Wetland Mitigation Banking Program | USDA NRCS NHQ WMBP 24 NOFO0001315

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ WMBP 24 NOFO0001315

The Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) is a competitive federal grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its purpose is to make funding available to support the development and establishment of wetland mitigation banks and related “banking” opportunities that are designed specifically for agricultural producers. The program is tied to wetlands that fall under the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended), meaning it is aimed at situations where producers need pathways to address wetland impacts in a way that stays consistent with USDA conservation compliance requirements.

NRCS is offering up to $7 million total under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO), listed on SAM.gov under Assistance Listing 10.933. Individual awards are expected to range from a federal share minimum (floor) of $100,000 up to a maximum (ceiling) of $1,000,000 per agreement. NRCS anticipates making around 10 awards, although the exact number can vary depending on the size and quality of the selected proposals. The funding is provided as federal financial assistance (a grant), so awardees should expect to follow standard federal grant administrative requirements and cost principles.

A wide range of applicant types are eligible, reflecting the fact that mitigation banks are often developed and managed by different kinds of entities. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other tribal organizations, state governments, local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special districts), nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that category), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and both private and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education. The competition is open geographically across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Pacific (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

While applications are accepted nationwide, NRCS signals that it will give priority to mitigation banks in states with high levels of wetland presence and high numbers of conservation compliance requests. The specific priority states identified in the notice are Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. This priority list is based on NRCS data related to individual wetlands, wetland acreage, and observed demand tied to compliance needs, so applicants in these states may be positioned more competitively if their proposals align with the program’s intent.

The deadline to submit an application is August 2, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and submissions must be made through Grants.gov. Applicants who run into technical problems with Grants.gov are directed to Grants.gov Applicant Support (phone and email are provided in the notice), and the funding agency notes that NRCS staff cannot troubleshoot Grants.gov account or system issues. NRCS scheduled an informational webinar for prospective applicants on June 12, 2024, conducted via Microsoft Teams with a call-in option, intended to help applicants understand the opportunity and the submission process. After applications are reviewed, NRCS estimates that selections will be made by November 2024, with awards executed by February 2025, though the agency notes these dates are subject to change.

NRCS also emphasizes broader agency priorities around equitable access to conservation programs and services, including focused attention on historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. In practice, this means proposals that clearly support fair access and meaningful benefits to producers, while aligning with the program’s narrow purpose (mitigation banking opportunities for agricultural producers dealing with covered wetlands), are likely to fit best within the spirit and direction described in the NFO. For applicants who are newer to federal financial assistance, the notice points to a free “Grants 101” training hosted through CFO.gov that covers the core rules and expectations that tend to apply across federal assistance awards, such as administrative requirements, allowable costs, and audit and risk-management basics.

• The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Wetland Mitigation Banking Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.933.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-02. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 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), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ WMBP 24 NOFO0001315

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: