Browse Ambrook’s collection of grants, loans, discounts, cost shares, easements, and insurance for operations interested in agroforestry.

The first step in the process, is to notify NRCS of your interest in CSP. Then a conservation planner will schedule a visit to your property. During that visit, they will walk the land with you to discuss and review any resource concerns. Following the site visit, the conservation planner will develop a conservation plan that includes a variety of conservation practices, activities and enhancements to improve the level of conservation benefit and to address the resource concerns.
Applications for NRCS conservation programs are accepted on a continuous basis. However, application ranking dates are set at key times throughout the year.

- Find application ranking dates for your state.
- See payment schedules for your state.
- See application.


The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) offers technical and financial assistance to help agricultural and forest producers take their conservation efforts to the next level. The program is designed to compensate agricultural and forest producers who agree to increase their level of conservation by adopting additional conservation activities and maintaining their baseline level of conservation. CSP is for producers who are passionate about conservation and environmental stewardship.



CSP may be a good fit for your operation if: 
- You own or rent, and manage land for agricultural or forest production, such as cropland, rangeland, grassland or pasture.
- You have already been doing conservation work on my operation.
- You want to expand my existing conservation efforts to achieve a higher level of environmental stewardship.
- You intend or plan to maintain control of the land for at least five years.
- Your land complies with highly erodible land and wetland conservation determination provisions (if unsure, ask your local USDA Service Center)
- You have a social security number or employer identification number issued by the IRS. 
- You have an adjusted gross income is less than $900,000 (does not apply to Indian Tribes). 
- As a member of an entity or joint operation, you have the authority to make management decisions for the business.

Land Eligibility 
- Q. What lands are eligible for CSP? 
    - A. Eligible lands include private agricultural lands, agricultural Indian lands, nonindustrial private forest land, farmstead, associated agricultural lands, and public land that is under the control of the applicant and part of their operation. There is no minimum acreage requirement. CSP enrolls your entire operation into the program, not just one specific field or tract. All land must be in compliance with USDA highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions to be eligible for CSP.

Eligibility Restrictions on Agricultural Production
- Q. I am new to farming and in the process of clearing non-ag land to create a farm. Am I eligible for CSP?
    - A. Not yet. The land must be actively used for producing an agricultural product. Lands being cleared or prepped for future agricultural production are not eligible for CSP until an agricultural operation has been established and crops, food or fiber have been successfully produced. Be sure that you check with USDA for highly erodible land and wetland compliance before clearing sod or ‘sod busting.’ 

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

- CSP Fact Sheet
- Enhancements and Bundles

Air Quality

Certification

High Tunnel

Landscape

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Reduced Tillage

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Conservation

Regenerative

Carbon Capture

Water Management

Education

CSP Contracts
The program represents a genuine commitment to conservation – CSP contracts are for five years, with the opportunity to compete for a contract renewal if you successfully fulfill the initial contract and agree to achieve additional conservation objectives. An NRCS conservation planner will work closely with you, throughout the entire contract process.
Contract payments are based on two components:
- Payments to maintain the existing level of conservation, based on the land uses included in the contract and an NRCS assessment of existing stewardship at the time of enrollment, and
- Payments to implement additional conservation activities.
Most participants will be eligible for a $4000 minimum payment during any year that their total annual contract payment falls below the minimum payment amount.
CSP Renewals
Existing CSP participants may be eligible to renew their contract for an additional 5-year term during the fifth year of their initial contract. Participants who have met the terms of their initial contract and who agree to implement more conservation activities can compete for a renewal contract. To meet the renewal stewardship threshold, the participant must agree to meet or exceed two additional priority resource concerns or agree to adopt or improve conservation activities to achieve higher levels of conservation for two existing priority resource concerns.

Apply online using the form on this page.

Contour Lines supports tree-planting projects worldwide. Depending on the project, Contour Lines may offer technical services, work models, or direct funding for trees, training or tools. Taken on a case by case basis, Contour Lines select projects for their potential to regenerate land at scale and on their capabilities and willpower to create impacts in line with their [mission and vision](https://contourlines.org/about/mission-vision/).



Contour Lines supports tree-planting projects worldwide. Depending on the project, Contour Lines may offer technical services, work models, or direct funding for trees, training or tools. Taken on a case by case basis, Contour Lines select projects for their potential to regenerate land at scale and on their capabilities and willpower to create impacts in line with their mission and vision.

- Must be an organized community or association of at least 5 smallholder farming families.
- Must have access to at least 1 acre (1/2 ha) of land per family, to plant these systems,
- Must understand and support the Contour Lines Mission and Vision,
- Must implement be willing and able to implement the required regenerative agriculture methods.


A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

How to Apply
1. Review the full Request for Applications (FY 2024 linked as a sample) for the complete details on eligible projects/applicants and the full application process.
2. Register in WebGrants (may take up to two business days).
3. Visit the Working Lands application frequently asked questions for resources and to get support on your application. 
4. Complete your application in WebGrants using our Application Guide.

Clare Salerno

Diana Ferguson

WebGrants Technical Assistance

The mission&#x2004;of the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative is to strengthen and grow the economies, cultures, and communities of Vermont's working landscape. The Working Lands Enterprise Board achieves this by making essential, catalytic investments in critical leverage points of the Vermont farm and forest economy, and facilitating policy development to optimize the agricultural and forest use of Vermont lands.


This grant is currently closed for applications. Check back in fall 2024 for the next round, which will be the fiscal year 2025 cycle. Below is information about the most recent round. Many aspects of the application will stay the same but the award amounts, funds available, timeline, process, eligibility, and application questions are all subject to change. 


## **Grant Overview**

- Award amounts $15,000 - $50,000

- Project types:

    - **Market development** – professionalizing a marketing and/or branding approach to new or expanded markets; hiring a professional marketing/branding contractor to develop strategy and/or content; implementing the strategy and/or content developed by the contractor (e.g., branding, website, or social media development) 

    - **Research and development** – testing new systems or technology 

    - **Infrastructure development** – project-specific planning, permitting, engineering or architectural plans; building and equipment costs, including for labor and/or energy efficiency enhancements, such as lighting, refrigeration/cooling, heat pumps, solar panels, low-energy water management, ventilation systems, and/or energy generation; may include equipment installation and/or technical assistance costs 

    - **Workforce training and development** – technical skill training for staff, business management training, and/or business succession planning, including hiring a consultant to support any of these processes 

- Grant recipients must provide matching funds at a 100% (one-to-one) rate using cash (e.g., funds in the bank, paid staff labor hours) or a combination of cash and in-kind items (e.g., businesses time contributed to project, use of equipment, donated goods, pro bono services, volunteer labor) that the grantee organization has a from other sources. Match sources must be identified by the time of application submission and commitments in place by the time of grant agreement signing. Matching funds may not be sourced from other federal funding opportunities. Under limited circumstances, the matching requirement may be reduced or waived for applicants who demonstrate a clear need for this accommodation.




The mission of the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative is to strengthen and grow the economies, cultures, and communities of Vermont's working landscape. The Working Lands Enterprise Board achieves this by making essential, catalytic investments in critical leverage points of the Vermont farm and forest economy, and facilitating policy development to optimize the agricultural and forest use of Vermont lands.

This grant is currently closed for applications. Check back in fall 2024 for the next round, which will be the fiscal year 2025 cycle. Below is information about the most recent round. Many aspects of the application will stay the same but the award amounts, funds available, timeline, process, eligibility, and application questions are all subject to change. 

Grant Overview
- Award amounts $15,000 - $50,000
- Project types:
    - Market development – professionalizing a marketing and/or branding approach to new or expanded markets; hiring a professional marketing/branding contractor to develop strategy and/or content; implementing the strategy and/or content developed by the contractor (e.g., branding, website, or social media development) 
    - Research and development – testing new systems or technology 
    - Infrastructure development – project-specific planning, permitting, engineering or architectural plans; building and equipment costs, including for labor and/or energy efficiency enhancements, such as lighting, refrigeration/cooling, heat pumps, solar panels, low-energy water management, ventilation systems, and/or energy generation; may include equipment installation and/or technical assistance costs 
    - Workforce training and development – technical skill training for staff, business management training, and/or business succession planning, including hiring a consultant to support any of these processes 
- Grant recipients must provide matching funds at a 100% (one-to-one) rate using cash (e.g., funds in the bank, paid staff labor hours) or a combination of cash and in-kind items (e.g., businesses time contributed to project, use of equipment, donated goods, pro bono services, volunteer labor) that the grantee organization has a from other sources. Match sources must be identified by the time of application submission and commitments in place by the time of grant agreement signing. Matching funds may not be sourced from other federal funding opportunities. Under limited circumstances, the matching requirement may be reduced or waived for applicants who demonstrate a clear need for this accommodation.


- Value-added food businesses that source at least 50% of raw ingredients from Vermont OR are applying for a Working Lands grant to significantly increase use of ingredients sourced from Vermont are eligible. • Businesses that sell “unique food products” are not eligible unless the business will use grant funds to increase production of raw ingredients in Vermont. o Unique food products are processed foods made from ingredients that are not regularly produced in Vermont or are not available in sufficient quantities to meet production requirements. 
- Secondary forestry businesses are eligible if at least 50% of the wood they use is grown in the Northeast OR the Working Lands grant project will significantly increase use of wood sourced from the Northeast.
- Applicant organizations/businesses must be based in Vermont. Businesses or organizations headquartered outside of VT may be eligible if the project or service being proposed is 100% focused on Vermont’s working landscape and businesses. Please contact Clare.Salerno@vermont.gov to discuss eligibility for out-of-state applicants.
- All structures are eligible (e.g., Partnerships, Limited Liability Corporations, Sole Proprietorships, Cooperatives, Corporations, S Corporations, L3Cs, B Corporations, and/or non-profits that are involved in the support of production of agriculture and/or forest products).
- All legally incorporated enterprises must be registered with the VT Secretary of State. Sole proprietors using a business name other than their own name must have their assumed business name (formerly known as a trade name) registered with the Secretary of State. 
- Previous Working Lands Standard Business and COVID-19 Response Business Development grantees are eligible to re-apply for funding during Fiscal Year 2024. Previous Working Lands Supply Chain Impact, Market Level Infrastructure Impact, ARPA Primary Producer, or Meat Slaughter and Processing Development Grants are eligible to apply for further Working Lands funding after three years, meaning that Fiscal Year 2021 and earlier grantees are eligible to apply this year.


A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

- Working Lands Business Grant 2024 Presentation Power Point
- Working Lands Business Development Directory

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Trials

Buildings

Construction

Fencing

Greenhouse

HVAC

Irrigation

Lighting

Repairs

Storage

Trade Relief

Labor

- Grant recipients must provide matching funds at a 100% (one-to-one) rate using cash (e.g., funds in the bank, paid staff labor hours) or a combination of cash and in-kind items (e.g., businesses time contributed to project, use of equipment, donated goods, pro bono services, volunteer labor) that the grantee organization has received from other sources. Match sources must be identified by the time of application submission and commitments in place by the time of grant agreement signing. Matching funds may not be sourced from other federal funding opportunities. Under limited circumstances, the matching requirement may be reduced or waived for applicants who demonstrate a clear need for this accommodation.
- Match waiver or reduction request: • In budget table, enter amount of match you can realistically commit to (if full waiver requested, enter $0) • Explain why match waiver is needed at this time


**Project focus areas:**

- Makes significant process and/or infrastructure improvements for medium to large scale production, processing, or&#x2004;distribution enterprises in the forestry, wood products, or value-added ag and food sector; 

- Scale of the primary product being brought into supply chain has ability to strengthen the industry, address the sector on a market-wide scale, and/or address a market downturn;

- The technology or approach is innovative and will lead to new opportunities for multiple businesses and/or increases the scale of the enterprise in a way that enables it to meet growing demand or other market need.



Project focus areas:
- Makes significant process and/or infrastructure improvements for medium to large scale production, processing, or distribution enterprises in the forestry, wood products, or value-added ag and food sector; 
- Scale of the primary product being brought into supply chain has ability to strengthen the industry, address the sector on a market-wide scale, and/or address a market downturn;
- The technology or approach is innovative and will lead to new opportunities for multiple businesses and/or increases the scale of the enterprise in a way that enables it to meet growing demand or other market need.

Producers of medium to large scale production, processing, or distribution enterprises in the forestry, wood products, or value-added ag and food sector.


Marketing

Working Trees™ works directly with landowners to make the transition to silvopasture as&#x2004;simple as possible, and then helps them earn revenue through carbon storage. During to process. Working Trees does helps you does the following with you:

- Analyzes your farm’s current operations

- Connects you with a technical service provider who can provide regionally-specific advice (as needed)

- Helps you finding private and government funding sources to cover the upfront cost of implementing silvopasture

- Monitors ongoing carbon storage, translating to a steady annual stream of revenue once established (often higher than cash rental rates)



Working Trees™ works directly with landowners to make the transition to silvopasture as simple as possible, and then helps them earn revenue through carbon storage. During to process. Working Trees does helps you does the following with you:
- Analyzes your farm’s current operations
- Connects you with a technical service provider who can provide regionally-specific advice (as needed)
- Helps you finding private and government funding sources to cover the upfront cost of implementing silvopasture
- Monitors ongoing carbon storage, translating to a steady annual stream of revenue once established (often higher than cash rental rates)

Working Trees is currently accepting applications from farmers into their pilot program. Any pasture or hay farmer east of the Great Plains is eligible as long as their land has been free of trees or shrubs for the last 10 years. When applying, Working Trees will provide a free Land Use Analysis to determine your final eligibility.

Silvopasture

Other Commodities

- WorkingTrees.com
- Video Explainer
- Webinar

List of Agricultural Funding for Agroforestry