Projects will be evaluated on their demonstrated experience and proposed approach to perform the following objectives: • Ability to increase and expand implementation of NRS practices utilizing funding from diverse resources and partnerships. • Ability to target conservation implementation to locations and/or specific agriculture sectors based on demonstrated experience and evaluated need for integration of these practices. • Established local support networks and partnerships and willing landowners/farmers to adopt and expand use of NRS priority practices. • Ability to leverage additional resources from stakeholders and other partner(s) to expand scale and impact of the project on a regional basis and beyond the current project area. • Plan to monitor, assess and evaluate project impacts in alignment with water quality and socioeconomic goals. • Projects that focus on infrastructure-based practices and that have a larger impact on nutrient reductions will receive priority consideration for funding (i.e. wetlands, bioreactors, grade stabilization structures, saturated buffers, multi-use oxbows, etc.).
