Where Things Stand with 2024 RCPP Awards, and What Comes Next

Last fall, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) named 92 projects as recipients of 2024 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) awards. For months, partner organizations waited to move forward with these projects,many of which were set to receive support from Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding.

But after a period of silence and shifting political winds, NRCS recently informed awardees that only 28 of those 92 projects will be eligible to receive funding. These selected projects will move ahead using a combination of fiscal year 2025 Farm Bill allocations and available reserve dollars.

This decision has left many partners surprised, especially since some of the projects that were originally linked to Farm Bill funding, not IRA funding, also lost support. In other words, even those that were expected to be insulated from changes to IRA funding weren’t guaranteed protection.

Why the change? Congressional action plays a major role. Both the House and Senate have introduced legislation that would revoke unspent IRA funds, including those designated for RCPP. In anticipation of this, USDA reassessed the full slate of projects and narrowed the list significantly.

Last week, a list of the 28 projects 

Looking Ahead: New Opportunities on the Horizon

While the outcome has been disappointing for many organizations, there are still important signs of momentum for RCPP:

• Funding is expected to grow. Both chambers of Congress have proposed expanding the program’s annual funding—from the current $300 million to $425 million in 2026 and $450 million annually through 2030. This points to continued confidence in the value of collaborative conservation.
  
  
• Another round of funding is coming. USDA is expected to open the next RCPP funding opportunity later this year. Many of the organizations affected by this recent decision will have another chance to apply—with clearer expectations and, potentially, more robust and durable funding sources.
  
  

At FarmRaise, we recognize the uncertainty this process has created. We also know that conservation work is long-term, deeply rooted, and too important to pause. For those whose projects were not selected, this isn’t the end of the road—it’s a shift in timing and approach.

Our team is here to help you stay prepared. Whether you need support with a future application or want to explore other USDA conservation programs in the meantime, we’re here to guide you forward.

Let’s keep the momentum going.

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