The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, through Public Act 22-118 was allocated a total of $7 million to support Climate Smart Agriculture production and practices.
Donor Name: Connecticut Department of Agriculture
State: Connecticut
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/16/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000 and up
Grant Duration: 5 years
Details:
The Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Forestry Grant can pay or reimburse to:
- provide technical assistance,
- distribute grant funding to producers,
- coordinate training programs,
- coordinate projects that pilot or demonstrate water and land-based conservation practices,
- create tools that help reduce barriers to accessing assistance for water or land-based conservation practices on farms,
- establish equipment-sharing programs, or
- other activities that will increase the number of farmers who are implementing climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices.
Funding is provided through Public Act 22-118 Sec 12(b)(70) which provides $7 million for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, to the Department of Agriculture to support climate smart farming. The Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Forestry Grant and any awards are subject to limitations of state funding.
Funding Tiers
These funds will be made available to the agricultural industry through a new grant program with the following parameters:
There will be four grant allocation categories:
- Tier 1: $100,000 to $249,999
- Project duration: Up to 18 months
- Tier 2: $250,000 to $499,999
- Project duration: 18 months up to 2 years
- Tier 3: $500,000 to $999,999
- Project duration: 2-3 years
- Tier 4: $1,000,000 and up
- Project durations: 3-5 years
For all grant categories
- There is no match requirement
- Administrative/indirect costs are allowable
- All agricultural commodities, including forestry, are eligible
- All production types (conventional, organic, indoor/outdoor, soil/water, etc.) are eligible
Priority will be given to projects with the following components
- A low administrative percentage
- Support historically underserved farmers, including but not limited to:
- BIPOC producers
- Veterans
- New and beginning farmer (farming for 1-3 years)
- Anyone in a protected class
- Anyone that speaks English as a second language
- Leverage funds to match a federal project
- Enable farmers to participate in another climate smart farming program
- Enable farmers to be fully compensated for partial reimbursement as a result of participating in a federal program
- Collaboration with other applicants, amongst like organizations, or other established programs or state initiative
- Offer TA to program beneficiaries
- Encourage peer to peer networking
Criteria
Any agribusiness or entity, including nonprofit organization, soil and water conservation district, colleges and universities, municipality or for-profit organization in the State of Connecticut are eligible to apply.
For more information, visit Forestry Grant.
