Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are:

• Units of federal, state, and local governments
• Federally recognized tribes

Projects may be sponsored by one or more eligible applicants. Historically, sponsorship involves local government agencies or tribal authorities that have the ability to create revenue to maintain the proposed structure/project over its lifetime and ensure the continued protection and safety of the community it serves.

At least one sponsor must be able to perform at least one of the following areas of responsibility mandated by the individual state's National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state conservationist (STC):

• Have the power of eminent domain, unless the primary purpose of the proposed project involves land treatment long-term contracts
• Be able to acquire needed permits and licenses in accordance with local, state, and federal laws
• Have the authority to levy taxes
• Have formal soil and water conservation responsibilities inscribed in its bylaws, and be able to obtain agreements from all landowners that are impacted as part of a project that requires the implementation of soil conservation practices
• Be able to create and produce effective engagement campaigns, and support outreach materials that encourage public participation in the watershed planning process
• Have the ability to act as the watershed project’s fiscal agent
• Provide watershed management oversight, such as permitting, zoning, land use regulations, easements, or upstream watershed protection
• Provide evidence that any proposed municipal or industrial (M&I) water supply will meet the anticipated water supply needs in quantity or quality
• Have the power and authority to ensure the installation, operation, and maintenance of the watershed project
• Are able to be solely responsible for all new storm and sanitary sewers or changes to, or relocation of, existing sewers or facilities in urban or built-up areas within the approved watershed project plan

Refer to pages 3-5 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding project sponsor responsibilities.

Applicants must also demonstrate than an approved watershed plan is in place prior to initiation of any proposed corrective land treatment or structural solutions.

Eligible Applicants:

Contacts:

(See Contact Notes)

Agency Address
Natural Resources Conservation Service
14th and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the appropriate local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) service center listed online at offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator, or to the appropriate NRCS state watershed program manager listed online at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives.

Requests for assistance must be submitted to the appropriate local NRCS service center. To initiate the application process, applicants must contact the appropriate local NRCS service center.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:

File Notes:

The NOFA file contains general program information and application guidelines. The FactSheet file contains general program information, including information regarding matching requirements for this program. The SponsorGuide file contains additional sponsor guidelines for this program. The AppProcessChart file contains a chart of the application process for this program. The RequestTemplate file contains the required request for assistance template for submission. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients. Additional program resources can be found online at www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives.

The program officer confirmed that general program information, additional sponsor guidelines, a chart of the application process, and a request for assistance template, attached as the FactSheet, SponsorGuide, AppProcessChart, and RequestTemplate files respectively, are up to date for FY 2025.