Opportunity Overview
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has opened Easement Restoration and Stewardship, funding opportunity USDA-NHQ-ACEP-26-NOFO0001456. The opportunity was posted September 25, 2026 and supports work on lands protected through NRCS wetland and floodplain easement programs.
Funding and Deadline
The current federal listing shows four expected awards with an award range of $250,000 to $5,000,000. The opportunity closes November 19, 2026. Applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Eligible Applicants
The current Grants.gov-sourced listing identifies eligible applicant categories including state, county, city or township and special district governments; federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; qualifying nonprofit organizations; small businesses; and other for-profit organizations. The listing states that cost sharing is not required.
Supported Work
The notice covers three primary categories: restoration of wetland and floodplain easements, stewardship of wetland and floodplain easements, and onsite or offsite assessment of easement conditions. Restoration work can include coordination, technical investigation and surveys, restoration design, and implementation using applicable NRCS practice standards. Stewardship can include repair, maintenance, management, and enhancement of protected properties.
Atlas Assessment
Atlas Opportunity Score: 68/100. N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. This is a substantial federal conservation and easement stewardship opportunity, but the verified scope does not establish a legitimate remote physical examination, clinical technology, or healthcare delivery role. N9+ or QC Healthcare should not be forced into the project.
Required Next Action
Before applicant-specific pursuit or ORIGINAL outreach, verify the applicant’s direct eligibility, easement restoration or stewardship experience and capacity, exact current application package requirements, required registrations and forms, submission mechanics, any amendments, a verified business Contact, Email Opt Out and authoritative bounce status, Deal and outreach deduplication, and the two required organization-specific initial outreach PDFs. Ordinary ORIGINAL outreach must not introduce or sell N9+.
Official Source
USDA NRCS Easement Restoration and Stewardship — USDA-NHQ-ACEP-26-NOFO0001456