Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) Pilot Project | USDA NRCS NHQ CCFWR 21 NOFO0001112

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CCFWR 21 NOFO0001112

The Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) Pilot Project is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), specifically under the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The program is designed to support local, community-based pilot projects that reduce food waste and expand composting efforts, especially in urban and suburban settings where food waste diversion and local soil health improvements can have a direct, visible impact. The funding is offered through cooperative agreements, meaning recipients should expect an ongoing working relationship with USDA/NRCS during project implementation rather than a simple pass-through grant.

For fiscal year 2021, USDA/NRCS planned to make about 20 awards, with a maximum (award ceiling) of $90,000 per award. The activity area is tied to agriculture, the environment, and natural resources, reflecting the intent to connect food waste reduction with practical outcomes like improved soil health, strengthened local food systems, and reduced landfill burden. The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 10.935.

Eligibility is focused on governmental and quasi-governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments. The program also allows participation from Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized, as well as Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. While the notice emphasizes local governments hosting the pilot, the eligibility list shows a broad range of public-sector applicants who can anchor or administer a community composting and food waste reduction initiative.

Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 16, 2021. The funding opportunity was created on May 17, 2021, and included a question-and-answer window: questions about the Notice of Funding Opportunity could be submitted until June 30, 2021, with USDA/NRCS posting responses on Grants.gov roughly two weeks before the application deadline. USDA also pointed applicants to additional guidance and a pre-recorded webinar hosted on the farmers.gov site (https://www.farmers.gov/manage/urban/opportunities), which suggests there were supporting materials to help applicants understand program expectations, eligible activities, and how applications would be reviewed.

Overall, this pilot program is essentially a small-scale, locally run testing ground for strategies that keep food waste out of landfills and put organics to work through composting, with USDA/NRCS providing up to $90,000 per community and maintaining an active partnership role through a cooperative agreement structure. For full requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission details, applicants were directed to the official Notice of Funding Opportunity listed with opportunity number USDA NRCS NHQ CCFWR 21 NOFO0001112 on Grants.gov.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) 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 May 17, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 16, 2021 Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/) by 1159 pm Eastern Time on July 16, 2021. Questions regarding this notice of funding opportunity (NFO) may be submitted until June 30, 2021. Responses to questions posed will be posted on Grants.gov approximately 2 weeks before the application due date. For more information and a pre-recorded webinar, see https://www.farmers.gov/manage/urban/opportunities.. (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 $90,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ CCFWR 21 NOFO0001112

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