California Department of Conservation — agricultural conservation grants
Resource conservation function; provider and jurisdiction must be verified.[2]
Source checked October 26, 2026[1]Opens this office’s own website. CountyWiki does not process applications, take payments or provide personal records.
Contact details & office locations ↓Online services & information
Use the links below for official services and provider information. Check each service’s instructions and service area.
Read the agricultural easement and protected-land improvement programme, eligible applicant classes and official application-material links. A listed solicitation is not a claim that its funding is currently open.
Service area: Shared California agricultural conservation programme information for users statewide; eligibility, land/project qualification and funding rounds are programme-specific. [2]
Before you start
- Eligibility & access · CFCP conservation-easement project type
- Agricultural Conservation Easements: Grants to protect agricultural lands under threat of conversion to nonagricultural uses through the acquisition of voluntary, permanent agricultural conservation easements. [7]
- Eligibility & access · CFCP improvement grants on protected land
- Land Improvement Grants: Grants for the improvement of lands protected by a conservation easement or similar long-term conservation agreement as determined by the Department’s Director if the improvement will directly benefit the protected land. [8]
- Eligibility & access · CFCP nonprofit category; primary-purpose restriction also applies
- Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and qualified to do business in this state. [9]
- Eligibility & access · CFCP nonprofit primary-purpose condition
- Eligible non-profits must have as their primary purpose the preservation, protection, or enhancement of land in its natural, scenic, historical, agricultural, forested, or open-space condition or use (“Primary Purpose"). [10]
- Eligibility & access · CFCP government applicant category and voluntary conveyance
- The state or any city, county, city and county, district, or other state or local governmental entity, if otherwise authorized to acquire and hold title to real property and if the conservation easement is voluntarily conveyed. [11]
- Eligibility & access · CFCP tribal applicant category and voluntary conveyance
- A federally recognized California Native American tribe or a nonfederally recognized California Native American tribe that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission to protect a California Native American prehistoric, archaeological, cultural, spiritual, or ceremonial place, if the conservation easement is voluntarily conveyed. [12]
Distinguish planning, agricultural conservation acquisition and capacity projects. The page lists Round 11 dates in 2025–26; verify the current round before applying.
Service area: Shared California agricultural conservation programme information for users statewide; eligibility, land/project qualification and funding rounds are programme-specific. [2]
Before you start
- Eligibility & access · SALC acquisition project purpose
- Agricultural Conservation Acquisition grants to permanently protect croplands, rangelands, and lands utilized for the cultivation of traditional resources from conversion to non-agricultural uses. [13]
- Deadlines · Historical posted Round 11 Cycle B dates; application due dates have passed by review date; no current opening asserted
- Dates for Round 11, Cycle B: Acquisition Phase 1 Pre-proposals: Rolling submittals Acquisition Phase 2 Pre-proposals due: May 14, 2026 (submittal contingent on Phase 1 approval) Planning Applications due: June 17, 2026 Acquisition Applications due: June 17, 2026 (submittal contingent on Phase 2 approval) Project Awards: October 2026 [15]
Find official acquisition and planning materials and grant agreements for the relevant funding round.
Service area: Shared California agricultural conservation programme information for users statewide; eligibility, land/project qualification and funding rounds are programme-specific. [2]
Before you start
- Availability · Round-specific capacity-grant availability
- Capacity grants are not available for Round 11. Please check SALC website for Round 12 updates. [14]
Fees
Fees are quoted only when a source document supports the amount and conditions.
Check the official website for its current fee schedule. No fee should be assumed to be free.
Forms & documents
Official forms and document pages for this office’s services.
Sources & last checked5 source pages · 17 citations
Sources were checked by an AI-assisted research process. A checked website does not mean every service or fee on it has been reviewed.
- [1] California Department of Conservation — doc-profile (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Department of Conservation (DOC) | CA.gov — doc-identity
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Department of Conservation (DOC)
- [2] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — doc-role
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
The California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP) is a statewide grant program that supports local efforts to establish agricultural conservation easements and land improvement projects for the purpose of preserving important agricultural land resources and enhancing sustainable agricultural uses.
- [3] California Department of Conservation — doc-profile (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Department of Conservation (DOC) | CA.gov — doc-website
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Department website
- [4] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — service-doc-cfcp
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
The California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP) is a statewide grant program that supports local efforts to establish agricultural conservation easements and land improvement projects for the purpose of preserving important agricultural land resources and enhancing sustainable agricultural uses.
- [5] California Department of Conservation — doc-salc (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) — service-doc-salc
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Land Use Planning grants that support the development of local and regional land use policies and economic development strategies to protect critical agricultural land
- [6] California Department of Conservation — doc-salc-guidelines (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · SALC Guidelines — service-doc-salc-guidelines
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Capacity grants are not available for Round 11. Please check SALC website for Round 12 updates.
- [7] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-types
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Agricultural Conservation Easements: Grants to protect agricultural lands under threat of conversion to nonagricultural uses through the acquisition of voluntary, permanent agricultural conservation easements.
- [8] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-improvement
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Land Improvement Grants: Grants for the improvement of lands protected by a conservation easement or similar long-term conservation agreement as determined by the Department’s Director if the improvement will directly benefit the protected land.
- [9] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-nonprofits
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and qualified to do business in this state.
- [10] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-primary-purpose
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Eligible non-profits must have as their primary purpose the preservation, protection, or enhancement of land in its natural, scenic, historical, agricultural, forested, or open-space condition or use (“Primary Purpose").
- [11] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-government
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
The state or any city, county, city and county, district, or other state or local governmental entity, if otherwise authorized to acquire and hold title to real property and if the conservation easement is voluntarily conveyed.
- [12] California Department of Conservation — doc-cfcp (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · California Farmland Conservancy Program — rule-doc-cfcp-tribes
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
A federally recognized California Native American tribe or a nonfederally recognized California Native American tribe that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission to protect a California Native American prehistoric, archaeological, cultural, spiritual, or ceremonial place, if the conservation easement is voluntarily conveyed.
- [13] California Department of Conservation — doc-salc (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) — rule-doc-salc-acquisition
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Agricultural Conservation Acquisition grants to permanently protect croplands, rangelands, and lands utilized for the cultivation of traditional resources from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
- [14] California Department of Conservation — doc-salc-guidelines (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · SALC Guidelines — rule-doc-salc-capacity-round11
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Capacity grants are not available for Round 11. Please check SALC website for Round 12 updates.
- [15] California Department of Conservation — doc-salc (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) — rule-doc-salc-round11-cycleb
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
Dates for Round 11, Cycle B: Acquisition Phase 1 Pre-proposals: Rolling submittals Acquisition Phase 2 Pre-proposals due: May 14, 2026 (submittal contingent on Phase 1 approval) Planning Applications due: June 17, 2026 Acquisition Applications due: June 17, 2026 (submittal contingent on Phase 2 approval) Project Awards: October 2026
- [16] California Department of Conservation — doc-contact (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Program Contact Information — contact-doc-cfcp-email
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP): cfcp@conservation.ca.gov
- [17] California Department of Conservation — doc-contact (opens in a new tab)
California Department of Conservation · Program Contact Information — contact-doc-salc-email
Source reviewed October 26, 2026View supporting excerpt
salcp@conservation.ca.gov