Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026
🏛 Natural Resources Conservation Service
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations partnering with the NRCS to implement regional conservation projects on agricultural and forest land. Eligible applicants include agricultural producer associations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, farmer cooperatives, water districts, municipal utilities, higher education institutions, conservation organizations with producer relationships, entities with farmland protection programs, and conservation districts.
Projects must address on-farm conservation, watershed-scale concerns, or NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas. Partners must demonstrate capacity to provide technical and financial assistance and be ready for quick implementation. Cost-sharing contributions from partners are required.
Geographic scope includes all 50 states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. A $30 million set-aside is reserved for tribal partnerships.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-AFA-26-NOFO0001451
Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026.
Note: The RCPP AFA and Classic FY 2026 notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) will run
concurrently. For information on Classic proposals please see USDA-NRCS-NHQ- RCPP-Classic-26-NOFO0001450.
The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services.
Partners use this notice to propose projects that improve natural resources in one or more states or focus on priority concerns in NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas (CCAs). NRCS works with these partners to plan and carry out projects on farms, ranches and private forest land. Through the program, NRCS can provide funding to support both partners and producers. Proposals are selected through a competitive process based on their impact, the partner’s contributions, and how well the partnership is managed.
Up to $310 million is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2026 Classic announcement using the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding Working Families Tax Cut Act, Public Law 119-21. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Up to $30 million of the total available funding is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2026 Classic announcement.
RCPP AFAs are intended to reimburse projects led by partners that clearly demonstrate their capacity, resources, and ability to provide technical and financial assistance to benefit conservation implementation. The expectation is that AFA Partners will be ready to implement the project quickly.
The 2018 Farm Bill provides the following examples of project types that might be implemented through RCPP AFA:
· projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the Federal investment in conservation.
· projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach.
Note: Pay for performance is a partner negotiated method used to pay for quantifiable benefits of implemented conservation activities in lieu of reimbursement for practice installation and management activities at NRCS payment rates.
· projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investments that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners.
NRCS can make up to 15 AFA awards through this funding opportunity through Farm Bill funding.
Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential.
Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below.
For More Information: Applicants must contact the appropriate state conservationists and state RCPP Coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservationist questionnaire to guide the conversations in alignment with program requirements and state level agency needs.
Proposals submitted without the benefit of the lead partner meeting with the state conservationist to discuss how their project can meet agency needs and program requirements through a completed questionnaire risk receiving reduced ranking scores. Without having this meeting potential partners will not be able to answer one or more of the questions within program rules and NRCS needs.
A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement’s posting) is on the How to Apply to RCPP web page.
Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.
2026 RCPP NOFO Applicant Resources
This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)
RCPP NOFO Applicant Webinar – June 30, 2026 – 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
RCPP NOFO Applicant Easement Webinar – July 9, 2026 – 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Information on all webinars will be posted to the How to Apply to RCPP page.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Conservation Organization
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NOFO proposal template and narrative
- Detailed project plan with timeline
- Budget and budget narrative with cost-sharing breakdown
- Letters of commitment from partner organizations
- Evidence of organizational capacity and track record
- Resumes or qualifications of key project staff
- Environmental assessment or NEPA documentation (if required)
Program contact
- 👤 Tessa Garcia Grants Management Specialist
- 📧 rcpp@usda.gov
- 📞 651-602-7919
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 10.932 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$12,900,000
-
$12,130,985
-
$9,287,622
-
$5,131,058
-
$3,661,990
-
$3,000,000
-
$2,260,000
-
$1,530,600
-
$1,310,000
-
$1,200,000
Top States by Funding
- MI 1 awards $12.9M
- UT 4 awards $12.6M
- MO 1 awards $5.1M
- OR 6 awards $4.1M
- NE 2 awards $3.8M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 10.932). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $545,414,000 | |
| 2025 | $670,077,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $1,343,238,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for RCPP AFA funding?
Agricultural producer groups, state/local governments, tribes, water districts, colleges, conservation districts, and organizations with established producer relationships. Your organization must demonstrate capacity to deliver technical and financial assistance to farmers.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $250,000 to $10,000,000. Total funding available is $310 million across all proposals.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects addressing conservation challenges on farms, ranches, or forest land. Innovative approaches, pay-for-performance models, and pilot projects addressing soil, water, wildlife, or natural resource issues are prioritized.
Is cost-sharing required?
Yes. Partners must contribute resources or make in-kind contributions. Stronger partner contributions increase competitiveness.
What is the deadline?
Proposals must be received by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026. This is a single, fixed deadline with no rolling acceptance.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate your organization's proven track record working directly with farmers or ranchers. NRCS prioritizes partners with established relationships and credibility in their region.
- Clearly articulate the conservation problem and quantify expected outcomes. Show specific metrics for soil health, water quality, wildlife habitat, or other natural resources you'll improve.
- Develop a realistic budget with strong cost-sharing commitments from partners. Document in-kind contributions, funding from other sources, and partner capacity to match or exceed the federal investment.
- Build a strong partnership team before submitting. Include farmers, government agencies, technical experts, and other organizations that will actively implement the project.
- Plan for quick implementation if selected. AFA funds are for "shovel-ready" projects with clear timelines, existing relationships, and capacity to start work immediately.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak partnerships or lack of farmer engagement. Applications without demonstrated producer involvement or clear farmer buy-in often fail. Unclear outcomes or measurable goals. Vague conservation benefits or failure to quantify expected environmental improvements harm competitiveness. Insufficient cost-sharing or unclear partner contributions. NRCS weighs partner investment heavily; undersourced projects are less competitive.
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