Improving water quality on agricultural lands is designated as a ‘critical conservation area’ in this year’s RCPP.
RICHMOND — The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting project proposals for its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The program will allow NRCS to invest up to $310 million during Fiscal Year 2026 to expand conservation activities on private lands across the country.
RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that seeks and funds solutions to natural resource challenges on farm and forest lands. Program rules ensure that at least 75 percent of all project funding goes directly to eligible producers or to cover conservation practice implementation on behalf of eligible producers.
This year, NRCS has also streamlined proposal submission procedures to allow for quicker approvals and action by landowners.
The agency has identified eight critical conservation areas that will receive 50 percent of available funding. Most of them relate to improving soil health and water quality, promoting sustainable agriculture and conservation planning.
In a key difference between this year’s and last year’s RCPP, the maximum federal share of any approved project has been reduced from $25 million to $10 million, which should result in an increased number of smaller, more manageable projects being approved.
The total of $310 million includes funding for both the Classic version of RCPP and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) projects. In an AFA project, the proposed lead partner will work directly with agricultural producers to support the development of conservation measures that would be otherwise unavailable in RCPP Classic.
The total also includes $30 million set aside for projects proposed by Indian tribes.
Additional details about the RCPP funding opportunities are available on Grants.gov. More information can also be obtained through a contact with your local USDA/NRCS field office. Grants.gov is also where to find the official notices of funding, with RCPP Classic here and the AFA version here. Prospective applicants should note that Classic proposals will be ranked on a statewide basis while AFA projects will be ranked nationally.
Project proposals must be filed using NRCS’ RCPP portal. Step-by-step instructions on how to apply are available on NRCS’ How to Apply page. All proposals must be received by 4:59 p.m. (Eastern time) on August 24 of this year to be considered for funding in the current fiscal year.
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