Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225
The Community Agriculture Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225) is a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is structured as a cooperative agreement and is designed to push conservation planning and hands-on conservation practice demonstrations in urban, suburban, and other small-scale agricultural settings. The program places particular priority on proposals that either launch new community gardens or strengthen, expand, and improve existing community agriculture efforts, with the expectation that projects will produce clear, real-world conservation benefits while also delivering education and community value.
At its core, the grant is looking for projects that do more than simply grow food. Competitive proposals are expected to build conservation learning experiences for urban, suburban, and Tribal communities, meaning the work should include a strong education or demonstration component that helps people understand and adopt conservation practices. The program also directly targets community needs tied to food access, encouraging applicants to design projects that address food desert concerns. In addition, it explicitly supports Tribal priorities by encouraging projects that advance Tribal food sovereignty, which generally means strengthening a Tribe's ability to control and shape its own food systems in ways that align with community goals, culture, and long-term resilience. Across all project types, NRCS emphasizes positive and measurable natural resource conservation outcomes, so proposals should be prepared to define what will improve (for example, soil health, water quality, stormwater management, erosion reduction, habitat benefits, or reduced runoff) and how those improvements will be measured and documented.
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov, with a stated deadline of 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 7, 2023. The notice makes a clear distinction between technical help and programmatic questions: technical issues with the Grants.gov platform are handled only by Grants.gov Applicant Support (1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov), and agency staff are not able to assist with Grants.gov account problems. For questions about the content of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO), applicants are directed to the federal awarding agency contact listed in Section G, and questions are expected to be narrowly focused on clarifying details in the NFO itself (such as dates, page references, or discrepancies), not on whether an applicant is eligible or whether a particular project idea is strong.
Funding levels for individual awards were expected to range from a federal share minimum (floor) of $5,000 up to a maximum (ceiling) of $250,000 per agreement, with those figures applying to the total award amount rather than being tied to a specific budget period. The agency expected to make about 10 awards. The timeline provided indicated anticipated selections by September 1, 2023, with awards expected to be executed by September 30, 2023, though the notice notes these dates are estimates and can change.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and community-serving entities. Eligible applicants listed in the notice include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category). The program is associated with CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.902 and falls under the agriculture, environment, and natural resources funding activity areas.
Because this opportunity is federal financial assistance, the notice also points applicants toward foundational training on how federal grants work. It recommends the free "Grants 101" training available through the CFO.gov grants training site (https://www.cfo.gov/grants-training/). The training covers the basic structure and expectations behind federal assistance, including laws and regulations, common funding mechanisms, the Uniform Guidance administrative requirements, cost principles, and risk management and single audit topics. This emphasis is a signal that applicants should be ready to follow federal compliance and reporting expectations typical of financial assistance awards, and to manage funds with appropriate documentation and oversight.Apply for USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Agriculture Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 07, 2023. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Community Agriculture Grants (USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225) - FAQs
What is the Community Agriculture Grants opportunity?
The Community Agriculture Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225) is a discretionary federal funding program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is offered as a cooperative agreement and focuses on advancing conservation planning and hands-on conservation practice demonstrations in urban, suburban, and other small-scale agricultural settings.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The program is designed to support projects that generate clear, real-world natural resource conservation benefits while also delivering education and community value. Competitive projects are expected to go beyond food production by incorporating conservation learning experiences and demonstrations that help people understand and adopt conservation practices.
What types of projects does NRCS prioritize?
Priority is given to proposals that either launch new community gardens or strengthen, expand, and improve existing community agriculture efforts. Projects should be structured to create measurable conservation outcomes and provide education or demonstration elements for the community.
Does the program focus only on growing food?
No. The grant is explicitly looking for projects that do more than simply grow food. Proposals are expected to include a strong conservation education or demonstration component and produce measurable natural resource conservation outcomes.
Which communities or settings are the focus of this program?
The program emphasizes urban, suburban, and other small-scale agricultural settings. It also highlights conservation learning experiences for urban, suburban, and Tribal communities.
How does the program address food access and food deserts?
The opportunity encourages applicants to design projects that address community needs tied to food access, including food desert concerns. Projects can be aligned with improving access to food while also meeting conservation and education objectives.
Does the opportunity support Tribal priorities?
Yes. The notice encourages projects that advance Tribal food sovereignty, described as strengthening a Tribe's ability to control and shape its own food systems in ways that align with community goals, culture, and long-term resilience.
What kinds of conservation outcomes does NRCS expect?
NRCS emphasizes positive and measurable natural resource conservation outcomes. Examples mentioned include improvements related to soil health, water quality, stormwater management, erosion reduction, habitat benefits, or reduced runoff. Applicants should be prepared to define what will improve and how those improvements will be measured and documented.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, and it is federal financial assistance administered by USDA NRCS.
What is the minimum and maximum award amount?
The expected federal share ranges from a minimum (floor) of $5,000 to a maximum (ceiling) of $250,000 per cooperative agreement. The notice states these figures apply to the total award amount rather than being tied to a specific budget period.
How many awards did the agency expect to make?
The agency expected to make about 10 awards.
What was the application deadline?
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 7, 2023.
How were applications submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov.
Who can help with Grants.gov technical issues?
Technical issues with the Grants.gov platform are handled only by Grants.gov Applicant Support. The contact information provided is 1-800-518-4726 and support@grants.gov. The notice states that agency staff are not able to assist with Grants.gov account problems.
Who should applicants contact with questions about the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) content?
For questions about the content of the NFO, applicants are directed to the federal awarding agency contact listed in Section G of the notice. Questions are expected to be narrowly focused on clarifying details in the NFO (such as dates, page references, or discrepancies), rather than asking whether an applicant is eligible or whether a project idea is strong.
What kinds of questions are considered appropriate to ask the agency about the NFO?
The notice indicates that questions should be limited to clarifications of NFO details (for example, dates, page references, or discrepancies). The notice also indicates that questions should not ask the agency to judge eligibility or evaluate whether a particular project concept is competitive.
When were selections and awards expected?
The timeline indicated anticipated selections by September 1, 2023, and awards expected to be executed by September 30, 2023. The notice states these dates are estimates and may change.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a wide range of entities listed in the notice: state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category).
Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?
No. The notice lists nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status as eligible (with the caveat that nonprofits in this category are eligible so long as they are not institutions of higher education).
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this program?
The program is associated with CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.902.
What funding activity areas does this opportunity fall under?
The notice places the opportunity under the agriculture, environment, and natural resources funding activity areas.
Is there any recommended training for applicants new to federal grants?
Yes. Because this is federal financial assistance, the notice recommends the free "Grants 101" training on the CFO.gov grants training site (https://www.cfo.gov/grants-training/). The training covers federal grant structure and expectations, including laws and regulations, common funding mechanisms, Uniform Guidance administrative requirements, cost principles, and risk management and single audit topics.
What does the notice suggest about compliance and reporting expectations?
By pointing applicants to foundational grants training and referencing topics like Uniform Guidance, cost principles, risk management, and single audit, the notice signals that recipients should be prepared to follow typical federal financial assistance compliance, documentation, oversight, and reporting expectations.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources
Next opportunity: Promoting Transparency and Safeguarding the Rule of Law
Previous opportunity: FY 22 HUDRD Grants for University-Nonprofit Partnerships Supporting Community-Engaged Research Designed to Address Homelessness
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| New Jersey NRCS Community Gardens/Farm Grants Apply for USDA NRCS NJ CTA NOFO00001240 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NJ CTA NOFO00001240 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2023 – South Dakota Apply for USDA NRCS SD CIG 23 NOFO0001308 Funding Number: USDA NRCS SD CIG 23 NOFO0001308 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Tennessee NRCS Urban Agriculture Grants Apply for USDA NRCS TN MULTI 23 NOFO0001248 Funding Number: USDA NRCS TN MULTI 23 NOFO0001248 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $15,000 |
| Mississippi Conservation Delivery for Outreach, Education & Technical Assistance Apply for USDA NRCS MS CONTA 23 NOFO0001303 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MS CONTA 23 NOFO0001303 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Implementation of Restoration Activities for Iowa Floodplain Easement Programs Apply for USDA NRCS IA EWPP FPE 23 NOFO0001294 Funding Number: USDA NRCS IA EWPP FPE 23 NOFO0001294 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Ohio Natural Resources Conservation Service Easement Programs Restoration and Repair Apply for USDA NRCS OH ACEP 23 NOFO0001305 Funding Number: USDA NRCS OH ACEP 23 NOFO0001305 Agency: Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Louisiana Conservation Innovation Grants Fiscal Year 2016 Apply for USDA NRCS LA CIG 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS LA CIG 16 01 Agency: Utah State Office Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Iowa Monarch Butterfly Habitat Improvement Fiscal Year 2016 Apply for USDA NRCS IA ACEP 16 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS IA ACEP 16 01 Agency: Utah State Office Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Maine - Conservation Innovation Grant Apply for USDA NRCS ME CIG 17 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ME CIG 17 01 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| NRCS Georgia Conservation Innovation Grant Apply for USDA NRCS GA CIG 17 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS GA CIG 17 01 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Conservation Innovation Grant Apply for USDA NRCS OR CIG 17 01 Funding Number: USDA NRCS OR CIG 17 01 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Maryland Conservation Innovation Grants Apply for USDA NRCS MD CIG 1701 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MD CIG 1701 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Assistance with the organization and function of the Pike River - Lake Carmi and Rock River Watersheds Planning Groups (VT) Apply for USDA NRCS VT CTA EQIP 17 03 Funding Number: USDA NRCS VT CTA EQIP 17 03 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Conservation Innovation Grants State Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) Apply for USDA NRCS MA CIG 23 NOFO0001259 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MA CIG 23 NOFO0001259 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $290,000 |
| Montana Collaborative Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA NRCS MT CCA 24 NOFO0001322 Funding Number: USDA NRCS MT CCA 24 NOFO0001322 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Tennessee NRCS General Conservation Agreements Apply for USDA NRCS TN MULTI 24 NOFO0001330 Funding Number: USDA NRCS TN MULTI 24 NOFO0001330 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Conservation Collaboration Grant Agreements Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Announcement for Program Funding – NORTH DAKOTA Apply for USDA NRCS ND MULTI 24 NOFO0001326 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ND MULTI 24 NOFO0001326 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Climate Smart Conservation Collaboration – SOUTH CAROLINA Apply for USDA NRCS SC MULTI 24 NOFO0001344 Funding Number: USDA NRCS SC MULTI 24 NOFO0001344 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreements Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Announcement for Program Funding – NORTH DAKOTA Apply for USDA NRCS ND MULTI 24 NOFO0001325 Funding Number: USDA NRCS ND MULTI 24 NOFO0001325 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Georgia NRCS Technical Assistance for Fiscal Year 2024 Apply for USDA NRCS GA MULTI 24 NOFO0001349 Funding Number: USDA NRCS GA MULTI 24 NOFO0001349 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $600,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA NRCS WI 23 NOFO0001225", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.