implement one or more eligible structural, vegetative, and land management conservation practices. Fifty percent of the funding available for assistance shall be targeted at practices relating to livestock production. Ten percent of the funding available for assistance shall be targeted at practices relating to wildlife habitat.
Matching requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 7, Part 1466, Subpart A,Public Law 115-334.No additional information.Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Total EQIP conservation payments are limited to $450,000 in financial assistance per person or legal entity for contracts entered into between fiscal years 2019 through 2024, regardless of the number of contracts. Average contract obligation in FY 2024 is approx. $58,000.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (10.912) awarded$496 million across 859 grant awards, an average of $577,615 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 53% of the money, colleges and universities 28% and state and local governments 13%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 398 | $262 million | 53% |
| Colleges and universities | 229 | $138 million | 28% |
| State and local governments | 146 | $63.4 million | 13% |
| Small businesses | 55 | $20.8 million | 4.2% |
| Other | 7 | $8.0 million | 1.6% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 10 | $2.3 million | 0.5% |
| Businesses | 9 | $1.3 million | 0.3% |
| Individuals | 5 | $319,041 | less than 0.1% |
By state
48 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 23 | $77.3 million |
| Virginia | 71 | $59.5 million |
| Mississippi | 41 | $25.8 million |
| Texas | 34 | $20.9 million |
| California | 73 | $19.6 million |
| South Carolina | 31 | $18.3 million |
| Colorado | 17 | $18.0 million |
| Arkansas | 39 | $14.4 million |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | $14.2 million |
| Minnesota | 26 | $14.0 million |
| New York | 21 | $12.6 million |
| North Carolina | 14 | $12.1 million |
| Hawaii | 16 | $11.9 million |
| Georgia | 56 | $11.6 million |
| Wisconsin | 16 | $11.0 million |
| Michigan | 18 | $10.7 million |
| Oregon | 24 | $10.3 million |
| Alabama | 26 | $8.3 million |
| Montana | 8 | $8.1 million |
| Indiana | 9 | $7.7 million |
| Florida | 22 | $7.5 million |
| Iowa | 17 | $7.3 million |
| Louisiana | 15 | $6.9 million |
| Illinois | 5 | $6.5 million |
| Maryland | 14 | $5.8 million |
| New Mexico | 7 | $5.5 million |
| South Dakota | 8 | $5.3 million |
| Tennessee | 12 | $5.1 million |
| Nebraska | 8 | $4.8 million |
| Washington | 5 | $4.6 million |
| Vermont | 10 | $4.3 million |
| Ohio | 7 | $4.1 million |
| Arizona | 4 | $4.0 million |
| Kentucky | 6 | $4.0 million |
| Kansas | 7 | $3.7 million |
| Missouri | 13 | $3.5 million |
| Puerto Rico | 21 | $3.4 million |
| Utah | 5 | $3.1 million |
| Oklahoma | 8 | $2.7 million |
| North Dakota | 5 | $2.4 million |
| Maine | 16 | $2.4 million |
| Idaho | 13 | $2.3 million |
| New Jersey | 8 | $2.0 million |
| West Virginia | 4 | $1.8 million |
| Massachusetts | 7 | $1.7 million |
| Wyoming | 8 | $1.7 million |
| Alaska | 5 | $1.5 million |
| Connecticut | 7 | $1.0 million |
| Rhode Island | 5 | $621,714 |
| Nevada | 2 | $185,488 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | $175,000 |
| Guam | 1 | $74,961 |