Private Property Grants

Private Property Grants

ACRE3 Program

“The ACRE3 (Advancing Colorado’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency) program promotes the development and implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for Colorado’s agricultural producers and processors under the direction of the Colorado Agricultural Value-Added Development Board.”

RCPP Irrigation Hydropower

Funding is available twice a year, typically in the Spring and Fall

RCPP Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program

Funding is available on a quarterly basis

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Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)

“Producers may construct or improve water management structures or irrigation structures; plant trees for windbreaks or to improve water quality; and mitigate risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices, including soil erosion control, integrated pest management, or transition to organic farming.”

“AMA provides financial assistance up to 75 percent of the cost of installing conservation practices. Total AMA payments shall not exceed $50,000 per participant for any fiscal year.”

 Participants are not subject to Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.”

Participants are subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.”

“AMA offers an additional higher cost-share for historically underserved producers.”

Producer Eligibility:

Producers must:

• Be engaged in livestock or agricultural production
• Have an interest in the farming operation associated with the land be offered for AMA enrollment
• Have control of the land for the term of the proposed contract
• Be in compliance with the provisions for protecting the interests of the tenants and sharecroppers, including the provisions for sharing AMA payments on a fair and equitable basis
• Be within appropriate payment limitation requirements

Land Eligibility

• Land on which agricultural commodities or livestock are produced, such as cropland, hayland, pastureland, rangeland, and grassland
• Land is used for subsistence purposes, private non-industrial forest land, or other land on which agricultural products, livestock, or forest-related products are produced
• Land on which risk may be mitigated through operation diversification or a change in resource conservation practices

Application Form:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/AMA-Conservation-Application-Form.pdf

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Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)

“Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. CIG projects inspire creative problem-solving—boosting production on farms, ranches, and private forests through improvements in water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat.”

Eligibility:

CIG applications are accepted from state or local governments, federally-recognized American Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, Pacific Islands Area).

Fact Sheet:

https://cig.sc.egov.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/NRCS-CIG_FarmBill2018_Factsheet.pdf

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Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

“CRP is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are from 10 to 15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.”

3 types of CRP:

General CRP

Grassland CRP

Continuous CRP

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Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

“NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines and enhances existing efforts, using new conservation practices or activities, based on management objectives for your operation. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that expands on the benefits of cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations. CSP offers annual payments for implementing these practices on your land and operating and maintaining existing conservation efforts.”

How do CSP contracts work?

“CSP contracts are for five years, with the opportunity to compete for a contract renewal if you successfully fulfill the initial contract and agree to achieve additional conservation objectives. An NRCS conservation planner will work closely with you, throughout the entire contract process.”

Contract payments are based on two components:

1. Payments to maintain the existing level of conservation, based on the land uses included in the contract and an NRCS assessment of existing stewardship at the time of enrollment.
2. Payments to implement additional conservation activities.

CSP Fact Sheet:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/Is%20CSP%20right%20for%20me.pdf

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Environmental Qualities and Incentives Program (EQIP)

“The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides technical and financial assistance to producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility”

How to apply:

Application information is here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/apply-for-environmental-quality-incentives-program-eqip

First step to apply for any NRCS is to contact local NRCS office/agency

EQIP Fact Sheet:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EQIP-fact-sheet.pdf

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District Conservation Technician (DCT)

The purpose of this funding is to provide funds for TECHNICAL assistance to landowners for on-the-ground conservation practices through Farm Bill programs and standard NRCS conservation practices (CTA). The program also offers an opportunity for increased District capacity to provide technical support, leverage funds and raise your District profile in your community.

• 80-100% technician time must be for Farm Bill practice implementation, NRCS Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) or the NRCS 9-step conservation planning process with individual landowners. Any other time (max 20%) to be spent on other TECHNICAL work.

• “Other technical work” includes activities such as providing technical assistance to District programs (not program management), preparing and delivering technical information/workshops to landowners (not event management for programs), writing technical parts of grants (not general grant writing), etc.

How to apply:

Use this link and scroll down to relevant application materials: https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/cscb/grant-applications-and-operational-materials/district-conservation-technician

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Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Project

“The Joint Chiefs' Landscape Restoration Partnership enables NRCS and the Forest Service to collaborate with agricultural producers, forest landowners, tribes and public land managers to invest in conservation and restoration at a big enough scale to make a positive difference. Working in partnership, and at this scale, helps reduce wildfire threats to communities, protect water quality and supply, and improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species. Through the new three-year projects, landowners will work with local USDA experts and partners to apply targeted forestry management practices on their land, such as hazardous fuel treatments, fire breaks, reforestation and other systems to meet unique forestry challenges in their area.”  

Eligibility:

“Joint Chiefs' project proposals are developed at the local level through a collaborative process between NRCS, Forest Service and partners. Past partners have included county, state, non-governmental, Tribal, utilities or private individual stakeholders. The collaboration process and partnerships will depend on the specific community needs of each project.”

How to apply:

“Proposals are submitted by the local NRCS and Forest Service offices to the national agency offices. Proposals are reviewed and vetted at multiple levels in the agencies based on local, state, Tribal, and regional priorities.”

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Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land.

Eligibility:

Entities that are classified as one of the following organizational types can serve as an eligible RCPP partner:

1. An agricultural or silvicultural producer association or other group of producers. 2. A state or unit of local government. 3. An Indian Tribe. 4. A farmer cooperative. 5. A water district, irrigation district, acequia, rural water district or association, or other organization with specific water delivery authority to agricultural producers. 6. A municipal water or wastewater treatment entity. 7. An institution of higher education. 8. An organization, business or entity with an established history of working cooperatively with producers, as determined by NRCS, to address: a. local conservation priorities related to agricultural production, wildlife habitat development, or nonindustrial private forest land management; orb. critical watershed-scale soil erosion, water quality, sediment reduction, or other natural resource issues. 9. An entity, such as an Indian Tribe, state government, local government, or a non-governmental organization, that has a farmland or grassland protection program that purchases agricultural land easements, as defined in 7 CFR 1468.3. 10. A conservation district.

How to apply:

Use this link to go to the “How to apply” page: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/rcpp-regional-conservation-partnership-program/how-to-apply

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Forest Ag Program

Eligibility:

 The landowner must perform forest management activities to produce tangible wood products for the primary purpose of obtaining a monetary profit. Tangible wood products include transplants, Christmas trees and boughs, sawlogs, posts, poles and firewood.

The landowner must have at least 40 forested acres.

The landowner must submit a Colorado State Forest Service-approved forest management plan that is prepared by a professional forester or natural resources professional.

Landowners must annually submit (1) a request for inspection, (2) an inspection fee, (3) an accomplishment report, and (4) an annual work plan for the following year, and have the enrolled property inspected by a CSFS forester. See electronic forms on this web page

How to apply:

• Contact local CSFS office for assistance with form
• See Forest Ag Program brochure for timeline