NSAC's Blog


RCPP Grants: A New Take on Alternative Funding

September 2, 2022

USDA recently announced the availability of up to $40 million for nutrient management projects funded through grant agreements, called RCPP Grants. Applications for RCPP Grants will be accepted until October 31, 2022. In this post, NSAC provides background on RCPP, highlights some FY 2022 awards, and provides details on this new iteration of RCPP.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program: Funding Available and Awards

May 5, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced its list of fiscal year (FY) 2021 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) awards. In addition, USDA announced the availability of up to $75 million for Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFAs) under RCPP. Applications for RCPP AFA will be accepted until May 28, 2021. In this blog post, we […]

A Deeper Dive: The Regional Conservation Partnership Program Rule

May 6, 2020

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) has helped conserve thousands of acres across the country by promoting partnerships between producers and organizations, with support from the federal government. These partnerships, most often led by non-profit conservation organizations, involve sometimes hundreds of landowners and work to address resource concerns across landscapes and watersheds. Earlier this year, […]

$50 Million Available for Regional Conservation Partnership Program AFA

April 16, 2020

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) has helped conserve thousands of acres of land across the United States. This program focuses on protecting watersheds by promoting soil health, well-managed working farmland, and general good conservation practices. In order to apply for RCPP’s Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFAs) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, applications should be submitted […]

$300 Million Announced for Conservation Partnerships, New Rulemaking Pending

September 20, 2019

This month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $300 million in project funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in fiscal year (FY) 2019. RCPP, administered by USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), takes a cooperative approach to conservation activities with the private sector and local agencies working with NRCS […]

Regional Conservation Partnership Program: 2018 Awards and Farm Bill Opportunities

February 8, 2018

Whether we produce food, or just enjoy eating it, we all benefit from farming practices that keep our water, air, and soil clean and healthy. The path to and challenges of sustainability, however, varies greatly from region to region. In order to target resources toward the areas of greatest need and impact in each region, […]

$252 Million for Conservation Partnerships in FY 2018

January 17, 2017

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the results of the fiscal year (FY) 2017 competition for conservation project funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). As we reported in a previous post, USDA’s investment of $225 million was met with a non-federal investment of $500 million from a variety of local […]

New Conservation Projects Take Root with $725 Million Public-Private Investment

December 22, 2016

In response to a 2014 Farm Bill provision, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been attempting to demonstrate the power of well-designed public-private partnerships to maximize the impact of federal conservation programs. Since the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) began in 2014, USDA partners have invested over $2 billion in conservation projects across the […]

$720 Million for Conservation Projects Generated Through Regional Conservation Partnership Program

February 12, 2016

Effective natural resource conservation often depends on the power of partnerships. Through the collaboration of governmental, non-profit, and private partners we have seen significant advances in conservation on agricultural lands over the last several years. Since the creation of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in the 2014 Farm Bill and its predecessors in early […]