Good afternoon, State Association Presidents, State Association Executive Directors, and State Contacts,

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is pleased to announce approval of the third round of technical assistance grants totaling slightly over $1 million to conservation districts and their state partners, funded in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). These grants are for technical assistance in priority locations with a high workload of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts or priority demand for conservation planning assistance.

This third round of grants funds 25 full or part-time positions to work in at least 30 conservation districts, including technicians, program support specialists, resource conservationists, agronomists, engineers, and range from multi-conservation district coverage to service within individual conservation districts.

The following is the full, approved list of the third round of grants by state and individual conservation districts:

• Alaska: two positions serving Homer SWCD and Fairbanks SWCD
• California: four positions serving Amador County Resource Conservation District (RCD), Glenn County RCD, Humboldt County RCD, and Mission County RCD
• Hawaii: two positions serving six conservation districts: Central Maui SWCD, West Maui SWCD, Olinda Kula SWCD, Hana SWCD, East Kauai SWCD, and West Kauai SWCD
• Idaho: two positions assisting Butte SWCD, Twin Falls SWCD, Snake River SWCD, and Balanced Rock SWCD
• Indiana: three positions serving Allen County SWCD, Dubois County SWCD, and Washington County SWCD
• South Carolina: four positions assisting Barnwell SWCD, Clarendon SWCD, Oconee SWCD, and Orangeburg SWCD
• Tennessee: six positions assisting customers in Blount County SCD, Claiborne County SCD, Smith County SCD, Washington County SCD, and Wilson County SCD
• Washington: two positions serving Grant CD and Spokane CD

The one-year grants announced today amount to over $1 million dollars for the states, conservation districts, and/or state partners listed above. NACD will be working with the respective applicants to get agreements signed and funds issued.

Combined with earlier rounds of grants announced last month, NACD has approved over $3.2 million in grants for 73 total positions in 28 states and territories.

Thank you to the state and territory partnerships who have submitted applications for technical assistance grants already. Additional rounds of technical assistance grants are pending final review and approval, and announcements are anticipated in the very near future. All funds under this initiative are projected to be approved by March 31, 2018.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Peters
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of Conservation Districts

CC: NACD Board of Directors, NACD Executive Board, NACD Officers, NACD Staff