July 30, 2025 – The Department of Conservation, Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program is proposing to increase the number of opportunities to apply for Agricultural Conservation Acquisition funding (for conservation easement and fee title purchases) to twice a year; resulting in awards approximately every six months.

The requirement to submit a pre-proposal prior to an application remains in place. However, the Department proposes to break the pre-proposal process into two stages to improve the speed with which applicants receive input on project eligibility and to give applicants more flexibility to develop ready projects. The Department is also proposing to accept pre-proposals on a rolling basis.  

No changes to other SALC Programs are being proposed at this time.

Please join SALC staff at an online workshop on August 13th, 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to review the proposed Semi-annual Agricultural Conservation Acquisition Grant timeline, revised process, draft pre-proposal and application forms, and to provide feedback.

• DRAFT Phase One - Conservation Acquisition Grant Pre-Proposal
  
• DRAFT Phase Two - Conservation Acquisition Grant Pre-Proposal
  
• DRAFT - Conservation Acquisition Grant Application​​

A second opportunity to provide verbal feedback will be available at an online Office Hour with SALC staff on August 20th, 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

Feedback may also be submitted to salcp@conservation.ca.gov

Registration for the workshop and/or Office Hour is necessary in order to receive a link to the Microsoft Teams meetings. To register, click on the links provided below, or email salcp@conservation.ca.gov to request a link.​

Workshop:

Virtual
Wednesday August 13, 2025
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Register Here

Office Hour:​

​Virtual
Wednesday August 20, 2025
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Register Here​

What will be discussed?

• Proposed twice-yearly applications and awards

• Proposed rolling two-phased pre-proposal

• Important dates and timelines

• Questions/Feedback/Closing​​
  

The 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 29^th, 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

• Phase One – Conservation Acquisition Grant Pre-Proposal
• Phase Two – Conservation Acquisition Grant Pre-Proposal
• Conservation Acquisition Grant Application
  
  

August 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.​

• Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation: Guidelines Technical Amendment – Staff Report
• Attachment A: Amended SALC Guidelines​
• Attachment B: Appendix C – Easement Grant Agreement​
• Attachment C: Appendix D – Fee Acquisition Grant Agreement

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.​​