Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS MO MULTI 23 NOFO0001251
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Missouri NRCS Partnership Notice of Funding Opportunity (USDA NRCS MO MULTI 23 NOFO0001251) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning funded projects are expected to involve coordination with NRCS rather than operating entirely independently. The notice was released before final FY 2023 funding levels were fully settled, so the total funding available could change depending on continuing resolutions or an appropriations act. NRCS also notes that the Missouri State Conservationist may decide not to fund some or any applications, even if they are eligible.
The core goal of the opportunity is to partner with organizations and community-based entities in Missouri to implement, coordinate, and/or support the development of Urban Gardens and the Peoples Gardens Initiative. Proposed projects should focus on expanding the awareness, use, and installation of gardens that produce vegetables and specialty crops, as well as native plants or other related vegetative gardens in Missouri urban areas. Strong proposals are expected to do more than build or expand garden sites; they should include learning opportunities that educate urban residents and the general public about the benefits of urban gardening, locally produced food, and garden-based community sites. NRCS emphasizes innovation and conservation outcomes, encouraging applicants to use innovative urban conservation practices (or proven established practices) and to demonstrate the broader benefits of urban gardens, such as community engagement, conservation value, and practical impacts for local food systems.
A key expectation in the notice is community-building capacity. Applicants are expected to show they can bring together members of the urban community to share knowledge among producers, consumers, and other interested groups. In practice, this points toward projects that include partnerships, workshops, demonstrations, training events, community volunteer programs, youth or school engagement, and other structures that help urban gardening efforts persist beyond the grant period. NRCS will accept both single-year and multi-year applications, giving applicants flexibility to design either shorter pilot efforts or longer programs that scale over time.
Eligibility is broad and includes many public and private entity types. Eligible applicants 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 tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; and individuals. This range suggests NRCS is open to proposals from local governments, universities, community groups, housing authorities, tribal entities, and individual practitioners, as long as they can deliver the required activities and meet federal grant compliance standards.
Funding details in the posting indicate an award ceiling of $50,000 and an anticipated eight awards. The opportunity is associated with CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) number 10.935 and is categorized under agriculture, environment, and natural resources. Because proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance, applicants need to follow the NFO instructions carefully; incomplete or noncompliant submissions are eliminated from consideration, and applicants will be notified if removed for those reasons.
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 22, 2023. NRCS makes it clear that technical help with Grants.gov (accounts, system errors, submissions) must go through Grants.gov Applicant Support rather than NRCS program staff, and it provides the support phone number (1-800-518-4726) and email (support@grants.gov). For questions about the content of the NFO itself, applicants are directed to the federal awarding agency contact listed in the notice, but questions are limited to clarifying the posted requirements (for example, dates, page references, or discrepancies). NRCS states it will not respond to questions about whether a specific applicant is eligible or whether a specific project idea is likely to be competitive.
The timeline provided in the notice is straightforward but labeled as subject to change. NRCS anticipated making selections by June 22, 2023 and expected to execute awards by September 30, 2023. To help applicants understand the program and requirements, NRCS scheduled a webinar for 10:00 am Central Standard Time on Tuesday, April 12, 2023, and provided contact information for Brad McCord (573-876-9423; brad.mccord@usda.gov) and Amanda Zapien (573-876-0901; amanda.zapien@usda.gov) for participation details.Apply for USDA NRCS MO MULTI 23 NOFO0001251
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Missouri NRCS Partnership Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.935.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 22, 2023 Applications must be received by 1159 pm Eastern Time.. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 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, Individuals.
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FY 2023 Missouri NRCS Partnership NOFO (USDA NRCS MO MULTI 23 NOFO0001251) - FAQs
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Missouri NRCS Partnership Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), identified as USDA NRCS MO MULTI 23 NOFO0001251. It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
2) What type of award is NRCS offering?
NRCS is offering this as a cooperative agreement. That means funded projects are expected to involve coordination with NRCS, rather than being carried out entirely independently by the recipient.
3) What is the main purpose of the program?
The purpose is to partner with organizations and community-based entities in Missouri to implement, coordinate, and/or support the development of Urban Gardens and the Peoples Gardens Initiative. Projects should expand awareness, use, and installation of gardens in Missouri urban areas.
4) What kinds of gardens or plantings does NRCS want to support?
Proposed projects should focus on gardens that produce vegetables and specialty crops, and may also include native plants or other related vegetative gardens in urban areas of Missouri.
5) Is the focus only on building new garden sites?
No. NRCS indicates strong proposals are expected to do more than build or expand garden sites. Projects should also include learning opportunities that educate urban residents and the general public about the benefits of urban gardening, locally produced food, and garden-based community sites.
6) What kinds of learning or community activities are encouraged?
The notice points toward activities that build community and lasting capacity, including partnerships, workshops, demonstrations, training events, community volunteer programs, youth or school engagement, and other structures that help urban gardening efforts persist beyond the grant period.
7) What does NRCS mean by "innovation" and "conservation outcomes" in this NOFO?
NRCS emphasizes innovation and conservation outcomes by encouraging applicants to use innovative urban conservation practices (or proven established practices) and to demonstrate broader benefits of urban gardens, such as community engagement, conservation value, and practical impacts for local food systems.
8) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many public and private entity types, including:
- 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 tribal governments and other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
- Individuals
9) Does an applicant have to be a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status?
No. The NOFO explicitly includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status among eligible applicants.
10) Are individuals allowed to apply?
Yes. Individuals are listed among the eligible applicant types.
11) How much funding can a single award provide?
The posting indicates an award ceiling of $50,000.
12) How many awards does NRCS expect to make?
NRCS anticipated eight awards.
13) Is the total funding amount guaranteed?
No. The notice was released before final FY 2023 funding levels were fully settled, so the total funding available could change depending on continuing resolutions or an appropriations act.
14) Can NRCS decide not to fund any applications?
Yes. NRCS notes that the Missouri State Conservationist may decide not to fund some or any applications, even if they are eligible.
15) Are both single-year and multi-year projects allowed?
Yes. NRCS will accept both single-year and multi-year applications, allowing either shorter pilot efforts or longer programs that scale over time.
16) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 10.935.
17) What general subject area does this funding fall under?
The NOFO is categorized under agriculture, environment, and natural resources.
18) How do applicants submit an application?
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov.
19) What was the application deadline?
The deadline stated in the notice was 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 22, 2023.
20) What happens if an application is incomplete or does not follow the NOFO instructions?
NRCS states proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance. Incomplete or noncompliant submissions are eliminated from consideration, and applicants will be notified if removed for those reasons.
21) Who provides technical support for Grants.gov submission issues?
NRCS directs applicants to Grants.gov Applicant Support for technical help with Grants.gov accounts, system errors, or submissions (not NRCS program staff).
22) What are the Grants.gov Applicant Support contact details listed in the notice?
Phone: 1-800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov
23) Who should applicants contact with questions about the NOFO requirements?
For questions about the content of the NOFO itself, applicants are directed to the federal awarding agency contact listed in the notice. Questions are limited to clarifying posted requirements (such as dates, page references, or discrepancies).
24) Will NRCS tell an applicant whether they are eligible or whether their project idea is competitive?
No. NRCS states it will not respond to questions about whether a specific applicant is eligible or whether a specific project idea is likely to be competitive.
25) What timeline did NRCS provide for selections and awards?
The timeline is labeled as subject to change. NRCS anticipated making selections by June 22, 2023 and expected to execute awards by September 30, 2023.
26) Was there an informational webinar for this opportunity?
Yes. NRCS scheduled a webinar for 10:00 am Central Standard Time on Tuesday, April 12, 2023.
27) Who were the listed contacts for webinar participation details?
The notice provided these contacts for participation details:
- Brad McCord: 573-876-9423; brad.mccord@usda.gov
- Amanda Zapien: 573-876-0901; amanda.zapien@usda.gov
28) What geographic area should projects serve?
The notice emphasizes Missouri urban areas and partnering with organizations and community-based entities in Missouri.
29) What broader benefits should applicants try to demonstrate?
NRCS encourages applicants to demonstrate broader benefits of urban gardens, including community engagement, conservation value, and practical impacts for local food systems.
30) What does NRCS expect regarding community-building capacity?
Applicants are expected to show they can bring together members of the urban community to share knowledge among producers, consumers, and other interested groups, using structures that help efforts continue beyond the grant period.
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