Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FSA SND NOCCSP 2021
The Organic Certification Cost Share Programs (OCCSP) funding opportunity is a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) grant competition for fiscal year 2021 that supports two related programs: the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The main goal is to reduce the financial burden on organic producers and handlers by helping pay for the costs associated with getting certified organic for the first time and keeping that certification active over time. In practice, USDA does this by awarding grant funds to State Agencies, which then run reimbursement programs for organic operations within their jurisdictions.
For FY 2021, the funding described in the notice totals roughly $6 million for NOCCSP and about $943,000 for AMA. These funds are not awarded directly to individual farms or businesses through this particular notice; instead, eligible applicants are State governments (referred to as "State Agencies" in the announcement). That term is used broadly and includes the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The State Agency acts as the administering entity, accepting reimbursement requests from certified organic operations and paying them back for eligible certification-related expenses.
The reimbursement structure is straightforward: State Agencies may reimburse certified organic operators for 50 percent of the operation's total allowable organic certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 per certification scope. The scopes listed in the notice are crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling (processing), and the program also allows coverage for State Organic Program fees where applicable. This means an operation that is certified in more than one scope may potentially receive up to $500 for each scope, as long as the claimed costs are allowable and properly documented under program rules.
The eligible cost window for reimbursements under this FY 2021 cycle covers certification expenses incurred between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. Organic operations generally have until November 1, 2021 to request reimbursement from their State Agency, although the notice allows a State Agency to propose a different deadline if it requests and receives approval to do so. The announcement also notes that if additional FY 2021 funding becomes available later, USDA and participating State Agencies may amend their grant agreements to add funds and potentially increase payment amounts available to certified operations.
From an administrative standpoint, this notice is the initial request for applications from State Agencies and it lays out the eligibility and performance criteria those agencies must meet to receive NOCCSP and/or AMA funds. The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the agriculture activity area (CFDA 10.171). The Notice of Funding Opportunity identifiers are USDA-FSA-SND-NOCCSP-2021 and USDA-FSA-SND-AMA-2021, and the full notices were made available through Grants.gov. The original application closing date listed for State Agency applications was June 30, 2021, and the posting also referenced an expected number of awards of about 30, with an award ceiling listed as $1,437,800.
Finally, USDA scheduled an informational webinar for May 21 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time to cover changes to that year's application process and to give potential applicants a chance to ask questions. The notice indicated that access information would be provided through an amendment to the funding opportunity announcement.Apply for USDA FSA SND NOCCSP 2021
- The Farm Service Agency in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Organic Certification Cost Share Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.171.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-05-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-30. (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 $1,437,800.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Organic Certification Cost Share Programs (OCCSP) opportunity?
The Organic Certification Cost Share Programs (OCCSP) opportunity is a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) grant competition for fiscal year 2021 that supports two related programs: the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost Share Program. Its purpose is to reduce the financial burden of becoming certified organic and maintaining organic certification by helping cover eligible certification-related expenses.
Which programs are included under OCCSP for FY 2021?
For FY 2021, the opportunity covers two programs: NOCCSP and AMA Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
Who can apply for funding under this notice?
Eligible applicants under this particular notice are State Agencies (State governments). This includes the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Can individual organic farms or businesses apply directly to USDA through this funding opportunity?
No. The funds described in this notice are not awarded directly to individual farms or businesses. USDA awards grant funds to State Agencies, and those State Agencies then run reimbursement programs for eligible organic operations within their jurisdictions.
What do State Agencies do with the grant funds once awarded?
State Agencies act as the administering entity. They accept reimbursement requests from certified organic operations and reimburse them for eligible organic certification-related expenses according to program rules.
What is the reimbursement rate for organic certification costs?
State Agencies may reimburse certified organic operators for 50 percent of the operation's total allowable organic certification costs.
What is the maximum reimbursement amount?
The maximum reimbursement is $500 per certification scope, as long as the claimed costs are allowable and properly documented under program rules.
What certification scopes are covered for the $500-per-scope cap?
The scopes listed in the notice are crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling (processing).
Can an operation receive more than $500 total?
Yes. If an operation is certified in more than one scope, it may potentially receive up to $500 for each scope, provided the costs are allowable and appropriately documented.
Are State Organic Program fees included as eligible costs?
Yes. The program allows coverage for State Organic Program fees where applicable.
What is the eligible cost window for FY 2021 reimbursements?
Certification expenses must have been incurred between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021 to fall within the eligible cost window described for this FY 2021 cycle.
What is the deadline for organic operations to request reimbursement?
Organic operations generally have until November 1, 2021 to request reimbursement from their State Agency. The notice also allows a State Agency to propose a different deadline if it requests and receives approval to do so.
What happens if additional FY 2021 funding becomes available later?
The notice states that if additional FY 2021 funding becomes available later, USDA and participating State Agencies may amend their grant agreements to add funds and potentially increase payment amounts available to certified operations.
How much total funding is described in the FY 2021 notice?
The notice describes roughly $6 million for NOCCSP and about $943,000 for AMA for FY 2021.
What type of funding opportunity is this?
This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the agriculture activity area, with CFDA number 10.171.
What are the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) identifiers for this opportunity?
The NOFO identifiers listed are USDA-FSA-SND-NOCCSP-2021 and USDA-FSA-SND-AMA-2021.
Where were the full notices made available?
The full notices were made available through Grants.gov.
What was the application closing date for State Agency applications?
The original application closing date listed for State Agency applications was June 30, 2021.
How many awards did USDA expect to make under this notice?
The posting referenced an expected number of awards of about 30.
What was the award ceiling listed in the notice?
The award ceiling listed was $1,437,800.
Was there an informational webinar about the FY 2021 application process?
Yes. USDA scheduled an informational webinar for May 21 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time to cover changes to that year's application process and to give potential applicants a chance to ask questions.
How was webinar access information supposed to be shared?
The notice indicated that access information would be provided through an amendment to the funding opportunity announcement.
Does this notice describe how State Agencies are evaluated?
It states that the notice lays out eligibility and performance criteria State Agencies must meet to receive NOCCSP and/or AMA funds, but the specific criteria are not detailed in the information provided here.
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