Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, a wide variety of partners including businesses, universities, non-profits and local and tribal governments apply to work on landscape- and watershed-scale projects selected on a competitive basis. Local private partners must match the USDA funding commitment. The application period for RCPP is Sept. 3 to Dec. 3, 2019. Learn how to apply for RCPP.
The New RCPP
The 2018 Farm Bill made a number of substantial changes to RCPP:
- RCPP is now a standalone program with its own funding--$300 million annually. In the future, landowners and ag producers will enter into RCPP contracts and RCPP easements.
- Enhanced Alternative Funding Arrangement provision—NRCS may award up to 15 AFA projects, which are more grant-like and rely more on partner capacity to implement conservation activities.
- Three funding pools reduced to two—the national pool was eliminated. Partners must apply to either the Critical Conservation Area (CCA) or State/Multistate funding pool.
- Emphasis on project outcomes—all RCPP projects must now develop and report on their environmental outcomes.
Successful RCPP projects embody the following core principles:
- Impact—RCPP applications must propose effective and compelling solutions that address one or more natural resource priorities to help solve natural resource challenges. Partners are responsible for evaluating a project’s impact and results.
- Partner Contributions—Partners are responsible for identifying any combination of cash and in-kind value-added contributions to leverage NRCS’s RCPP investments. It is NRCS’s goal that partner contributions at least equal the NRCS investment in an RCPP project. Substantive partner contributions are given priority consideration as part of the RCPP application evaluation criteria.
- Innovation—NRCS seeks projects that integrate multiple conservation approaches, implement innovative conservation approaches or technologies, build new partnerships, and effectively take advantage of program flexibilities to deliver conservation solutions.
- Partnerships and Management—Partners must have experience, expertise, and capacity to manage the partnership and project, provide outreach to producers, and quantify the environmental outcomes of an RCPP project. RCPP ranking criteria give preference to applicants that meaningfully engage historically underserved farmers and ranchers.
RCPP Regulation
The 2018 Farm Bill requires NRCS to develop a regulation for RCPP. NRCS plans to publish the RCPP interim final rule in late fall or early winter. Upon release of the interim final rule, NRCS will accept public comments on the contents of the rule.
RCPP Funding
RCPP funding is divided evenly among two funding pools.
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Critical Conservation Areas
For projects in eight geographic areas chosen by the Secretary of Agriculture. These receive 50 percent of funding. Learn more about RCPP Critical Conservation Areas.
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State/Multistate
For projects in a single state or across several states. These receive 50 percent of funding.
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Who is Eligible
Partner Eligibility
Eligible organizations interested in partnering with NRCS on conservation projects can develop applications for the RCPP competition. The lead partner for an RCPP project is the entity that submits an application, and if selected for an award is ultimately responsible for collaborating with NRCS to successfully complete an RCPP project.
See the RCPP funding announcement for details about what types of organizations are eligible to apply.
Producer and Landowner Eligibility
Once NRCS selects a project and executes an RCPP agreement with a lead partner, agricultural producers may participate in an RCPP project in one of two ways. First, producers may engage with project partners and delegate a willing partner to act as their representative in working with NRCS. Second, producers seeking to carry out conservation activities consistent with a RCPP project in the project’s geographic area can apply directly to NRCS.
Land Eligibility
RCPP projects must be carried out on agricultural or nonindustrial private forest land or associated land on which NRCS determines an eligible activity would help achieve conservation benefits (i.e., improved condition of natural resources resulting from implementation of conservation activities).
Eligible conservation activities may be implemented on public lands when those activities will benefit eligible lands as determined by NRCS and are included in the scope of an approved RCPP project.
RCPP Conservation Activities
RCPP projects may include a range of on-the-ground conservation activities implemented by farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These activities include:
- Land management/land improvement/restoration practices
- Land rentals
- Entity-held easements
- United States-held easements
- Public works/watersheds
A single RCPP project application can propose to employ any combination of these eligible activity types as part of an RCPP project. For more details about eligible RCPP conservation activities, please see the RCPP funding announcement.
Success Stories
RCPP brings together a wide array of local and national partners, including Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, private industry, conservation districts, water districts, universities and many others. So far, more than 2,000 partners are implemented by a diverse and capable partnership.
The most successful RCPP projects share four common characteristics--they innovate, leverage additional contributions, offer impactful solutions, and engage an active and effective partnership.
Read the RCPP success stories and the latest Partner-Led Solutions publication.
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Florida Projects Approved in FY 2018
The Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, $3.5 million (critical conservation area – longleaf pine range) Lead Partner: North Florida Land Trust
Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest, $7 million (critical conservation area – longleaf pine range) Lead Partner: The Conservation Fund
Gulf of Mexico – Forest to Sea Project, $5 million (national)
Lead Partner: The Conservation Fund
2018 National Project List
Florida Projects Approved in FY 2017
Innovative Watershed Protection Financing, $2.5 million (national)
Lead Partner: U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
Gulf of Mexico – Forest to Sea Project, $3 million (national)
Lead Partner: The Conservation Fund
Climate Resiliency in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, $3 million (national)
Lead Partner: Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District
Florida Projects Approved in FY 2016
Everglades Headwaters Longleaf Pine, $3.7 million (critical conservation area)
Lead Partner: The Nature Conservancy – Florida
Training Florida's Natural Resource Managers, $1 million (state)
Lead Partner: Florida Forest Service
Working Lands for Florida Panther Conservation, $630,000 (state)
Lead Partner: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Florida Projects Approved in FY 2014-2015
Coastal Headwaters Forest – Longleaf Conservation and Restoration
Lead Partner: The Conservation Fund
Securing Private Working Forests to Benefit Longleaf Pine, T& E Species, Military Readiness
Lead partner: U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
Regional Partnership for Conservation of Gopher Tortoise and At-Risk Species Habitat in Florida
Lead partner: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Rivers Conservation Partnership for Alabama, Florida and Georgia
Lead partner: Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.
National Website
Apply for RCPP
Sign up for Farm Bill email updates
Florida Program Contact
Contact Nina Bhattacharyya, RCPP Coordinator, 352-338-9554.
