Conservation Innovation Grants

• nrcs
• conservation
• innovation

What are Conservation Innovation Grants?

NRCS describes CIG as a competitive program that supports the development and adoption of new conservation approaches, technologies and ways of working with producers. The idea is to try something new, learn from it, and share what works.

NRCS runs national and state-level CIG competitions. The notices describe priorities, eligible applicants and how much of the project must be paid by the applicant, so read the current one carefully.

Past awards have funded a wide range of projects, so NRCS state pages and announcements of funded projects are a good way to see what has been selected before. Read a few to learn the scale and style.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants described in NRCS notices have commonly included state and local governments, tribes, nonprofits, universities and private entities, and individuals can qualify in some notices. Always confirm in the current announcement.

Many strong proposals come from partnerships. A nonprofit or university may manage the paperwork while a group of farms test the new approach on real fields.

Check whether a notice is for a national competition or a state one. State competitions often have a narrower focus tied to local resource concerns, and may be easier for a first-time applicant to understand.

How does a farmer take part?

If you like trying new things, tell your NRCS office and your conservation district. Staff and partner groups know which CIG teams are forming and need farms to host trials.

As a participant you may be asked to change a practice on part of your land, keep records and allow visits. Ask what the project pays for, what it requires of you and what happens if results are poor.

Before agreeing, visit with the lead partner and ask for a one-page summary of the project goal, timeline and your role. A clear summary is a good sign that the team is organized.

• Host a field trial
• Share records and results
• Join a producer advisory group
• Speak at field days

What makes a CIG proposal competitive?

Reviewers look for ideas that are truly new for the area, a way to measure results and a clear plan to spread what is learned. A project that repeats a well-known practice with no new twist usually does not score well.

A strong plan explains how the idea reduces a specific resource concern, such as erosion, nutrient loss or water use, and how producers will adopt it after the project ends.

Strong teams also describe how they will share results. Field days, short videos, fact sheets and presentations to conservation districts are common ways to spread findings to other farms.

What about matching funds and budgets?

CIG notices have described requirements that applicants contribute matching resources. The type of match allowed, and how to document it, are set in the notice, so confirm before you build a budget.

A clean budget lists each cost by category, ties it to a task and shows where the match comes from. Do not guess. Ask NRCS if a cost is unclear.

If your organization is small, consider partnering with a university or a conservation district that already manages federal awards. Federal grant management has strict rules, and experience helps.

What should you watch out for?

Be careful about agreeing to put your own land at risk without written terms. Ask who pays if a trial lowers your yield, who owns the data and how your information will be shared.

Also be alert to anyone who charges for access to federal grant information or promises a guaranteed award. Notices are posted publicly by NRCS and on the federal grants portal, free of charge.

How should you prepare if you want to apply?

Begin by writing one page that states the resource concern, the new idea and how you will measure whether it works. If you cannot do that in a page, the idea probably needs more thought.

Then register in the federal systems the notice requires, which can take weeks. Build your partner list, gather letters and get cost quotes. Ask NRCS staff whether a pre-application conversation is allowed, and follow the notice rules about contact.

• A one-page concept summary
• Letters from partners and farms
• Quotes for major costs
• Registration in required federal systems

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Money & Grants Editorial Team. Educational only, not tax, legal or financial advice. See our editorial policy.