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Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)

  

Colorado is participating in the 2008 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) State Component. CIG is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals. CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. CIG will benefit agricultural producers by providing more options for environmental enhancement and compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations. NRCS administers CIG. Additional information concerning this program is available on the NRCS National Website. To obtain the 2008 Colorado NRCS state CIG request for proposals go to www.grants.gov, click on "Find Grant Opportunities", and do a "Basic Search" on Funding Opportunity Number a USDA-NRCS-CO-08-01.  Complete application packages must be received by March 31, 2008.

Colorado Awards 12 Conservation Innovation Grants in 2008

News Release - Colorado NRCS Approves Approximately $540,000 in Conservation Innovation Grants for Fiscal Year 2008 - July 28, 2008

Applicant: Costilla County Economics Development Council Inc.
Proposal Title: Biodiesel for the Local Farmer Pilot Project
Project Description: The bio-fuels and the by-product of feed meal will be used by the producers to produce bio-fuels using three different oilseed crops in an underserved area where this is new to the area. The economics will be evaluated for the producers in this low income area.

Applicant: Yuma County Conservation District
Proposal Title: Reclaiming Formally Irrigated Sandhill Cropland
Project Description: The Yuma County Conservation District will be trying to reclaim formerly sandy irrigated cropland. The croplands had been in corn production but, due to lack of irrigation water, the producers are trying to convert the lands back to native grasslands and are targeting forage species that will benefit the greater prairie chickens and other wildlife.

Applicant: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Proposal Title: Grazing Land and Forest Health and Wildlife Habitat
Project Description: This project’s goal is to demonstrate using fire as a tool to manage grazing and forestlands. In accomplishing this, a local fire cooperative, which will consist of landowners, organizations, state, federal, and private partners, will be created. This trained group will take the lead for all prescribed burns.

Applicant: Dove Creek Conservation District
Proposal Title: No-Till Sunflowers for Oilseed Production
Project Description: The Dove Creek Conservation District’s goal is to transfer the “No-Till Technology” into an area that has used moldboard since the 1940s and has not budged from this operation, even by increasing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program cost docket. Will provide a larger incentive to demonstrate the practice and promote the production of oilseed crops for biodiesel.

Applicant: Upper Colorado Environmental Plant Center
Proposal Title: Seed Production of Native Plants Beneficial to Sage Grouse
Project Description: This project will identify plants and collect seed for sage grouse habitat. Due to the decline of Greater Sage Grouse populations, it has been identified that the habitat needs to be improved and more available seed sources. The Plant Material Center will improve the adaptation of these species and make seed available.

Applicant: Painted Sky RC&D
Proposal Title: Stimulating Riparian Conservation through Demonstration and Assessment of Biological Tamarisk Control
Project Description: This project will set up four demonstration sites using biological control on tamarisk without mechanical control. The project will involve monitoring the progress of beetle and re-vegetation sites and will include training in the data collection. Data will be evaluated by Dr. Dan Bean, Insectary Manager, followed with an interim report.

Applicant: Yuma Conservation District
Proposal Title: The Republican River Basin Pathway Project
Project Description: This project will help disseminate the data information gathered in a previous CIG. Data was gathered in the economics in converting from high water usage crops to low water crops to be used for biodiesel and meal products.

Applicant: EnSave Inc.
Proposal Title: Colorado Farm Energy Audit Data Collector Training Program
Project Description: This project plans to create an energy audit data collection training program. The goal is to establish a training and certification plan for data collectors who will perform and train producers in the data collection methodology. This will help analyze farm energy.

Applicant: Central Colorado Water Conservancy District
Proposal Title: Online Irrigation Conservation Market and Farm Management Tool
Project Description: This project plans to create an online Irrigation Conservation Market to help producers plan their water needs and market their surplus water for other producers to be able to buy for their irrigation needs. It will also be able to telemetry control the irrigation wells for better irrigation water management.

Applicant: Southeast Colorado Resource Conservation and Development
Proposal Title: Farm Scale Animal Feed and Biodiesel Demonstration Project
Project Description: This project plans to establish a small-scale biodiesel and meal production facility in rural Eastern Colorado. Due to limited irrigation water, the area needs to find crops and opportunities to increase and maintain revenues. Although the concept is not new, the area’s needs and ideas are new to this area.

Applicant: Southeast Colorado Resource Conservation and Development
Proposal Title: Small Scale Wind Opportunities Demonstration Project
Project Description: This project will promote the use and viability of Small Wind Power Plants in the Northeast Prowers Conservation District. Although not a new technology, its acceptance as an alternative power source is not widely accepted. Project will include workshops, micro-siting, and analysis of producer sites.

Applicant: San Luis Valley Resource Conservation and Development
Proposal Title: Conversion of Potato Waste to Value -Added Products and Energy in the San Luis Valley
Project Description: The goal of this project is to improve water and energy conservation. It will convert 5.8 miles of lateral ditches to pipeline, and will control and monitor flows through the new pipeline exclusively with solar-powered equipment. All gates and turn outs will be fully automated using the radio telemetry, which will be solar powered. It is the first in the Western Slope of Colorado.

CIG 2008 News Release Announcement

Written applications should be sent to:
 
USDA-NRCS
c/o Dollie Gonzales, Resource Conservationist
655 Parfet Street, Rm E200C
Lakewood, CO  80215

To apply electronically please visit www.grants.gov.

This document requires Microsoft Word.

 Microsoft Word DocumentFiscal Year 2008 Announcement of Program Funding

Grant Application Materials

These documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Acrobat DocumentFiscal Year 2008 Application Package Check List (22 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSF 424A Supplemental Instructions (17 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentExample of a completed SF 424a (126 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSF 3881 Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (174 KB)

The document below requires Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word Document Project Summary Sheet (Template) (25 KB)

All OMB standard forms (SF) necessary for CIG submission are available on the following OMB website: http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aapproved_standard_forms.jsp

 

Rules, Notices, and Additional Information

These documents require Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Acrobat DocumentFinal Rule  Published 1/11/05  (64 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentInterim Final Rule with Request for Comments  Published 3/29/04  (133 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentFact Sheet
 Adobe Acrobat DocumentKey Points 
Adobe Acrobat DocumentProgram Description  
Adobe Acrobat DocumentQuestions and Answers
 

Colorado CIG Contact


Tim Carney
Assistant State Conservationist (Programs)
655 Parfet Street, Room E200C
Lakewood, CO 80215-5517
Phone: 720.544.2805
tim.carney@co.usda.gov
 


 

Last Modified: 07/28/2008