MALT Small Grants Program – Spring 2025 (Round 4)

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) Small Grants Program provides funding to support agriculturalists in Marin County, California, with projects that enhance agricultural resilience, protect biodiversity, foster community connections, and build climate resilience. This grant program, established to build upon MALT’s history of supporting local farmers and ranchers through programs such as the Stewardship Assistance Program and the Drought Resilience and Water Security (DRAWS) initiative, aims to fund projects that strengthen sustainable agricultural practices on working lands. Since its inception, the program has distributed over $2 million to the local agricultural community.

For Spring 2025, Round 4 of the Small Grants Program focuses on resilience on working lands. Working lands are defined as managed grasslands, shrublands, and forests that produce food and fiber while also contributing to ecosystem services. Through this grant, MALT seeks to fund projects that help agriculturalists address challenges such as climate change, fluctuating markets, and development pressures. The application window for this cycle opens on February 6, 2025, and closes on March 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST. Successful applicants will be notified of awards in late April 2025.

The funding pool for Round 4 totals $200,000, with individual grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. Funded projects must be completed within 18 months of grant agreement execution, with periodic follow-up from MALT to ensure progress and compliance. MALT requires a minimum applicant cost share of 10% of the total project cost. Funding covers materials and labor directly related to the project, with labor reimbursed at a rate of $33 per hour, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) rates. This is a reimbursement grant, though advance payments of up to 50% of the project cost may be considered in special cases.

Eligible applicants include agriculturalists actively engaged in commercial agriculture in Marin County. Applicants do not need to hold a MALT conservation easement to apply. However, applicants may only receive one small grant per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Applicants who receive a small grant remain eligible for MALT’s separate Stewardship Assistance Program for different projects. Current MALT staff, board members, and their immediate family members are ineligible. Applicants must secure landowner approval or demonstrate proof of management rights over the land where the project will be implemented.

Applicants can receive assistance during the application process through several in-person office hours sessions and by scheduling one-on-one technical assistance appointments. Office hours are held at the MALT office in Point Reyes Station and at the UC Cooperative Extension Marin office in Novato. Proposals are evaluated and scored based on selection criteria outlined in the grant guidelines, with review conducted by MALT staff and partner organization representatives with relevant expertise. MALT staff may also conduct site visits as part of the evaluation process.

Successful applicants will enter into a formal grant agreement with MALT that outlines the project scope, budget, deliverables, and landowner approval. Projects will be evaluated upon completion through site visits, documentation review, and interviews with grantees. MALT reserves the right to monitor completed projects for up to five years and to use project images, videos, and narratives for promotional purposes. For further questions or to schedule application support, applicants can contact Scott Dunbar at sdunbar@malt.org or by phone at (415) 663-1158 Ext. 313.