The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) brings farmers, communities, and partner organizations together to address regional resource challenges through nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration, soil health improvements, and water management infrastructure.

	Supports nature-based solutions		Encourages public-private partnerships
	Has a regional or watershed focus

Application cycle: RCPP has two tracks: ‘Classic’ and ‘Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA)’. Applications for both tracks are due at 4:59 p.m. ET on August 24, 2026. To find out if there is an active RCPP project in your area that is accepting applications, please contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State RCPP Coordinator. 

Summary: The RCCP funds partner-led conservation projects that address regional water, soil, and habitat challenges on working lands and across watershed landscapes. The Classic track and the AFA track differ in how farmers receive support. The Classic track is for proposals that rely on the NRCS to deliver the financial and technical assistance. The NRCS holds the contracts and easements with producers and landowners and delivers the financial assistance, in collaboration with the lead partner. However in the AFA track, the lead partner delivers the assistance directly and NRCS reimburses it. AFA is built for innovative approaches such as pay-for-performance or large-scale infrastructure investments, and partners must show they can administer the funds and implement quickly.

Eligible applicants: Eligible applicants for the RCPP program include agricultural or forestry producer groups, state and local governments, Indian tribes, farmer cooperatives, water and irrigation districts, municipal water or wastewater entities, institutions of higher education, and conservation-focused organizations. Additionally, entities with farmland or grassland protection programs and conservation districts are eligible to participate.

• Filter – Public Private Partnerships: RCPP is partner-driven and supports projects led by coalitions of public entities and eligible private partners.

Eligible activities: NRCS splits total funding between two pools, and every proposal must choose one: the Critical Conservation Area (CCA) pool or the state and multistate pool. A CCA project must fall entirely within one of the eight designated CCAs and address that CCA’s priority resource concerns.

Funding: $250,000 – $10,000,000 per project (both tracks). Up to $310 million total is available across the FY2026 Classic and AFA announcements, including a $30 million set-aside for agreements with Indian tribes. AFA is limited to up to 15 awards.

Cost share: Cost sharing requirements are not fixed, but stronger non-federal contributions will make applications more competitive. Contributions can include both cash and in-kind services, such as staff time for project management, outreach to producers, or the use of equipment.

Application process: Interested applicants can apply through the RCPP portal log in, which can take several days to set up. Before applying, meet with your NRCS State Conservationist and State RCPP Coordinator at least four weeks before the deadline. Proposals submitted without a lead partner meeting will receive significantly reduced ranking scores and not be in accordance with NRCS program rules and needs.

• Filter – In-kind Contributions: RCPP accepts documented partner in-kind contributions (e.g. staff time, equipment, services, unrecovered indirects) when included in the partnership agreements and tied to project outcomes, note that RCPP funds can’t serve as “non-federal” match for other federal programs.