Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIGOFT 26 NOFO0001447
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering the FY 2026 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials program, a competitive, discretionary grant opportunity designed to speed up real-world adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation practices on working agricultural lands. The central idea is that funded organizations do not just study conservation approaches in isolation; they actively run on-farm trials by recruiting agricultural producers, then supporting those producers with technical assistance and incentive payments so new approaches can be implemented, tested, and assessed under practical farming and ranching conditions. This program is tied to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) authority and is authorized under 16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8.
For FY 2026, NRCS is looking for proposals that address at least one of four priority areas: irrigation management technologies, new and innovative grazing land management solutions, nutrient management, and soil health demonstration trial (SHD). Projects are expected to translate innovation into measurable, on-the-ground conservation outcomes by working directly with producers and documenting results from trial implementation. Awards are structured around multi-year delivery, with projects allowed to run between 3 and 5 years, reflecting the time it can take to implement conservation systems, collect meaningful data across seasons, and evaluate performance across varying conditions.
Funding is substantial in 2026, with up to $50 million available nationally for On-Farm Trials. NRCS expects to make about 30 awards, and the maximum (award ceiling) per award is $5,000,000. The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity falls under CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.941, with activity areas spanning agriculture, environment, and natural resources. While the notice does not guarantee the number or size of awards, these figures give a clear sense of scale and competitiveness.
Eligibility is broad across public, nonprofit, academic, tribal, and private-sector entities, as long as the applicant can credibly recruit and manage a network of producer participants. Eligible applicant types include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); and small businesses. There are also specific eligibility clarifications: for-profit entities may apply if their primary business is related to agriculture, and nonprofit entities may apply if they have experience working with agricultural producers. A key operational requirement is that the applicant must already have access to a producer network and must be prepared to recruit producers without NRCS help, since NRCS will not assist with producer recruitment for On-Farm Trials projects.
Several applicant categories are explicitly ineligible. These include foreign organizations and foreign public entities, individuals, and so-called "partnerships" or similar groupings submitting a joint application. The application must be submitted by a single entity, although collaborators can still participate as subrecipients under that primary applicant. In practice, this means one lead organization is responsible for the proposal, project management, producer recruitment, reporting, and compliance, even if multiple organizations contribute to implementation.
The application must be submitted through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 27, 2026. NRCS is also offering an applicant webinar on June 17, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time via Microsoft Teams, with access details provided at: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d5892e45-05fb-40de-999b-a431e3871963@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697. NRCS anticipates making selections in the 4th quarter of calendar year 2026 and executing awards in the 4th quarter of calendar year 2026 as well, though the agency notes these timing estimates may change.
For reference and tracking, the official listing includes the Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS NHQ CIGOFT 26 NOFO0001447, titled "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for fiscal year (FY) 2026," with an original closing date of 2026-07-27 and a posting/creation date of 2026-05-26.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CIGOFT 26 NOFO0001447
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for fiscal year (FY) 2026" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.941.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-27. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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FY 2026 NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials - FAQs
1. What is this grant opportunity?
This is the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) FY 2026 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials program. It is a competitive, discretionary grant opportunity focused on speeding up real-world adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation practices on working agricultural lands.
2. What is the main purpose of the On-Farm Trials program?
The program is designed to move beyond studying conservation ideas in isolation. Funded organizations are expected to run practical, on-farm trials by recruiting agricultural producers and supporting them with technical assistance and incentive payments so the new approaches can be implemented, tested, and assessed under real farming and ranching conditions.
3. How is this program related to EQIP?
The On-Farm Trials program is tied to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) authority and is authorized under 16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8.
4. What priority areas must a proposal address?
For FY 2026, NRCS is looking for proposals that address at least one of these four priority areas:
- Irrigation management technologies
- New and innovative grazing land management solutions
- Nutrient management
- Soil health demonstration trial (SHD)
5. Does a proposal have to cover all four priority areas?
No. Proposals are expected to address at least one of the four priority areas.
6. What kinds of activities are expected in funded projects?
Projects are expected to translate innovation into measurable, on-the-ground conservation outcomes by working directly with producers and documenting results from trial implementation. A central expectation is that applicants will recruit producers and deliver trials under practical conditions, rather than limiting work to research-only settings.
7. How long can projects run?
Projects may run between 3 and 5 years. This multi-year structure reflects the time needed to implement conservation systems, collect meaningful data across seasons, and evaluate performance across different conditions.
8. How much funding is available for FY 2026?
NRCS indicates that up to $50 million is available nationally for FY 2026 On-Farm Trials.
9. How many awards does NRCS expect to make?
NRCS expects to make about 30 awards, though the notice indicates these figures are estimates and not guarantees.
10. What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $5,000,000 per award.
11. Is NRCS guaranteeing the total number or size of awards?
No. The notice states the number and size of awards are not guaranteed, even though NRCS provides estimates for planning purposes.
12. What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
13. What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.941.
14. What activity areas does this opportunity fall under?
The activity areas include agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
15. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad, provided the applicant can credibly recruit and manage a network of producer participants. Eligible applicant types include:
- State, county, and local governments
- Special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
- Nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- For-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
16. Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit entities may apply if their primary business is related to agriculture.
17. Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit entities may apply if they have experience working with agricultural producers.
18. What is the producer recruitment expectation for applicants?
The applicant must already have access to a producer network and must be prepared to recruit participating producers without NRCS assistance. NRCS will not assist with producer recruitment for On-Farm Trials projects.
19. Who is not eligible to apply?
The notice lists several explicitly ineligible applicant categories, including:
- Foreign organizations and foreign public entities
- Individuals
- "Partnerships" or similar groupings submitting a joint application
20. Can multiple organizations apply together as a partnership?
No. A joint application submitted by a partnership or similar grouping is listed as ineligible. The application must be submitted by a single entity.
21. Can collaborators still participate if only one entity applies?
Yes. While the application must be submitted by a single lead entity, collaborators can participate as subrecipients under the primary applicant.
22. What is the role of the lead applicant if there are subrecipients?
The lead organization is responsible for the proposal, project management, producer recruitment, reporting, and compliance, even if multiple organizations contribute to implementation.
23. How and where do applicants submit an application?
Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.
24. What is the application deadline?
The application must be submitted through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 27, 2026.
25. Is there an applicant webinar?
Yes. NRCS is offering an applicant webinar on June 17, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time via Microsoft Teams.
26. Where can applicants find the webinar access details?
The webinar access details are provided at: https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d5892e45-05fb-40de-999b-a431e3871963@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697
27. When does NRCS expect to announce selections?
NRCS anticipates making selections in the 4th quarter of calendar year 2026, though the timing estimate may change.
28. When does NRCS expect to execute awards?
NRCS anticipates executing awards in the 4th quarter of calendar year 2026, though the timing estimate may change.
29. What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NRCS NHQ CIGOFT 26 NOFO0001447.
30. What is the official title of the funding opportunity?
The listing is titled: "Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for fiscal year (FY) 2026."
31. When was this opportunity posted, and what is the listed closing date?
The posting/creation date is 2026-05-26, and the original closing date is 2026-07-27.
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