FY 22 Florida Agriculture Conservation Easement Program | USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130

The FY 22 Florida Agriculture Conservation Easement Program opportunity is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding announcement focused on the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), specifically the Wetland Reserve Easements component (ACEP-WRE). ACEP was created by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) to conserve eligible lands and natural resources using easements or other land interests, and it effectively consolidated and coordinated earlier federal efforts such as the Wetlands Reserve Program, Grassland Reserve Program, and Farmland Protection Program. In this Florida funding round, NRCS is prioritizing projects that restore, protect, and enhance wetlands and associated uplands, with a clear emphasis on reversing wetland degradation and improving the ecological functions these habitats provide.

The core purpose of ACEP-WRE is voluntary, landowner-driven conservation. Participating landowners agree to protect and manage wetlands through easements, and in return they may receive support to implement restoration actions. The program’s goals go beyond simple protection; it aims to restore and enhance wetland hydrology and vegetation, maintain long-term wetland conditions, and manage associated upland areas that are important to wetland health. By improving wetland functions and values, these projects can support benefits like wildlife habitat, water quality improvements, floodwater storage, groundwater recharge, and broader ecosystem resilience, depending on site conditions and the restoration design.

This particular grant opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a simple grant, which signals an ongoing working relationship with NRCS during planning and implementation. NRCS is seeking support from non-federal partners who can provide specialized technical assistance needed to carry out restoration plans on easement lands. In practical terms, successful applicants would help NRCS and participating landowners move projects from concept to completion by supplying expertise and capacity that may include engineering and design support, surveying and layout, development of restoration plans, construction oversight, inspection, vegetation establishment, and post-construction monitoring and adaptive management. The scope is broad and can cover any combination of tasks necessary to design, construct, inspect, manage, and monitor wetland restoration, enhancement, or creation practices, as well as other related conservation practices as long as they meet NRCS standards and specifications.

The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130 and is categorized as discretionary funding with the assistance instrument identified as a cooperative agreement. The funding activity aligns with agriculture, environment, and natural resources, and it is associated with CFDA (now Assistance Listing) number 10.931. Eligibility is described as “unrestricted,” meaning it is open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility notes contained in the full announcement. NRCS anticipated making about three awards, with an award ceiling of up to $15,000,000. The opportunity was posted on March 8, 2022, with an original application deadline of April 22, 2022.

Overall, this funding opportunity is designed to expand NRCS’s capacity to deliver ACEP-WRE outcomes in Florida by leveraging partner expertise. It supports hands-on restoration work and the technical planning behind it, aiming to ensure wetland easement lands are restored effectively and managed in ways that produce lasting ecological benefits.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 22 Florida Agriculture Conservation Easement Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.931.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 08, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 22, 2022. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for USDA NRCS FL ACEP 22 NOFO0001130

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