Nebraska wins $85 million in RCPP awards for grasslands, irrigation and tribal projects

Emily Webster, RCPP coordinator for Nebraska NRCS, told the state technical committee that FY24 national RCPP awards totalled $1.5 billion (about $1.2 billion from IRA funds) and that Nebraska secured four projects worth about $85 million in aggregate. Webster said two projects are classic RCPP awards administered through NRCS field offices; two are alternative funding arrangements (AFAs) where a partner carries out much on‑the‑ground work.

Webster summarized the Nebraska projects selected for funding:

- "Growing and expanding Nebraska's grassland cores" (lead partner: Nebraska Community Foundation) — an AFA focused on prescribed burning and addressing eastern red cedar encroachment across mixed grass prairie; multi‑year implementation.

- "Pasture Progress: advancing regenerative beef in Nebraska" (lead partner: Prime Pursuits) — an AFA aimed at reducing greenhouse‑gas footprints from beef production by promoting cover crops, seeding and prescribed grazing.

- Irrigation and nutrient management in the Lower Loup River Basin (classic project, lead partner: Lower Loup NRD) — targeted at water‑quality improvements through irrigation efficiency and nutrient management.

- "Protecting Nebraska’s groundwater and grasslands" (classic project, lead partner: Nebraska Community Foundation) — target areas identified for enrollment and restoration, including wetland and grassland easements.

Webster added that Nebraska will also be a partner state in a multi‑state Intertribal Buffalo Council AFA led by Oklahoma that will restore native grasslands and improve buffalo habitat.

She said partners will finalize project roles and allocations by the end of April 2025 so funds can be obligated and work can begin on the ground. Committee members asked about resubmission timelines for unfunded proposals and how project outcomes and deliverables will be measured; Webster said proposals receive feedback and the national process generally opens again on an annual cycle, and each awarded project must identify measurable environmental outcomes and a reporting framework.