The goal of the program is exactly as you describe it: a chance to try out no-till on the government's dime.  The hope is you'll see that it works and you'll continue to do it on your own.  The approach we use in this county (quite successfully I might add) is that you'll want to no-till cause it's good for you NOT because the govt. pays for it.  That and I'll bug the hell out of you til you do try it 

BTW, having the residue buried isn't always, if ever, a good thing.  By burying the residue to allow more access to it by all the bugs, fungus and bacterias in your soil and they burn it up too quickly and those nutrients aren't available for your crop.  Nutrients in the organic matter is nature slow release fertilizer!