Conservation Technical Assistance Program Grants (CTAP)

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development offers a competitive grant opportunity under the Conservation Technical Assistance Program (CTAP). These grants are designed to support both the Regenerative Agriculture Program (RAP) and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP).

The purpose of CTAP is to deliver environmental and educational outcomes in partnership with local conservation districts within a designated service area through RAP and MAEAP.

• RAP's mission is to champion a regenerative approach to agriculture, resulting in farmer prosperity, improved farm ecosystems, increased community health, and vibrant agricultural systems. RAP provides education, tools, and resources to help farmers adopt regenerative practices, improve soil health, and access emerging market opportunities that value sustainability.

• MAEAP's mission is to promote and recognize the adoption of practices that reduce environmental risk. This voluntary program helps farmers implement environmentally sound practices that protect Michigan's natural resources while supporting long-term farm viability.

Together these programs enable CTAP to strengthen Michigan's agricultural landscape by promoting conservation, advancing regenerative practices, and supporting farmers in achieving environmental stewardship and economic resilience.

The statutory authority for environmental assurance programs is found in the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), Act 451 of 1994, Part 31 and Part 87. MAEAP and RAP are funded through a combination of general fund allocations and the Freshwater Protection Fund under the same act.

Note for farmers: CTAP is not a direct-to-farmer grant. Individual farmers work with the CTAP technician at their local conservation district for free technical assistance, soil health assessments, and MAEAP verification; MDARD publishes a CTAP Technical Assistance District Map listing each district's technician and phone number.

Conservation Districts meeting all statutory and grant agreement eligibility requirements may be considered for CTAP grant funding.

• Eligible applicants must submit an approved FY26 budget.

• Applicants must submit the cover letter of an Independent Auditor's Report from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) indicating a successful audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America for fiscal year 2024 or 2025, or a copy of the engagement letter from a CPA indicating an audit will be completed for fiscal year 2025. If an engagement letter is submitted, the applicant must provide the cover letter from the completed audit within six months of the start date of the grant.

The 2026 grant opportunity includes total funding of $3,000,000 annually for three years. The project duration for awards from this cycle is October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029.

No per-recipient minimum or maximum award is published.

Awards are made to conservation districts, which then deliver MAEAP and Regenerative Agriculture Program technical assistance and cost-share to farmers within their designated service areas.

MDARD issued a grant opportunity in April 2026 for Michigan Conservation Districts to apply. The 2026 cycle timeline: proposal release April 3, 2026; informational webinar Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 3:00-4:00 p.m.; proposal deadline June 5, 2026; award announcements August 2026; project duration October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029.

For inquiries about the program, and for more information, contact the CTAP grant staff at MDARD-CTAP@michigan.gov.

MDARD staff and advisors to the Conservation and Stewardship Division review and score submitted proposals using a published rubric covering programmatic elements (number and priority of proposed new practices relative to historical data and budget; whether the proposal is located within a priority watershed — Western Lake Erie Basin, Saginaw Bay, Macatawa, Lake Allegan Watershed, or other watersheds not supporting designated uses due to nonpoint source contributions from agricultural activities; multi-county coverage and collaboration among conservation districts) and proposal elements (completeness; clear goals, objectives, key performance outputs and outcomes; justification of proposed outputs; justification and clarity of each budget item linked to work plan tasks; a clear and compelling outreach plan; work plan target dates; strong collaboration among partners; and ability to leverage complementary conservation programs and cost-share).

CTAP Technical Assistance District Map (each district's CTAP/MAEAP technician and phone number, updated 4/13/2026): https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/environment/Regenerative-Ag/CTAP-TechnicalAssistanceDistrictMap.pdf

MDARD Regenerative Agriculture Program: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/environment/regenerative-agriculture

Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP): https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/environment/maeap

EPA How's My Waterway (priority watershed check): https://mywaterway.epa.gov/

MDARD Grant Recipients Dashboard: https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiMGIxMjBiNjctZDA3Zi00NmEyLThiNWQtZDQxZTU4NTE4OTIwIiwidCI6ImQ1ZmI3MDg3LTM3NzctNDJhZC05NjZhLTg5MmVmNDcyMjVkMSJ9