The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce a competitive application process for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) Pilot Program for the Southern California Desert Region.
Donor Name: California Department of Food and Agriculture
State: California
Counties: Imperial County (CA), Riverside County (CA)
Cities: Santa Rosa, San Jacinto
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/08/2022
Grant Size: $200,000
Grant Duration: 18 months
Details:
The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations.
For this purpose of this solicitation, the southern desert region is defined as Imperial County and Riverside County, east of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains.
Funding Information
- The maximum grant award is $200,000.
- The maximum grant duration is 18 month.
Eligibility Criteria
- California farmers, ranchers and Federal and California Recognized Native American Indian Tribes are eligible to apply.
- The farm location and the business mailing address must be located in California within the southern desert region
- The irrigation project must be on a California agricultural operation.
- 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.
- Medicinal and recreational cannabis crops are excluded from eligibility.
- Academic university research institutions and state governmental organizations are not eligible for funding.
- An agricultural operation cannot submit more than one application per unique tax identification number.
- An applicant must be at least 18 years old and associated with the project.
- Projects must reduce on-farm irrigation water use and must not result in an increase in GHG emissions from irrigation water pumping.
- SWEEP funds may be combined with other funds as match for the same project, such as funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). However, SWEEP funds cannot cover activities or costs funded by other federal or state grant programs.
SWEEP grant funds cannot be used to:
- Expand existing agricultural operations (i.e., additional new acreage cannot be converted to farmland)
- Install new groundwater wells or increase well depth
- Test new technology or perform research
For more information, visit California Department of Food and Agriculture.
