March 30, 2023 - The Department of Conservation (DOC) is pleased to announce the release of the Climate Smart Land Management Program Guidelines. Applications were due on May 8, 2023.
Awards
Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program
December 18, 2023 - SACRAMENTO –
The
California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved over $116 million in Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program grants last week to permanently protect approximately 50,500 acres of croplands and rangelands, as well as lands utilized by California Native American tribes for the cultivation of traditional resources.
This year, for the first time, SALC funding will support California tribes with land acquisitions, advancing the state’s work to support tribal access, co-management, and acquisition of ancestral lands. SALC investments from this round of funding also provide pathways to land ownership and access to agricultural lands for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
June 16, 2023 - SACRAMENTO –The California Department of Conservation’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program awarded $35 million to regions that are adapting land use to improve sustainability of groundwater basins. Across Santa Cruz, Merced, Stanislaus, Kings, San Benito, Monterey, and Fresno counties, four regional organizations will receive grants to increase regional capacity to repurpose agricultural land, thereby reducing reliance on groundwater and increasing groundwater sustainability.
March 13, 2023 - Director Shabazian approved more than $3 Million in grants through the Department of Conservation’s California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP). Awarded grants will permanently protect approximately 1000 acres in the counties of Kings, Lassen, and Mariposa. Funding was also awarded for four land improvement projects in Amador, Plumas, Shasta and San Luis Obispo counties. Land improvement grants are exclusive to and for the benefit of already-protected agricultural lands.This round of the program was funded by the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002 (Proposition 40), and California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68).
Riparian Corridor Restoration and Conservation Program
February 2023 - $2.4 million was awarded to fund watershed restoration planning and implementation projects on agricultural lands in San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Ventura, Santa Cruz, and Siskiyou counties. Each grant went to a locally focused Resource Conservation District (RCD).
December 15, 2022 --Today the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved over $74 million in grants to protect 54,000 acres of agricultural lands at risk of development. The investments are part of Round 8 of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), a state program protecting agricultural lands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening primarily rural economies.
May 25, 2022 - The California Department of Conservation today announced the award of more than $40 million to regional organizations working to reduce groundwater reliance and create local environmental and economic opportunities through land-use changes. These organizations, which operate in five important agricultural counties, are the first recipients of funding from the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, part of Governor Newsom’s multi-faceted response to the ongoing drought. The Department also awarded $2 million to Self-Help Enterprises to support community engagement and collaboration statewide.
See the full press release here
Riparian Corridor Restoration and Conservation Program
February 2022 - $3.9 million was awarded to riparian restoration planning and implementation projects on agricultural lands in Lassen, Fresno, Kings, Ventura, Trinity, San Luis Obispo, and Contra Costa counties. Each grant went to a locally focused Resource Conservation District (RCD).
December 8, 2021 -- Director Shabazian approved more than $4.7 Million in grants for the Department of Conservation’s
California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP). Awarded grants will permanently protect approximately 2200 acres through five conservation easements covering five counties from Siskiyou to Monterey. Funding was also awarded for a land improvement project in Siskiyou County. This round of the program was funded by the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68).
November 16, 2021--The
California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved more than $65 million to fund 19 agricultural easements and three planning grants. The land acquisition projects comprise approximately 27,000 acres in 15 counties across the state. View a list of awarded projects.
Sustainable Groundwater Management Watershed Coordinator Grant Program
January 2021-- The division is pleased to announce five awards totaling $1.7 million for watershed coordinators that will build broad coalitions of government, stakeholders, and communities to develop plans and projects to improve watershed health and meet California's groundwater sustainability goals.
January 2021-- Seventeen responsive applications were received, scored, and ranked. Eight projects were selected for grant awards.
December 2020-- The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved more than $52 million to fund 20 agricultural easements, the fee purchase of two parcels and the funding of 10 planning grants. The land acquisition projects comprise approximately 16,853 acres in 19 counties.
View a list of awarded projects.
Read full press release.
November 2020-- $2 million was awarded to fund watershed restoration and conservation projects on agricultural lands in Marin, Sonoma, Kings and Ventura counties. Each grant went to a locally focused Resource Conservation District (RCD).
July 2020-- We received 12 applications for funding from RCDs throughout the state, requesting a total of $263,835. The $135,000 available was awarded to seven applicants.
