Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS PR EQIP 21 NOFO0001058
The Watershed Assessments for the National Water Quality Initiative (NQWI) funding opportunity is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cooperative agreement offered through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The purpose is to fund watershed assessment planning work in support of water quality improvement efforts, with a clear emphasis on applicants that already have expertise in developing watershed assessment plans and can follow the specific assessment template provided in the funding opportunity materials. In practical terms, NRCS is looking to partner with a qualified non-federal organization to produce structured, template-based watershed assessments that can guide conservation priorities and implementation under NQWI.
NRCS set aside a total of $200,000 for this effort, with projects running for an 18-month period. The notice indicates an expected total of four awards, and lists an award ceiling of $75,000, meaning individual cooperative agreements are not expected to exceed that amount. Because this is a cooperative agreement (not a standard grant), applicants should anticipate a more collaborative relationship with NRCS during the project, including coordination, review, and alignment with NRCS technical expectations and program goals.
The core deliverables are three watershed assessments in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The assessments are based on hydrologic unit boundaries, using HUC12 watersheds for Puerto Rico and a HUC14 watershed for St. Thomas. While the opportunity allows applicants to propose additional watershed assessments beyond the three named locations, NRCS explicitly states that priority will be given to the specified watersheds. The priority watersheds listed in the notice are Rio Grande de AAsco (HUC 210100030212), Rio la Plata (HUC 210100050707), and the Northwest St. Thomas Watershed (HUC 21020001010010). Applicants can still submit other watershed proposals, but they should understand that proposals addressing these priority areas are positioned to receive more favorable consideration.
Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities, described in the opportunity as "Others" with additional eligibility clarification provided in the full notice. That phrasing typically signals that NRCS is open to a range of non-federal partners (often including nonprofits, universities, local governments, and similar organizations), but applicants need to confirm their eligibility against the specific definitions and requirements in the official notice. Applications are screened first for basic completeness and compliance with the announcement instructions. Any application that is incomplete or does not follow the required format and provisions can be removed from consideration without being scored, and the applicant will be notified of elimination. This makes strict adherence to the required template, forms, and submission steps especially important.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on March 31, 2021. The notice also highlights a common procedural issue: NRCS staff do not troubleshoot Grants.gov account or system problems, so applicants were directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support (1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov) for technical submission issues. For programmatic questions about the funding opportunity itself, questions could be submitted up to February 25, 2021, with NRCS planning to post responses on Grants.gov about two weeks before the application deadline. The projected timeline in the notice anticipated selections by April 15, 2021 and award execution by May 15, 2021.
In short, this opportunity funded short, targeted watershed assessment planning work tied to NQWI priorities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with $200,000 available across multiple cooperative agreements over 18 months. The most competitive proposals would be expected to demonstrate strong watershed planning credentials, a clear plan to complete the required assessments using NRCS's provided template, and a focus on the three named priority watersheds and their HUC-defined boundaries.Apply for USDA NRCS PR EQIP 21 NOFO0001058
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled ": Watershed Assessments for the National Water Quality Initiative (NQWI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.912.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 28, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 31, 2021 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 $75,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Watershed Assessments for the National Water Quality Initiative (NQWI) - FAQ
What is the Watershed Assessments for the National Water Quality Initiative (NQWI) funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cooperative agreement offered through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). It funds watershed assessment planning work intended to support water quality improvement efforts under the National Water Quality Initiative (NQWI).
What is the main purpose of the project funding?
The purpose is to produce structured, template-based watershed assessment plans that can guide conservation priorities and subsequent implementation aligned with NQWI water quality goals.
Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement, and why does that matter?
This is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant. Applicants should expect a more collaborative relationship with NRCS during the project period, including coordination, review, and alignment with NRCS technical expectations and program goals.
How much total funding is available?
NRCS set aside a total of $200,000 for this effort.
How many awards did NRCS expect to make?
The notice indicates an expected total of four awards.
What is the maximum award size?
The listed award ceiling is $75,000, meaning individual cooperative agreements were not expected to exceed that amount.
How long is the project period?
Projects were planned to run for an 18-month period.
What are the required deliverables under this opportunity?
The core deliverables are three watershed assessments in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These assessments are intended to be completed using the specific assessment template provided in the funding opportunity materials.
Which geographic areas and watershed boundaries are included in the core deliverables?
The assessments are based on hydrologic unit boundaries: HUC12 watersheds for Puerto Rico and a HUC14 watershed for St. Thomas.
What are the priority watersheds named in the notice?
The priority watersheds listed are Rio Grande de AAsco (HUC 210100030212), Rio la Plata (HUC 210100050707), and the Northwest St. Thomas Watershed (HUC 21020001010010).
Can an applicant propose watershed assessments beyond the three priority locations?
Yes. The opportunity allows applicants to propose additional watershed assessments beyond the three named locations; however, NRCS explicitly stated that priority would be given to the specified watersheds.
If additional watersheds are allowed, what did NRCS say about how proposals would be prioritized?
Proposals addressing the three specified priority watersheds were positioned to receive more favorable consideration than proposals focused only on other areas.
What kinds of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to non-federal entities. The opportunity described eligible applicants as "Others," with additional eligibility clarification provided in the full notice. Applicants were expected to confirm eligibility against the official definitions and requirements in the notice.
Did the notice emphasize any particular applicant qualifications?
Yes. The notice emphasized a clear preference for applicants that already have expertise in developing watershed assessment plans and can follow the specific assessment template provided with the opportunity materials.
What role does the NRCS assessment template play in the application and deliverables?
The assessments were expected to be structured and template-based. Strict alignment with the provided watershed assessment template was central to producing deliverables that NRCS could use to guide conservation priorities under NQWI.
How were applications screened and what could lead to elimination before scoring?
Applications were screened first for basic completeness and compliance with the announcement instructions. Any application that was incomplete or did not follow the required format and provisions could be removed from consideration without being scored, and the applicant would be notified of elimination.
How were applications submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was 11:59 pm Eastern Time on March 31, 2021.
Who handled technical issues with Grants.gov submissions?
The notice stated that NRCS staff do not troubleshoot Grants.gov account or system problems. Applicants were directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov for technical submission issues.
Was there a deadline for submitting programmatic questions about the opportunity?
Yes. Programmatic questions about the funding opportunity itself could be submitted up to February 25, 2021.
How and when would NRCS share answers to programmatic questions?
NRCS planned to post responses on Grants.gov about two weeks before the application deadline.
What timeline did the notice project for selections and award execution?
The projected timeline anticipated selections by April 15, 2021 and award execution by May 15, 2021.
What would a strong, competitive proposal be expected to demonstrate?
Based on the notice description, the most competitive proposals would be expected to show strong watershed planning credentials, a clear plan to complete the required assessments using NRCS's provided template, and a focus on the three named priority watersheds and their HUC-defined boundaries.
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