(NAFB) – The National Association of Conservation Districts is looking for concept papers as it launches the first phase of its $90 million program funded by USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.

The program will advance grassroots efforts to ensure producers and local communities are prepared to meet the growing demand for climate-smart commodity markets. Through its network of 3,000 conservation districts and partners, NACD anticipates reaching more than 1,400 producers, more than half of which will be small and underserved producers. With nearly half of the program budget dedicated to producer incentives and payments, it aims to implement climate-smart practices on over 430,000 acres and reduce or sequester over 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent.

NACD wants concept papers detailing innovative ideas that scale the implementation of climate-smart practices, advance greenhouse gas measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification, or support producer participation in resulting markets. The organization will then support project development through a matchmaking process.