NACD is seeking projects that foster private-public partnerships, scale implementation of climate-smart practices, advance Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV), and support producer participation in resulting markets. Projects will be competitively selected and should: 

1. Leverage the locally-led conservation delivery system to provide the education and technical assistance needed to transition to climate-smart production systems. 
2. Develop economic opportunities within communities and build local capacity that can sustain projects and partnerships beyond the life of the grant. 
3. Seek to mitigate historical and systemic barriers within the broader food system to increase the participation of underserved producers and communities. 
4. Provide external match, leverage, or additional financial incentives to producers, more holistically de-risking their transition to climate-smart systems and supporting their long-term economic viability. 

NACD will select projects via a multi-phase process. This process is intended to provide sufficient time for partnership development, project scoping, and budgeting. 



Phase 1: Call for Concept Papers (Due October 13, 2023)

Phase 2: Partner Matchmaking (Est. October – December 2023)

Phase 3: Final Proposals (Anticipated Due Date in March 2024) 

The call for concept papers will allow NACD to assess nationwide demand and inform the equitable distribution of funding. After concept papers are submitted, NACD will facilitate a unique matchmaking process. This allows concepts that may not be complete on their own to pair with other organizations to strengthen the potential project and application.

At this time, NACD anticipates three funding pools. The size of each pool is subject to change based on overall demand and the impact of the proposed projects. 

• Pool A: Up to $5.75 million per project 
• Pool B: Up to $2.5 million per project 
• Pool C: Up to $750,000 per project for Planning & Capacity grants*

*Special Note on Planning & Capacity Grants: NACD recognizes that administrative capacity can be a major barrier for organizations with limited resources. NACD will be setting aside a portion of its budget for Planning & Capacity grants. These recipients will be eligible to compete for a future pool of funding (anticipated up to $750,000 per project). Organizations interested in planning and capacity grants do not need to submit formal concept papers; however, NACD requests that such organizations submit an expression of interest. The formal process for submitting applications for Planning & Capacity grants will be described in the formal Request for Proposals (RFP) released in Fall 2023.  

Visit this webpage for more information.

JOIN US AT CONSERVATION COFFEE TO LEARN ABOUT

THE NGLI PROGRAM

Join NACD and our District and Partner Relations Committee as we host the first Conservation Coffee, a virtual learning and networking opportunity for districts and their partners! On August 10 at 3:00 p.m. ET via Zoom, come learn from Angela Rosol during a virtual, informal presentation as she shares her experience as a member of the 2023 Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) through the National Conservation Foundation.

Angela has been farming hay and row crops as a first generation farmer for over 12 years in Bremer County, Iowa, where she also serves on her local soil and water conservation district board. For over 8 years, she has worked with the district, and now serves on the Conservation Districts of Iowa board as Treasurer. Through NGLI, she hopes to further expand her leadership skills to support her community, state, and the nation in encouraging others to be involved in conservation programs and in working with local agencies and partners.

NCF and NGLI will soon be recruiting members for the 2024 cohort, this is a great chance to learn first-hand about the program. Ideal candidates are currently serving district officials who would like to further develop their leadership roles. The year-long NGLI program includes travel to NACD Annual Meetings in 2024 and 2025, a 5-6 day mid-year session, as well as virtual learning sessions throughout the year. Applications for the 2024 NGLI Cohort will be available later this fall, so please share this event widely with anyone who may be interested in learning about the program.

Registration for the coffee is free and open to anyone with an interest in joining!

If you would like to volunteer for a future coffee to share projects, success stories, a mini training opportunity, etc., please reach out to Dr. Ariel Rivers, NACD’s Director of Membership Engagement.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

NACD members across the country are taking advantage of opportunities to meet with their Congressional representatives as they return home for the August recess. Minnesota and Ohio members recently met with lawmakers and agency leaders to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill, Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations, and the administration of USDA and EPA programs. We encourage members to continue meeting with lawmakers and other leaders when local opportunities arise. Please reach out to Chris Young at chris-young@nacdnet.org or Connor Simons at connor-simons@nacdnet.org if you have questions or would like additional information.  

2023 Farm Bill: 

The August recess also allows Congressional staff to focus on the development of the 2023 Farm Bill. There are significant policy decisions that both chambers must address, including how to support the farm safety net and how to handle the conservation investments provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  

In addition to disagreements over key policy issues, the agriculture committees are experiencing some delays in receiving information from Congressional Budget Office (CBO) regarding funding estimates for proposed policies. Unless significant progress is made on these fronts, the September 30^th deadline may slip, requiring Congress to pass an extension of the current farm bill. The likelihood of an extension will continue to increase if one or both chambers are unable to consider their bills before the end of September.  

The House of Representatives will likely seek to integrate IRA conservation investments into the farm bill baseline, while also moving some of the funding outside of the conservation title. NACD and all stakeholders will be closely monitoring the chamber’s reallocation proposals, what this funding will support, and how the Democratic minority reacts. In the Senate, Chair Stabenow has been pushing to keep IRA investments in conservation and climate-smart practices. One of the biggest outstanding questions is whether the Senate will consider reallocating IRA funding to different programs in the conservation title, or push keep the investments as currently structured in the IRA.  

CTIC CONSERVATION IN ACTION TOUR STOPS IN MICHIGAN

The Conservation Technical Information Center (CTIC) held their 16th Annual Conservation in Action Tour in Frankenmuth, MI July 10 – 11, 2023. This annual event is an opportunity for CTIC to get producers, industry, NGOs, agencies, academia, and many others together for agricultural demonstrations, field tours, and networking on various technologies, programs, and partnerships. Each year the tour rotates around the country providing this unique educational opportunity.

The city of Frankenmuth is widely known as a tourist destination with German roots and a year-round Christmas theme. This is a rural area just 90 miles north of Detroit with a population of approximately 5,000 residents.

The first evening started with a “First-Timer Conservation in Action Tour Attendee and Early Career Professional Social” followed by a full program, networking session and dinner for all attendees at the Frankenmuth Brewery. A special welcome and some local flavor were presented by the Mayor of Frankenmuth, Mary Anne Ackerman, and a broader Michigan welcome was given from the U. S. Senator from Michigan, Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee (pre-recorded).

The following day, attendees visited two working farms in the morning – Thistle Dew Dairy and Zwerk & Sons Farms in Vassar – where discussion and demonstrations centered around the topics of cover crops, robotic milkers, the Dairy Feed in Focus Program, sustainable wheat production, and equipment and conservation challenges. Lunch was served at the Saginaw Valley Research Center in Frankenmuth for a brief program which included the Farmers for Soil Health Panel Discussion. Participants in this discussion included representatives from the Farmers for Soil Health, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, United Soybean Board, and National Corn Growers Association.

The afternoon tour involved visiting the Star of the West Milling Company in Richville, MI – a milling company that first began in 150 years ago in Frankenmuth, and then visiting the Everbest Organics Company in Munger, MI.

The day ended with a banquet and program at the Odins Owl banquet facility in Millington, MI where keynote speakers included NRCS Deputy Chief for Management and Strategy Angela Biggs and Robert Loggins of Bush Brothers & Company. The program concluded with the induction of Frank Lessiter, writer, editor, publisher and founder of Lessiter Media into the CTIC Hall of Fame, and announcing next year’s Conservation in Action Tour location to be in Arkansas.