The Department of Conservation works in cooperation with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to implement the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC). SALC supports agricultural land conservation, economic growth, and sustainable development by providing grants for three types of projects:
- 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.
Key Resources
Announcement - March 6, 2025: SALC staff will offer Office Hours to answer questions about the Round 10 Draft Easement Template and the upcoming Capacity grant application. Office Hours will be held over Microsoft Teams every second Wednesday of the month during March, April, and May. An additional Office Hours meeting will be held on June 11, 2025, to answer questions related to Capacity grant applications. Please contact salcp@conservation.ca.gov for the meeting link.
Office Hour Dates
- March 12, 2025, 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- April 9, 2025, 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- May 14, 2025, 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- June 11, 2025, 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (For questions related to Capacity grant applications.)
- First week of March, 2025: Draft Easement Template released for public comment
- March 12 // April 9 // May 14, 2025: Online Office Hours (See below for details.)
- April 23, 2025: Public comment workshop (See below for details.)
- May 30, 2025: Last day to submit public comment
- October, 2025: Round 10 easement template finalized
**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.
How could I have participated in the Round 10 Draft Easement Template review process?
- Comments may be submitted at any time via email to salcp@conservation.ca.gov, SALC staff will verify receipt
- An online workshop to be held April 23, 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., centered around receiving public input on the proposed update**
- Three (3) Office Hours to be held online on the second Wednesday of March, April and May, at which the public may ask questions and provide input on the proposed updates**
**While various items related to the draft easement template may be discussed during workshops and office hours, SALC staff request that all formal comments be submitted via salcp@conservation.ca.gov to be officially captured for consideration.
- January 31, 2025: Acquisition and Planning grant pre-proposals due
- July 3, 2025: Planning and Capacity grant application packages due
- July 17, 2025: Acquisition grant application packages due
- October 2025: SGC meeting to determine project awards
Announcement - 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.
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 commmunities 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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