What to say when you follow up on an EQIP application
NRCS accepts applications year-round and ranks them at set times, so a follow-up usually comes down to two questions: has this round been ranked, and what comes next. Funding is competitive, and a good project can miss a round.
Where to go: NRCS, at your local USDA Service Center
When: Each state sets its own cutoff dates. Ask about the next one.
Farmer’s Navigator is not USDA. Your NRCS office decides ranking and funding.
If you call
Fill in the brackets with your own details.
“Hi, this is [name]. I applied for EQIP for [practice] on my place in [county]. My application number is [if you have it]. I’d like to check on where it stands. Has ranking been done for that cutoff date?”
If you walk in
“Hi, I’m following up on my EQIP application for [practice], which I turned in around [month]. Can you tell me where it stands and how it ranked? And is there anything you need from me?”
What to bring
- Your application number, if you have it
- Your name and farm number
- Your conservation plan or notes from the planner, if you have them
- Anything that has changed since you applied: land, leases, head count
Questions to ask
- Has ranking been completed for this cutoff date?
- How did my application score compared with the applications that were funded?
- If it isn’t funded this round, does it stay in line for the next one, or do I need to do something?
- When is the next cutoff date?
- What could address the priority resource concerns better if it goes through ranking again?
- Is there another ranking pool or a partner project that might fit this work?
- Is there anything you need from me to keep this moving?
What happens next
- If your application is selected, you choose whether to sign the contract. Don’t start the work until the contract is approved.
- If it isn’t funded this round, ask your planner what happens to it and whether anything needs updating before the next cutoff.
Good to know
- EQIP ranking looks at conservation benefit, including cost-effectiveness, how well the project addresses priority resource concerns, and how comprehensive it is.
- NRCS has to make its priority resource concerns, eligible practices and payment rates public, so you can ask to see how they apply in your state.
Sources
- NRCS, How to Get Assistance
- NRCS application cutoff dates
- 7 CFR 1466.8, practices started early
- 7 CFR 1466.20, applications and ranking
Last updated . Checked against the sources above.
farmersnavigator.com/tools/scripts/eqip-follow-up