DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service NOTICE (Announcement No. USDA-NRCS-VT-50-14-02) Funding Opportunity Description Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Vermont is looking for eligible applicants to provide assistance on a cooperative basis for accelerated planning and implementation of wildlife and forestry practices within Vermont. CATALOG OF DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBERS: Conservation Technical Assistance - 10.902 and Environmental Quality Incentives Program – 10.912 SUMMARY: NRCS delivers conservation technical assistance through its voluntary Conservation Technical Assistance Program (CTA). Conservation technical assistance is the help provided to land users to address opportunities, concerns, and problems related to the use of natural resources to assist land users in making sound natural resource management decisions on private, tribal, and other non-federal lands. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) voluntary conservation programs that promote agricultural, forest and wildlife management, and environmental quality. Through EQIP and previous WHIP program landowners may receive financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural or management practices on eligible agricultural and forest land. Applicants will be responsible for providing overall administration (hiring, supervision and payroll) of staff hired to provide assistance on a cooperative basis for accelerated planning (CTA and EQIP) and implementation of wildlife and forestry practices within Vermont (EQIP). ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Eligibility to apply for this funding is limited to state and local agencies, colleges, universities and other non-profit organizations. Other federal agencies are not eligible to receive funding under this notice. DATE: Applications must be received on or before August 29, 2014 by 4:30 PM EST. Applications received after that time will not be considered. Applications will not be accepted by facsimile machine or email. See section VII of the full announcement for instructions on mailing written applications or submitting electronic proposals through Grants.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Wood, Assistant State Conservationist for Operations (802) 951-6796 x235 OR Carol Vartuli, State Administrative Officer (802) 951-6796 X226.