Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials for fiscal year (FY) 2026
NRCS offers up to $50M for 3–5 year On-Farm Trials in 2026 to support innovative conservation projects addressing irrigation, grazing, nutrient management, or soil health; apply by July 27, 2026.
Funder: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Due Dates: July 27, 2026: Full application deadline — submit application through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time
Funding Amounts: Total pool up to $50 million; individual awards range from $250,000 to $5,000,000 for projects lasting 3–5 years.
Summary: Supports on-farm trials to stimulate adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches addressing irrigation, grazing, nutrient management, or soil health.
Key Information: No cost share required; indirect costs are not allowable; applicants must recruit producers and provide direct incentive payments.
Description
This opportunity from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funds On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials) to accelerate the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches on private lands. Awardees recruit agricultural producers, provide them with technical assistance and incentive payments, and conduct rigorous evaluations of environmental, economic, and conservation outcomes. For FY 2026, projects must address at least one of the following priorities:
- Irrigation management technologies
- Innovative grazing land management solutions
- Nutrient management
- Soil health demonstration trials (SHD)
Projects should demonstrate new or underutilized conservation practices or systems, provide meaningful data, and foster broader adoption within the producer community. All projects must include both on-farm implementation and robust evaluation components, with results intended to inform future NRCS programs and technical standards.
