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Conservation Innovation Grant - On Farm Trials
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Program level:
National
Provider:
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Benefits provided:
Financial
Land use:
Agriculture, Forest
Water-focused program:
No
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. CIG projects inspire creative problem-solving—boosting production on farms, ranches, and private forests through improvements in water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat.
Overview
Description:
Partner with NRCS to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches.
Up to $50 million annually is available for On Farm Trials, which support more widespread adoption of innovative approaches, practices and systems on working lands. On-Farm Trials projects feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches. There are no open competitions at this time. When a competition opens, information on the competition and instructions for how to apply will be posted on grants.gov.
Eligibility:
Private entities whose primary business is related to agriculture are eligible.
CIG applications are accepted from state or local governments, federally-recognized American Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, Pacific Islands Area).
NRCS recognizes the need to provide special consideration to historically-underserved agricultural producers and forest landowners and strives to ensure that they benefit from innovative technologies and approaches. Each year, up to 10 percent of national CIG funds are set aside for applicants who are historically underserved (beginning, limited resource, socially disadvataged, military veteran farmers and ranchers, or American Indian tribes) or community-based organizations that include or represent these groups.
Financial benefit:
The maximum CIG award is set annually by the NRCS Chief and historically has been either $1 million or $2 million. An applicant’s CIG funding request must be matched at least 1:1 with non-federal funding. Matching funds can be any combination of cash and in-kind contributions. The grantee is also responsible for providing the technical assistance required to successfully complete the project. NRCS will provide technical oversight for each project receiving an award.
Contact information
Information last updated on July 15, 2025.
Planning Importance
Developing a forest, agricultural, or conservation plan helps identify and prioritize objectives for landowners. These objectives can determine what type programs to search for. Supporting organizations in your area often provide free consultation and planning.
Landscape Characteristics
See how your land fits into the broader context of regional conservation, ecosystem services, and working lands' values across the landscape through our interactive mapper tool. It could help you determine which program is a good fit for you!
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