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.”
Funding is available twice a year, typically in the Spring and Fall
RCPP Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program
Funding is available on a quarterly basis
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
Brighter Future Fund's National Grant for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers
American Farmland Trust (AFT) is excited to announce the Brighter Future Fund’s National Grant for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers to assist farmers in successfully launching, growing, and sustaining farms in the face of forces impacting the food and agricultural system, changing markets, severe weather, and climate change. AFT seeks to uplift, support, and amplify the work of a wide range of farmers through this program. Funding will be allocated to two primary categories: professional services and equipment or infrastructure costs.
Eligibility:
Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $5,000 per project. A project may involve one or more individual farmers or farm families. Only one grant can be awarded per farmer/farm family. Funding for this program is limited. As funding remains, awards will be made on an ongoing basis to eligible applicants who fulfill all application requirements and meet selection criteria. Land tenure (ownership, a lease, license, or other written agreement) for a reasonable time period will be required for projects that involve on-the-ground improvements to farmland. If tenure is less than five years, please be prepared to demonstrate in the application that the tenure is sufficient in relation to the improvements being made or services being provided. AFT seeks to support farmers and ranchers across America through the Brighter Future Fund. Expanding on priorities established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Fund focuses its support on beginning, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, women, and veteran farmers and ranchers to support greater equity and opportunities for all in agriculture. For more information on AFT’s commitment to increased opportunity, please see AFT’s DEIJ statement.
Additional information that will be taken into consideration when making funding decisions include:
- Priority for individuals who dedicate a majority of their work time to farming or ranching;
- Need-based consideration of projects;
- Diversity in farms as determined by the dollar value of farm products sold, acres in farming, and farm products grown, raised, or produced.
- Projects that 1) Improve farm viability; 2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland; or 3) Adopt regenerative agricultural practices.
Farmers who previously received a Brighter Future Fund or The New England Farmer Microgrants Program grant are not eligible. However, those who applied but were not awarded funds during our previous Bright Future Fund grant cycles are encouraged to apply again.
Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP)
COSWAP supports wildfire risk reduction in Colorado with two programs. First, the Workforce Development Grant Program provides supported, entry level training opportunities and experience for individuals interested in wildfire mitigation and forestry. These workforce development crews are available for mitigation work in select areas. In the spirit of workforce development, COSWAP also funds mitigation trainings.
Secondly, COSWAP’s Landscape Resilience Investment funding makes targeted investments in strategic focus areas through landscape scale fuels mitigation projects.
Eligibility:
Depends on program, see website for details.
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
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is an offshoot of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in partnership with states, Tribal governments, and non-governmental organizations.
Partners work with FSA to develop CREP agreements designed to address specific conservation challenges in targeted geographic areas. The program encourages farmers and landowners to enroll in long-term conservation contracts, removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and implementing conservation practices. Participants receive annual rental payments, cost-share assistance for establishing conservation practices, and other financial incentives.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include farmers and landowners with land in designated CREP project areas. The land must meet specific criteria related to environmental sensitivity and conservation potential. Participants must demonstrate the ability to implement and maintain the proposed conservation practices.
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:
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:
- 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.
- 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
CSFS Restoring Colorado's Forest Fund
The Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund (RCFF) is a donor-supported program established in 2003 to provide no-cost tree seedlings to landowners whose forested properties have been impacted by large-scale disturbances, such as fires and floods. Priority RCFF seedlings are meant to be planted on lands most severely impacted by wildfires and other disturbances. Donations to the fund are used to pay for seedlings that will be given to qualified applicants free of charge for reforesting state and private lands within Colorado. The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) administers RCFF and will award applicants through a competitive ranking process. The availability of seedlings is based on CSFS Nursery’s capacity to produce seedlings and the extent of donations annually.
Eligibility:
Applicants may be individual landowners, homeowner associations, groups of landowners, state land management agencies and local government entities. Planting projects must be (1) on private, state or county land within Colorado; (2) currently, partially or previously forested and impacted by a disturbance; (3) on a property to which the applicant has the legal authority to implement the planting project; (4) based on a CSFS forester site evaluation and recommendations; (5) and for at least the minimum request of 210 seedlings.
CSFS Restoring Colorado's Forest Fund Application
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
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
Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP)
The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffers to improve both vegetation and water flow. FWP is a voluntary program that aims to restore up to one million acres of farmable wetlands and associated buffers. Participants must agree to restore the wetlands, establish plant cover, and not use enrolled land for commercial purposes. Plant cover may include plants that are partially submerged or specific types of trees. The Farm Services Agency (FSA) runs the program through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with assistance from other government agencies and local conservation groups.
Eligibility
Farmers and ranchers in any state can take part in the program. However, there are restrictions on the land and amount of acreage that can be enrolled. Land generally must have been used for agricultural purposes for 3 of the past 10 crop years, can include a man-made wetland used to process water flow for crop drainage, can have been used for aqua farming purposes, or has been used for prairie wetland overflow purposes. Interested landowners should check with their local FSA office for other requirements and limitations related to acreage and restricted years of activity.
FSA Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP)
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks. BCAP provides two categories of assistance:
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.”
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
Rural Energy For America Program (REAP)
Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.
Eligibility:
- Agricultural producers
- An entity directly engaged in production of agricultural products where at least 50 percent of their gross income coming from agricultural operations.
- Small businesses
- Must be located in eligible rural areas and one of the following:
- Private for-profit entity (sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or Corporation).
- A Cooperative [including those qualified under Section 501(c)(12) of IRS Code].
- An electric utility (including a Tribal or governmental electric utility) that provides service to rural consumers and operates independent of direct government control)
- A Tribal corporation or other Tribal business entities that are chartered under Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act (25 USC 477) or have similar structures and relationships with their Tribal entity without regard to the resources of the Tribal government.
- Must meet the Small Business Administration size standards in accordance with 13 CFR 121.
- Must be located in eligible rural areas and one of the following:
NOTE: Agricultural producers and small businesses must have NO outstanding delinquent federal taxes, debt, judgment or debarment.
- Projects must be located in rural areas with populations of 50,000 residents or less. Check eligible rural areas. Agricultural producers may submit projects to be located in non-rural areas as long as the project is associated with an on-site production operation.
Additional Information:
Agricultural Energy Renovation Opportunities (AERO) Project
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
More information
For more information on Palmer's landowner services program, please contact us. We'd be honored to discuss how we can support you and your vision for your property.
CONTACT
Theron Verna
Land Stewardship Manager
(719) 941-9498
Email