Introduction to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) June 10, 2016 Carol Rivera– Program Manager An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

General Information about RCPP RCPP is the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program, created in Farm Bill 2014 to promote coordination between NRCS and its partners to deliver conservation assistance to producers and landowners. NRCS provides assistance to producers through partnership agreements and through program contracts or easement agreements. In Maryland RCPP has been created to fund a number of conservation activities across the state with special funding available for the Chesapeake Bay. 2

RCPP is NOT a GRANT is a Financial Assistance Program A grant is an amount of money given by an organization, especially a government for a particular purpose. RCPP is a voluntary Financial Assistance (FA) program offered to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Through the FA programs the agency approves contract to provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices that address resource concerns or opportunities to help save energy, improve soil, water, plant, air, animal and related resources on agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land. 3

RCPP VISION RCPP offers new opportunities for NRCS to work with partners to encourage: –locally driven innovation –create high-performing solutions –harness innovation –accelerate the conservation mission –launch bold ideas –demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation All projects will be equally evaluated, regardless of size. 4

Funding Available Funding –$100 Million of direct RCPP funding each year –Funds available through 4 programs (ACEP, CSP, EQIP, HFRP). ACEP- Agricultural Conservation Easement Program CSP – Conservation Stewardship Program EQIP- Environmental Quality Incentive Program HFRP- Healthy Forest Reserve Program Funding Pools –25 percent for State Projects –40 percent for National Projects –35 percent for Projects in Critical Conservation Areas 5

National Funding Pool Priority will be given to multistate projects. National priorities are: –Excess/Insufficient Water/Drought –Water quality degradation –Soil quality degradation –Inadequate habitat for fish and wildlife (and invertebrates) –Air quality impacts –Degraded Plant Condition (Specific to certain CCA only) –Energy –Climate Change 6

State Funding Pool Awarded to single states. State Conservationists and State Technical Committees collaborate to develop priorities and a process for reviewing and selecting proposals. State Conservationists may choose to set state priorities and communicate those priorities to partners; however, all proposals must be reviewed and considered based on established criteria. 7

Critical Conservation Areas (CCA) 8 Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Applications Applicants must identify one specific funding pool in which to complete in accordance with the criteria established in the Announcement of Program Funding (APF) notice. Project areas may be defined by geo-political boundaries, watershed boundaries, agricultural land uses, or regional natural resource concerns. The project must address at least one identified priority. 9

Measures of Success For this program, NRCS will specifically measure environmental successes through the following four criteria*: –Participation –Innovation –Contribution –Solutions *Refer to 2017 APF 10

Measures of Success: Participation “The key to successful participation is partnerships that will bring a diverse array of stakeholders into a project, greatly accelerate adoption of conservation systems in the project area, and engage participants including historically underserved audiences. The project will demonstrate recruitment and marketing strategies leading to program participation. It will also include building new partnerships at the Local, State, or corporate level and engage partners that have not worked with NRCS in the past.” 11

Measures of Success: Innovation “Applicants are challenged to draw from partner’s technical expertise and financial resources to design creative and lasting solutions to conservation issues. Partnerships will be innovative in their approach, and successful proposals will utilize one or more program authorities (EQIP, CSP, HFRP, or ACEP) to address natural resource management concerns.” 12

Measures of Success: Contributions “Successful partnerships will bring an array of financial and technical interests and capabilities to projects, to work one- on-one with farmers and ranchers to provide planning, management and engineering activities. NRCS goal is to leverage funds to double the federal conservation investment with partner contributions.” 13

Measures of Success: Solutions “Successful partnerships will engage local organizations and communities, including historically underserved and tribal communities, to identify project objectives and design lasting solutions that are technically sound and locally supported so that benefits will extend beyond the Federal investment.” 14

Partnership Agreements NRCS State Conservationists will negotiate and develop partnership agreements for all final selected funding pool RCPP proposals. Multistate projects will have a lead State Conservationist for each project to develop and enter into the partnership agreements, using a national template. 15

Partner Responsibilities Partners are responsible for: Defining the scope of the project (accomplished through the project proposal and agreement); Conducting outreach and education to eligible producers for potential participation in the project; Assisting landowners and producers with NRCS applications; Leveraging financial or technical assistance provided by NRCS with additional funds to help achieve the project objectives; Conducting and providing an assessment of the project costs and conservation effects; and Other duties as specified in the partnership agreement. 16

RCPP Reporting Requirements 1. The number & types of eligible partners, landowners, and producers participating in the partnership agreements selected. 2. The number of producers and landowners receiving assistance (provided by NRCS). 3.The number of new producers and landowners reached (i.e. those who have not previously participated in NRCS programs), and if veterans farmers and ranchers, beginning farmers or ranchers, limited resource farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, or Indian Tribes received assistance. 4. Total funding committed to projects, including from Federal and non-Federal resources (Federal funding resources total provided by NRCS). 5. A description of how the funds are being administered under any alternative funding arrangement. 17

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: ain/national/programs/farmbill/rcpp/ 18

Questions? Contact: 19