provide quantification of cover cropping benefits in South Carolina | USDA NRCS CTA SC 18 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS CTA SC 18 03

This grant opportunity, titled "Provide quantification of cover cropping benefits in South Carolina" (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NRCS CTA SC 18 03), is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). It is offered through the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) Program under the statutory authority of 16 U.S.C. Sections 590a-590f and 590q, and the implementing regulations at 7 CFR Part 610. The program is listed under CFDA 10.902, and the funding will be provided through a cooperative agreement, which generally means the selected recipient will work in close coordination with NRCS during project implementation rather than operating fully independently.

The core purpose of the opportunity is to generate and communicate practical, real-world evidence about the benefits of cover crops for South Carolina farming systems, with a strong emphasis on both economics and conservation outcomes. The announcement highlights a few closely connected goals: reducing input costs for producers, promoting soil health, and providing clearer information that helps explain why cover crops should be integrated into normal farm operations. In practice, this means the project is expected to move beyond general advocacy and instead produce usable quantification, such as measured or documented improvements and cost impacts that farmers and agricultural professionals can weigh when deciding whether to adopt or expand cover cropping.

A central project requirement is the evaluation of economic returns from cover crop farming systems. That focus suggests the work should examine how cover crops affect producer profitability and cost structure, potentially including changes in fertilizer needs, weed and pest pressure management costs, erosion-related losses, soil moisture retention impacts, fuel and labor demands, yield stability over time, and other input categories that influence net returns. While the announcement does not specify exact metrics or study designs, the intent is clearly to create credible, producer-relevant findings that speak to financial performance alongside conservation benefits such as improved soil health.

Another major component is dissemination. The opportunity explicitly calls for sharing project findings with farmers, producers, and professionals, indicating that outreach is not optional or secondary but a primary deliverable. The grant is intended to support outreach workshops and the development of materials that can showcase both the economic and conservation advantages of cover crops. This implies the selected applicant should be prepared to translate technical or field results into practical guidance and communication products that agricultural audiences can use, such as workshop curricula, fact sheets, case studies, decision tools, or similar educational resources tailored to South Carolina conditions.

In terms of eligibility, the competition is open to a wide range of public and educational entities, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. NRCS anticipated making a single award under this announcement, with an award ceiling of $200,000 and an expected number of awards listed as 1. The funding opportunity was created on May 7, 2018, and the original application deadline was July 2, 2018 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time.

Overall, this opportunity is structured to fund one lead organization to quantify and validate the benefits of cover cropping in South Carolina and then actively move those results into the field through targeted outreach. The emphasis on economic returns and input cost reduction signals that the project should help producers understand not only the conservation case for cover crops, but also the business case, using documented results and effective education efforts to support broader adoption.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, education, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "provide quantification of cover cropping benefits in South Carolina" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.902.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 07, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 02, 2018 430pm EST. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDA NRCS CTA SC 18 03

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