Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 23 NOFO0001230
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). This funding opportunity is part of a pilot effort designed to strengthen urban agriculture and other innovative food production approaches, with an emphasis on expanding access to fresh, healthy foods in communities where those options are limited or missing. The program is listed on SAM.gov under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.935, and applications are submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
The central purpose of the UAIP pilot is to help communities plan and carry out projects that build local food production capacity in urban, suburban, and other non-traditional agricultural settings. The notice highlights support for collaborative, community-connected work that involves a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, gardeners, local residents, community groups, schools, local and tribal leadership, and other partners. The program also explicitly recognizes that "innovation" can mean many things, including new and emerging production methods as well as traditional and indigenous agricultural practices, as long as the approach meaningfully supports urban and/or innovative agriculture.
Two grant tracks are available under this notice: Planning Projects and Implementation Projects. Planning Projects focus on early-stage or developmental work that helps initiate, organize, and strengthen local efforts around urban agriculture, particularly in areas with low access to fresh foods. These projects may center on coordination, community engagement, assessment, project design, and other foundational activities that prepare a community or network to implement or expand urban agriculture successfully. Implementation Projects, by contrast, are intended for moving beyond planning into action by accelerating existing or emerging models of urban and innovative agriculture. A key emphasis in the implementation track is support for activities that serve multiple farmers or gardeners, suggesting projects that have broader community or network impacts rather than benefiting only a single individual operation.
Eligible applicants include a range of public and nonprofit entities. Specifically, the opportunity is open to county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, as well as Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments). It is also open to nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (as described in the eligibility list provided in the notice).
From a funding and competition standpoint, the notice lists an award ceiling of $350,000 and anticipates making about 70 awards. The opportunity category is discretionary, and the funding instrument is a grant. The funding activity category is agriculture, reflecting the program's focus on expanding and strengthening food production systems in urban and innovative contexts.
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2023. The notice also stresses that applicants should rely on Grants.gov Applicant Support for technical problems with registration or submission, since awarding agency staff are not able to provide support related to Grants.gov accounts or technical submission issues. For applicants new to Grants.gov, the notice points them to the section of the full announcement describing the steps that must be completed before applying, which typically includes account setup and validation steps that can take time if left to the last minute.
In practical terms, this grant opportunity is aimed at helping communities design and scale urban agriculture efforts that increase food access, strengthen local production knowledge and infrastructure, and support community-connected growing models. The planning track supports the groundwork, while the implementation track supports putting proven or promising approaches into practice at a level that benefits multiple growers and the wider community.Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ UAIP 23 NOFO0001230
- The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.935.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 26, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2023. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 70 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, 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.
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FY 2023 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program: FAQs
1) What is the FY 2023 UAIP Competitive Grants Program?
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), administered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). It is described as a pilot effort to strengthen urban agriculture and other innovative food production approaches, with a strong emphasis on expanding access to fresh, healthy foods in communities where those options are limited or missing.
2) What is the main purpose of this UAIP pilot grant?
The central purpose of the UAIP pilot is to help communities plan and carry out projects that build local food production capacity in urban, suburban, and other non-traditional agricultural settings. The notice highlights collaborative, community-connected work that engages a broad range of stakeholders and supports local food access goals.
3) Which USDA agencies/offices are involved in offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by USDA through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and NRCS's Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP).
4) Where is this opportunity listed, and what is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The program is listed on SAM.gov under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.935.
5) How are applications submitted?
Applications are submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
6) What are the two grant tracks available under this notice?
The notice includes two tracks:
- Planning Projects
- Implementation Projects
7) What is the focus of Planning Projects?
Planning Projects focus on early-stage or developmental work to initiate, organize, and strengthen local efforts around urban agriculture, particularly in areas with low access to fresh foods. These projects may include coordination, community engagement, assessment, project design, and other foundational activities that prepare a community or network to implement or expand urban agriculture.
8) What is the focus of Implementation Projects?
Implementation Projects are intended to move beyond planning into action by accelerating existing or emerging models of urban and innovative agriculture. The notice emphasizes activities that serve multiple farmers or gardeners, indicating a preference for broader community or network impact rather than projects designed to benefit only a single operation.
9) What types of activities does the notice describe as "innovation" in urban agriculture?
The notice explicitly recognizes that "innovation" can include new and emerging production methods as well as traditional and indigenous agricultural practices, as long as the approach meaningfully supports urban and/or innovative agriculture.
10) What kinds of partners or stakeholders are encouraged to be involved?
The opportunity stresses collaborative, community-connected work involving a wide range of stakeholders. Examples mentioned include farmers, gardeners, local residents, community groups, schools, local and tribal leadership, and other partners.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include the public and nonprofit entities listed in the notice, including:
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), as long as they are not institutions of higher education (as described in the eligibility list in the notice)
12) Are nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list in the notice includes nonprofit organizations both with 501(c)(3) status and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (as described in the notice's eligibility list).
13) Are institutions of higher education eligible to apply as nonprofits?
The notice states that nonprofit organizations are eligible as long as they are not institutions of higher education (as described in the eligibility list provided in the notice).
14) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The notice lists an award ceiling of $350,000.
15) How many awards does USDA anticipate making?
The notice anticipates making about 70 awards.
16) Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. It is described as a competitive grants program, and the opportunity category is discretionary.
17) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
18) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is agriculture.
19) When was the application deadline?
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2023.
20) What if an applicant has technical issues with Grants.gov registration or submission?
The notice stresses that applicants should rely on Grants.gov Applicant Support for technical problems related to registration or submission. It also notes that awarding agency staff are not able to provide support related to Grants.gov accounts or technical submission issues.
21) Does the notice give any advice for applicants who are new to Grants.gov?
Yes. The notice points new applicants to the section of the full announcement describing steps that must be completed before applying (such as account setup and validation steps). It cautions that these steps can take time if left to the last minute.
22) What kinds of communities or settings does the program aim to support?
The UAIP pilot is designed to build local food production capacity in urban, suburban, and other non-traditional agricultural settings, with a particular emphasis on communities with limited or missing access to fresh, healthy foods.
23) What is the overall practical goal of these grants?
In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at helping communities design and scale urban agriculture efforts that increase food access, strengthen local production knowledge and infrastructure, and support community-connected growing models. Planning grants support the groundwork; implementation grants support putting promising or proven approaches into practice at a scale that benefits multiple growers and the wider community.
24) Where should applicants look for official details and instructions?
The notice indicates the opportunity is listed on SAM.gov (Assistance Listing 10.935) and that applications are submitted through Grants.gov. The full announcement on those platforms is the place to find the official requirements and application steps referenced in the notice.
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