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Conservation Agriculture Planning Grants Program 2021

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · 12500

Eligibility details

Limited to: Technical Service Providers registered by the USDA NRCS, Farmers and ranchers in collaboration with qualified experts, Certified Crop Advisor, Pest Control Advisor, Certified Rangeland Manager, Native American Indian Tribes, Non-profits, Resource Conservation Districts, Experiment Stations, University of California, California State University and community colleges, Agricultural cooperatives, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: Not Required. NA

Matching funds and leveraged resources are different requirements. Read the description and reviewed rules below before determining resource commitments.

About this opportunity

The Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $17 Million to CDFA for Technical Assistance and Conservation Management Plans. With this funding, CAPGP will provide up to $15 million in funding to eligible applicants for the development of plans. Eligible entities include Tribes, technical service providers (TSPs) registered with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), professional certified crop advisors, pest control advisors, rangeland managers, non-profit organizations, Resource Conservation Districts, California Public Universities, agricultural cooperatives, groundwater sustainability agencies, and farmers and ranchers in collaboration with a qualified planner. All eligible applicants will be required to demonstrate qualifications. Applicants may apply for up to $250,000 to prepare conservation agriculture plans in the following categories: Agricultural Energy DesignCarbon Farm PlanningComprehensive Nutrient ManagementFish and Wildlife HabitatGrazing ManagementIrrigation Water ManagementNutrient ManagementOrganic TransitionPollinator HabitatPest ManagementSoil Health Management $6 million will be reserved for plans that support organic transition (Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition (CPA 138), Organic System Plan or Transition to Organic (DIA 140)). Matching funds are not required and grant payments will distributed on a reimbursement basis. Reimbursement will be based upon a flat payment rate established for each type of plan. CDFA encourages applications from organizations who serve small to medium sized and socially disadvantaged California food producers and farmworkers, including but not limited to BIMPOC (Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, and People of Color), LGBTQ+, women and veterans. CDFA aims to expend 25% of the planning assistance funds to benefit Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFRs)[1]. For this reason, CDFA will prioritize CAPGP applications that meet minimum qualifications of SDFR farmers or non-farmer applicants that commit to expending 25% of the funding to provide planning assistance to SDFR farmers. [1] “Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. “Socially disadvantaged group” means a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. These groups include all of the following: (1) African Americans (2) Native American Indians (3) Alaskan Natives (4) Hispanics (5) Asian Americans (6) Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Funding geography: The agricultural operations receiving planning assistance must be located in California.

Funding instrument: Grant. Issuing jurisdiction: California. This is not a geographic eligibility determination.