The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP).
Donor Name: California Department of Food and Agriculture
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/15/2026
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Through the Block Grant model, CDFA’s Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) partners with regional organizations to implement the program to administer local grant programs that support farmers and ranchers implementing strategies to improve irrigation systems for the purposes of water conservation, energy use reduction, and the reduction of greenhouse (GHG) emission.
California first developed the SWEEP in 2014 in response to severe drought. SWEEP promotes the use of water and energy efficient irrigation systems to conserve water and to reduce greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions associated with irrigation, helping farms become more resilient to California’s highly variable water supply. Through the program producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement a custom project including improvements to the irrigation and energy components of their farm.
Objectives
The Objectives are as follows:
- Phase 1. Outreach and On-Farm Project Selection
- Develop a Process for Selecting On-Farm Projects- In collaboration with OARS, create a fair, transparent and goal-aligned selection process.
- Perform Outreach- Widely advertise the funding opportunity to the service area identified in the Scope of Work, with a focus on reaching growers who will help the project meet identified goals.
- Provide Application and Project Design Technical Assistance- Work closely with producers to gather necessary application information and prepare an eligible project design.
- Select On-Farm Projects- Complete on-farm project selection.
- Phase 2. On-Farm Project Implementation and Outcomes
- Obtain Grant Beneficiary Commitments – Develop written agreements with producers that lay out the responsibilities of both the Beneficiary and the BGR in implementing the on-farm project.
- Provide Implementation Technical Assistance and Facilitate On-Farm Project Completion- Maintain technical assistance throughout the onfarm project implementation with a commitment to the best possible outcomes for beneficiaries, including recurring site visits as appropriate.
- Disburse Funds to Grant Beneficiaries in a Timely Manner- Provide advances and/or reimbursements in a timely manner as on-farm projects
progress and are verified as complete. - Amplify Project Outcomes- During the grant term host at least one demonstration field event and develop case studies and media materials to document the outcomes of on-farm projects.
Goals and Target
- The most competitive applications will demonstrate readiness to support the following targets set in the Climate Bond:
- Target 1: 40% of Climate Bond funds must provide “meaningful and direct benefits” to DACs, SDACs and vulnerable populations (which includes SDFRs and Tribes).
- Target 2: 10% of Climate Bond funds must provide meaningful and direct benefits to SDACs.
- Additionally, CDFA also has a requirement under the Canella Act to dedicate 25% of technical assistance funding for HSP and SWEEP to supporting SDFRs.
- Target 3: 25% of technical assistance funds will support SDFRs
Funding Information
$40 million to promote on-farm water use efficiency with a focus on multiple-benefit projects that improve resilience to climate change and save water on California agricultural operations.
Grant Period
The expected block grant term is a maximum of four years (48 months).
Eligibility Criteria
- Lead Applicant
- Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs)
- Block Grant Recipients may serve as the Technical Assistance Provider Lead Organization if they are eligible under the Canella Environmental Farming Act.
- Eligible entities include:
- Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs)
- University of California Cooperative Extension
- California public colleges and universities
- Nonprofit organizations
- Groundwater Sustainability Agencies
- Irrigation districts
- Grant Beneficiary Eligibility: Persons (sole proprietors, or lessees, or Single Member LLCs) occupied as farmers or ranchers managing lands in California, of at least 18 years of age; Agricultural Business Entities that lease or own agricultural land in California, California Native American Tribes, Nonprofit organizations working as agriculture operations.
For more information, visit CDFA.
