Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235
The Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), working under the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The program is designed to fund pilot projects that help communities develop, try out, and refine practical strategies for reducing food waste and expanding composting through better local planning. Rather than funding general waste programs in the abstract, CFWR is focused on the real-world development and testing of municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans, with the intent that funded pilots produce approaches that are actionable and replicable.
Awards under this opportunity are made as cooperative agreements, which typically means recipients should expect an active partnership with the federal agency during the project period, including coordination, reporting, and collaboration beyond what is common in a standard grant. The funding supports agriculture, environmental, and natural resource outcomes, and the opportunity is listed under CFDA number 10.935. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $400,000 per project.
The program is open to a range of public-sector and tribal eligible applicants, reflecting an emphasis on community-scale implementation. Eligible applicants include county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. This eligibility structure points to a strong interest in projects led by entities that can coordinate across local systems like public works, schools, housing, and community services, all of which commonly generate or manage food scraps and organics.
A key feature of the CFWR pilot is that projects may be located in any type of community, including rural, urban, and suburban areas. That flexibility signals that USDA and NRCS are looking for a variety of pilots that reflect different local conditions, such as dense urban collection challenges, suburban participation and route design, and rural distances and infrastructure limitations. In practice, competitive proposals would generally be expected to show how a community will plan for and implement composting and food waste reduction in ways that fit local realities, while still producing lessons or models that other communities can adopt.
The official opportunity is titled "Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project" and is identified by Funding Opportunity Number "USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235." The notice was created on March 16, 2023, and the original application closing date was June 15, 2023. Full application requirements, selection criteria, and submission instructions are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) referenced in the listing (located under the Related Documents section of the posting).Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project" 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 2023-03-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-15. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project
1) What is the Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project?
The CFWR Pilot Project is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It funds pilot projects that help communities develop, test, and refine practical strategies to reduce food waste and expand composting, with an emphasis on better local planning.
2) Which USDA agencies are involved in this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by USDA through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), working under the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP).
3) What is the main purpose of the CFWR pilot funding?
The program is designed to support real-world development and testing of municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. The intent is that funded pilots produce approaches that are actionable and replicable for other communities.
4) Does CFWR fund general waste programs?
Based on the description provided, CFWR is not aimed at funding general waste programs in the abstract. It is focused on planning-centered pilot projects that develop and test composting and food waste reduction plans in practical, community-based settings.
5) What type of funding instrument is used for awards?
Awards are made as cooperative agreements.
6) What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
A cooperative agreement typically implies an active partnership with the federal agency during the project period. Recipients should expect coordination, reporting, and collaboration beyond what is common in a standard grant.
7) What outcomes does this funding support?
The funding supports agriculture, environmental, and natural resource outcomes.
8) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 10.935.
9) What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $400,000 per project.
10) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments
11) Are tribal applicants eligible?
Yes. Eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments.
12) Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible applicants.
13) Are school districts eligible to apply?
Yes. Independent school districts are listed among eligible applicants.
14) What kinds of communities can host CFWR pilot projects?
Projects may be located in any type of community, including rural, urban, and suburban areas.
15) Why does the program allow rural, urban, and suburban projects?
The flexibility suggests USDA/NRCS is looking for a variety of pilots reflecting different local conditions, such as urban collection challenges, suburban participation and route design, and rural distance and infrastructure limitations.
16) What does the program seem to be looking for in competitive proposals?
Based on the description provided, stronger proposals would generally be expected to show how a community will plan for and implement composting and food waste reduction in ways that fit local realities, while still producing lessons or models that other communities can adopt.
17) What is the official title of the opportunity?
The official title is "Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Pilot Project."
18) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is "USDA NRCS NHQ CFWR 23 NOFO0001235."
19) When was the notice created?
The notice was created on March 16, 2023.
20) What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was June 15, 2023.
21) Where can applicants find full application requirements and selection criteria?
Full application requirements, selection criteria, and submission instructions are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) referenced in the listing, located under the Related Documents section of the posting.
22) Is this opportunity intended to produce models other communities can use?
Yes. The program description emphasizes that funded pilots should produce approaches that are actionable and replicable.
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