The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is seeking applications to support Climate Smart Agriculture production and practices.
Donor Name: Connecticut Department of Agriculture
State: Connecticut
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/18/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000
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.
Priority
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 initiatives
- Offer TA to program beneficiaries
- Encourage peer to peer networking
50% advance of funds will be provided. Periodic reporting, data collection, and participation in quartering awardee meetings will be required.
Funding Information
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 duration: 3-5 years
- Tier 1: $100,000 to $249,999
- 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.
Eligibility 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 CDA.
