- Land Use Planning grants that support the development of local and regional land use policies and economic development strategies to protect critical agricultural land
- Agricultural Conservation Acquisition grants to permanently protect croplands, rangelands, and lands utilized for the cultivation of traditional resources from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
- Capacity and Project Development grants to expand organizational capacity to develop agricultural conservation acquisition projects.
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Funding
The Program invests in agricultural land conservation with revenue from the California Climate Investments (CCI) Fund, made available for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing additional benefits to California communities. CCI is derived from quarterly cap-and-trade auction proceeds, which are administered by the California Air Resources Board.
The California Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) SALC Program is a component of SGC’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC). SALC complements investments made in urban areas with the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, development of agricultural land strategy plans, and other mechanisms that result in GHG reductions and a more resilient agricultural sector. Please see the SGC website for more information about the AHSC Program.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
March 5, 2025 – The Department of Conservation is pleased to announce the release of the Round 10 Draft Easement template.
**Announcement - June 2, 2025: The 30-day public comment period for the Round 10 Draft Easement Template has closed. Please stay tuned for further updates.
SALC Guidelines & Grant AgreementsThe SALC Program is now accepting pre-proposals for conservation easement and fee title acquisitions on a rolling basis. The two-phased pre-proposal and semi-annual conservation acquisition application process begins with Round 11. Final pre-proposal and application materials can be found below. There are no changes proposed to the Planning grants program for Round 11. An online workshop will be held on October 29th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., to answer questions about the updated pre-proposal and application process. Please contact salcp@conservation.ca.gov for the meeting link.
Important Dates
- Acquisition pre-proposals can be submitted beginning: October 15, 2025
- Acquisition Applications for Round 11a are due: January 15, 2026
- Acquisition Project Award Announcements for Round 11a Anticipated: April 29, 2026*
*Dates are subject to change.
Final Pre-Proposal and Application Materials
SALC Guidelines and Grant AgreementsAugust 27, 2025: The Strategic Growth Council approved a second technical amendment to the Round 10 SALC Guidelines, incorporating requirements from the most recent updates to the California Climate Investments (CCI) Guidelines and additional revisions. CCI requires that all programs receiving cap-and-invest (previously know as cap-and-trade) funds follow the Funding Guidelines for Agencies that Administer CCI Funding Guidelines. Please refer to the 08/27/2025 SGC Meeting Materials, re-posted here for reference, for full details.
December 17, 2024: The Strategic Growth Council approved a technical amendment to the Round 9 and Round 10 SALC Guidelines creating an allowance for the reimbursement of appraisal costs where they may currently be ineligible for reimbursement in instances where the grantee is a tribe or an organization whose purpose is to serve priority populations and/or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and the project would benefit one of these groups.
SALC Technical Assistance Provider,
Helianth Partners, has compiled a library of resources to support self-directed education and capacity-building related to SALC funding, agricultural land conservation, and increasing equity in conservation practices. Helianth Partners is available to assist in the development of SALC pre-proposal applications until the end of December 2025.
Resources include:
- Guidance on SALC organizational readiness, project eligibility, preparing for applications, and complementing SALC funds with other grant programs.
- Recorded training sessions offered in 2024 to share opportunities related to increasing equity in conservation projects and applying for SALC funding.
- Third-party resources, including tools, sample policies, and guidebooks covering a range of topics including working with underserved communities and Tribes, developing organization strategies to support equity in land conservation, and SALC-related templates and tools.
About California Climate Investments
SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. For more information, visit California Climate Investments.
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