The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce funding availability through a competitive grant process for the Healthy Soils (HS) Demonstration Program.
Donor Name: California Department of Food and Agriculture
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/258/2023
Size of the Grant:
- Type A project: $300,000
- Type B project: $150,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The HS Demonstration Program, a part of Healthy Soils Program (HSP), stems from the California Healthy Soils Initiative, a collaboration of state agencies and departments that promotes the development of healthy soils on California’s farmlands and ranchlands.
The Healthy Soils Program aims to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Healthy Soils (HS) Demonstration Program funds on-farm demonstration projects that collect data, showcase conservation management practices and create a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state.
Objectives
The objectives of the HSP are to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) by (1) providing financial incentives to California farmers and ranchers for agricultural management practices that sequester carbon, reduce atmospheric GHGs and improve soil health, (2) funding on-farm demonstration projects that collect data and/or showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and improve soil health, and (3) creating a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state. The HS Demonstration Program addresses Objectives 2 and 3. Objective 1 is addressed in the Healthy Soils Incentives Program.
Types of Projects
- Type A projects will demonstrate implementation of conservation management practices, measure field GHGs emissions, collect soil health data, and conduct analysis on cost/benefits for adoption of the proposed practice(s) and anticipated barriers
- Type B projects will demonstrate implementation of HSP conservation management practices, collect soil health data, and/or conduct analysis on cost/benefits for adoption of the proposed practice(s) and anticipated barriers.
Funding Information
CDFA was appropriated $70 million from the California State Budget, authorized by the Budget Act of 2022 (SB 154). CDFA will make available approximately $4 million for the HS Demonstration Program.
- Demonstration Program grant amounts cannot exceed
- $300,000 for a Type A project, and
- $150,000 for a Type B project
- The maximum grant duration is three years and grant funds cannot be expended before the grant agreement is executed and/or the grant start date, whichever is later, or after the grant agreement term has ended
- Cost sharing (matching funds or in-kind contributions) during grant duration is not required but encouraged.
Eligibility Criteria
The HS Demonstration Program will fund projects that implement eligible agricultural management practices and conduct outreach to California farmers and ranchers at on-farm demonstration sites. Projects must showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and increase soil health and help create a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state.
- Nonprofit entities, University Cooperative Extensions, Federal and University Experiment Stations, city and community colleges, Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs), California Native American Tribes, and farmers and ranchers in partnership with one of the aforementioned entities are eligible to apply
- Individuals are not eligible to apply
- As part of nonprofit entities, use of grant funds for service members through established service programs including AmeriCorps, California Conservation Corps, or a certified local community conservation corps to support the implementation of applicable projects is eligible
- A project must include at least one farm (private agricultural operation, university/government owned farm or city community garden) to fulfill demonstration requirements. For the purposes of this program, an agricultural operation is defined as row, vineyard, field and tree crops, commercial nurseries, nursery stock production, and greenhouse operations producing food crops or flowers as defined in Food and Agricultural Code section 77911.
- More than one farm may be included in a single application; however, the same farm cannot be included in multiple applications
- CDFA will award a maximum of two applications submitted by the same lead applicant, but each application should be for a unique project
- Entities receiving grant funds must be located in California with a physical California business address
- Applicants must lease, own, or otherwise control the fields and Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) where project activities are proposed to occur for the entirety of the project duration. If leasing land, applicants must provide landowner’s agreement to implement proposed practices(s) for the entire grant term. If duration of lease is shorter than project duration, landowner and lessee must provide a signed statement that lease renewal will be negotiated in good faith
- If selected for an award, applicants must be able to respond to information required by CDFA to execute a grant agreement within 30 days of receiving a notice of award. CDFA reserves the right to rescind award offer if awardee fails to respond within 30 days.
For more information, visit CDFA.
