$235 Million Available for Innovative New Conservation Partnerships

Bozeman, Mont., May 4, 2015—The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is making $235 million available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Pre-proposals are due July 8, 2015.

The RCPP will competitively award funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. Eligible partners include private companies, universities, nonprofit organizations, local and tribal governments and others joining with agricultural and conservation organizations and producers to invest money, manpower and materials to their proposed initiatives.

The RCPP has three funding pools:

·       35 percent of total program funding directed to critical conservation areas, chosen by the agriculture secretary;

·       40 percent directed to regional or multi-state projects through a national competitive process;

·       25 percent directed to state-level projects through a competitive process established by NRCS state leaders.

RCPP, created by the 2014 Farm Bill, empowers local leaders to work with multiple partners—such as private companies, local and tribal governments, universities, nonprofit groups and other non-government partners—along with farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to design solutions that work best for their region. Local partners and the federal government both invest funding and manpower to projects to maximize their impact. This will be the second round of projects funded through RCPP.