NASDA Foundation-EPA Gulf of America Farmer-to-Farmer Grants Program

The NASDA Foundation has been awarded $3 million in cooperative agreement funding to help farmers improve water quality, habitat resilience and information exchange to benefit the ecosystems within the Gulf of America Watershed. This grant was awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of America Division.

LATEST INFORMATION

NASDA Foundation is pleased to announce 14 sub-awardees of the NASDA Foundation-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of America Farmer-to-Farmer Grants Program. The organizations selected will work on projects to help farmers improve water quality, habitat resilience and information exchange to benefit Gulf of America Watershed ecosystems.

  • Appalachian Sustainable Development (VA)
  • Cherokee Historical State Resort Park of Aurora (KY)
  • Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District (VA)
  • Cowan Community Action Group, Inc. (KY)
  • Cumberland River Compact (TN)
  • Evergreen Soil & Water Conservation District (VA)
  • Holston River Soil and Water Conservation District (VA)
  • Kentucky Ag Development Advocacy (KY)
  • Pasa Sustainable Agriculture (PA/WV)
  • School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech (VA)
  • Simpson County Conservation District (KY)
  • Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District (TN)
  • The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (TN)
  • West Virginia Conservation Agency (WV)
GRANTEE REPORTING

For access to the NASDA-EPA Sub-Awardee Grantee Portal, click here.

For full Grant Guidance for this funding opportunity, please download the latest version here.

PROJECT TIMELINE
  • January 15: First Quarter Report Due
  • April 15: Second Quarter Report Due
  • July 15: Third Quarter Report Due
  • October 15: Fourth Quarter Report Due
  • September 2023 – September 30, 2026:  Maximum Grant Performance Period
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Working farms, ranches, and forests provide food, fuel, and fiber for the world, but activities can affect water quality locally and across multi-state watersheds. Implementation of soil and water conservation practices can help reduce runoff and nonpoint source pollution.

The objectives of this program are to:
  • Work directly with producer on novel or innovative techniques, methods, or approaches that reduce non-point source pollution and increase the sustainability and resiliency of their operations;
  • Leverage partnerships to increase knowledge sharing and collaboration within and among producer communities;
  • Collect and analyze data to demonstrates the results of funded projects; and
  • Disseminate results to the community to inform future conservation or management practices and expand adoption of the most cost-effective and sustainable approaches.
Funded organizations are working on at least one of the following types of activities:
  • Water quality initiatives such as nutrient reduction with creative runoff treatment solutions; innovative year-round ground cover to limit erosion; planting field buffers; conservation tillage; managing livestock access to streams; address key manure nutrient management issues (e.g., phosphorus saturation in soil, ammonia emissions, alternative uses for manure nutrients); increase the implementation of nitrogen-use efficiency tools to better manage inorganic nitrogen inputs on cropland.
  • Habitat restoration initiatives such as riparian zone improvement; observing environmental windows; restoration or protection of wildlife corridors; partner easements; landowner habitat planting/restoration; other innovative habitat ideas; conservation and restoration of perennially flooded grasslands and forests.
  • Sustainable forest management initiatives such as utilizing sustainable forestry practices that protect and maintain water quality and habitat; improving utilization of sustainable forestry practices through training, education, and public outreach; and monitoring effectiveness of sustainable practices.

Three additional Regional EPA Grant Programs, for awards outside the Ohio-Tennessee Region, can be accessed here:

NASDA is collaborating with the other awardees to meet EPA’s goal of reducing nonpoint pollution in the Gulf of America.

PRESS RELEASES
FOR QUESTIONS AND ASSISTANCE

For more information, or technical support with your application, please contact the NASDA Foundation-EPA Gulf of America Farmer-to-Farmer Grants Program Support Team at epagrants@nasda.org or (571) 418-6426.