The Farmland Preservation Grant program provides funding to buy development rights on farmlands to ensure they remain available for farming in the future.
Donor Name: Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/01/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Grant recipients also may use some of the funding to restore natural functions to improve the land’s viability for farming.
The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to buy land for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2005, the state Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of significant farmland.
Typical Projects
Buying a conservation easement on farmland threatened with development.
Funding Information
No grant limits, except for the following:

Enhancement and restoration elements may not exceed more than half of the total acquisition costs, including match toward acquisition.
Farm stewardship plans may not exceed $10,000.

Eligible Projects

Land acquisition through easements and leases (required for all projects). Public access is not required.
Enhancement or restoration, such as installing fences to keep livestock out of streams, replanting riverbanks, restoring historic water runoff patterns, improving irrigation, and installing solar well pumps. These activities must further the ecological functions of the farmland.
Combination of land acquisition and either restoration or enhancement
Stewardship plans.

Who May Apply?

Cities
Counties
Nonprofit nature conservancy corporations or associations
State Conservation Commission.

Ineligible Projects

Acquisition of rights for less than 25 years, of land already owned by the government, or of property acquired via a condemnation
Consumable supplies such as fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, except as a one-time application in an otherwise eligible restoration activity
Elements that cannot be defined as fixtures or capital items
Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as meth labs
Indoor facilities
Organizational operating expenses or overhead
Purchase of maintenance equipment, tools, or supplies
Restoration work done before a grant agreement is signed
Transfer of development rights.

For more information, visit WSRCO.