Climate Resilient Farming Program – Round 9

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF STATE FUNDS

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

NEW YORK STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Climate Resilient Farming Program – Round 9

            Pursuant to the NYS Environmental Protection Fund State budget (09CR18ER), applications will be accepted through November 17, 2025, for financial assistance in the form of matching grants to fund climate change mitigation and adaptation projects that implement Agricultural Best Management Practice Systems on New York State farms.  Applications must be for one of the following: Livestock Management: Alternative Waste Management and Precision Feed Management (Track 1); Adaptation and Resiliency (Track 2); Healthy Soils NY – systems and BMPs that support soil health and agroforestry (Track 3); Agricultural Forest Management (Track 4).  Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptation and resiliency to projected climate conditions.

Eligible applicants are County Soil and Water Conservation Districts who will be referred to as “Project Sponsors.” Applications may be on behalf of one farm or multiple farms.  Project sponsors may submit an unlimited number of applications. Applications must be for one of the following tracks: Livestock Management: Alternative Waste Management and Precision Feed Management (Track 1); Adaptation and Resiliency (Track 2); Healthy Soils NY (Track 3); Agricultural Forest Management (Track 4).  Applications will be ranked within those tracks, generating four ranked lists for program approval. Proposals may be for up to an 80% grant from New York State.

The most successful proposals will have strong merits in (1) mitigating agriculture’s impact on climate change through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration and storage, (2) assisting farms in adapting to the effects of climate change as they are currently being felt statewide, as well as based on climate projections for New York State, (3) clearly addressing the need/opportunity, and are proposed with adequate scope of work , and (4) demonstrating local support and being cost effective.

Availability of funding for this program is from State Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Budgets, which includes an appropriation for this purpose.

            For an application: contact Jennifer Clifford at Jennifer.clifford@agriculture.ny.gov  or 518-457-3844 or visit the Department’s website at https://agriculture.ny.gov/funding-opportunities

This notice was prepared and submitted by:

Jennifer Clifford

            NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee

            NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

            10B Airline Drive

            Albany, New York 12235

Timetable of Key Events:

EVENT                                                                      DATE
Application Period Begins                                    September 2025

Questions and Answers Period Ends                October 17, 2025

Application Deadline                                             November 17, 2025

Awards Announced                                                March 2026