The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is expected to issue a new round of funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program’s Alternative Funding Arrangements (RCPP AFA) applications in early 2021. The RCPP AFA program allows for watershed-scale projects that can benefit source water protection while simultaneously meeting other resource needs on and off the agricultural producer’s lands. An excellent example of a project undertaken using this mechanism is the Sebago Clean Waters initiative, for which the Portland Water District in Maine is the lead partner. This project will bring $18.5 million in investments to protect source waters, including $8 million from NRCS.
If you are interested in pursuing an RCPP project, please contact your NRCS State Conservationist and view the RCPP website. Although the new round of funding is expected in early 2021, the exact date of the notice, the deadline and the total funding available are not yet known.