NRCS offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Through these programs the agency approves contracts to provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address natural resource concerns or opportunities to help save energy, improve soil, water, plant, air, animal and related resources on agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land.
Financial Assistance Programs
- The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment.
- The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat.
Also see the national NRCS web site - Financial Assistance.
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System for Award Management (SAM)
If your business or organization plans to apply for conservation program or grant funding through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and you use an Employer Identification Number (EIN), also referred to as a Tax Identification Number (TIN), you will need to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). See the following for information on how to do so:
Former Financial Assistance Programs
- The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) was a voluntary conservation initiative that provided financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to implement agricultural water enhancement activities on agricultural land to conserve surface and ground water and improve water quality.
- The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) was a voluntary program for conservation-minded landowners who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat on agricultural land, nonindustrial private forest land, and Indian land. It has been folded into EQIP.
Comment period notices, summaries, etc. for upcoming items posted to the Federal Register.
