Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)

Step 1: Determine Eligibility and Submit the Application
If you have determined you meet the eligibility requirements, please fill out the AgEE Program Application and email it to cda_efficiency@state.co.us 
If you are having any trouble filling out the application please feel free to reach out to Wil Mannes by phone (303-866-2418) or by email (wil.mannes@state.co.us).
Step 3: Gather Information & Schedule an Audit
Once your application is received the program administrator, Nexant, Inc., will become your "Energy Coach", reaching out to collect historical energy use data and schedule a no-cost onsite energy audit. 
Step 4: Guided Audit & Audit Report 
Your Energy Coach will come out to your operation and audit the sites outlined in your application to identify potential energy saving measures and collect operational data. After the site visit, your Energy Coach will develop and review your streamlined audit report with you.

This audit report identifies:
- Potential energy efficiency upgrades
- Estimated project costs
- Estimated annual savings
- Estimated available funding
- Payback periods
    
Step 5: Determine Financing Options & Apply for Funding
If after reviewing your streamlined audit report you decide to move forward with a project, your Energy Coach will once again review potential funding sources (outlined below), help secure project quotes from potential contractors and guide you through the funding application process.

Potential Funding Options Available:
- CEO Rebates (Incentives)
- Utility Rebates
- NRCS EQIP Grants
- USDA REAP Grants
- CDA ACRE3 Grants
- CPACE financing
- Private Loans through a variety of sources
 
It is important to note that to meet qualifications for ACRE3, EQIP, and REAP grants, your Energy Coach will need to develop a more in-depth audit report referred to as an Energy Management Plan or "EMP" before you can move forward with the application process.

Sam Anderson

The ACRE3 program, in coordination with USDA NRCS-Colorado and the Colorado Energy Office, announces the availability of $250,000 for agricultural energy efficiency projects.


Many energy efficiency opportunities can be very economical, paying for themselves in two years or less. You may even find some practical ways to cut energy costs without spending a dime.


The&#x2004;Colorado Department of Agriculture has partnered with the Colorado Energy Office, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-Colorado, and other partners to promote the [EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=stelprdb1046252) for conducting on-farm energy audits. All EQIP-eligible Colorado dairies, irrigators, greenhouses, and cold storage facilities can receive technical and financial assistance from the ACRE3 program through the Colorado Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program.


An AgEMP starts with an agricultural energy audit that may include an assessment of on-site renewable energy resources if desired.



The ACRE3 program, in coordination with USDA NRCS-Colorado and the Colorado Energy Office, announces the availability of $250,000 for agricultural energy efficiency projects.

Many energy efficiency opportunities can be very economical, paying for themselves in two years or less. You may even find some practical ways to cut energy costs without spending a dime.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture has partnered with the Colorado Energy Office, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-Colorado, and other partners to promote the EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative for conducting on-farm energy audits. All EQIP-eligible Colorado dairies, irrigators, greenhouses, and cold storage facilities can receive technical and financial assistance from the ACRE3 program through the Colorado Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program.

An AgEMP starts with an agricultural energy audit that may include an assessment of on-site renewable energy resources if desired.

All EQIP-eligible Colorado agricultural producers and processors can receive technical and financial assistance from the ACRE3 program.

Eligible participants include any of the following operations which also accrue $4,800+ in on-farm energy costs annually.
- Dairies
- Irrigators
- Greenhouses/Nurseries
- Cold Storage Facilities
- Poultry & Swine operations
- Feedlots

Please note Cannabis and Hemp operations are not eligible for this program and transportation energy expenses are excluded from the $4,800 requirement.

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

Grant

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

Cost Share

A payment that must be returned to the provider following specified terms of repayment and interest rate.

Loan

Biofuel

Hydro Power

Solar Power

Wind Energy

Air Quality

Carbon Capture

Certification

High Tunnel

Landscape

Regenerative

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Water Management

Infrastructure

No award ceiling, payment rate, or cost-share percentage is published for the ACRE3 energy-efficiency track. The funding notice now reads only: "The ACRE 3 program, in coordination with USDA NRCS-Colorado and the Colorado Energy Office, announces the availability of funding on a quarterly basis." (The $250,000 figure that used to appear here is no longer published.)

What is concretely stated about money:

- The energy audit is free. "Start with a free energy assessment through the CEO's Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program to begin your Agricultural Energy Management Plan." And "The Colorado Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program is now accepting applications for energy audits on a continual basis."
- Project development is reimbursable. "If your project is approved, you may obtain reimbursable services from a registered Technical Service Provider to help you develop your energy project." No reimbursement rate or cap is given.
- Implementation money is brokered, not granted here. "The ACRE 3 program can help you obtain financing and find a registered Technical Service Provider through the NRCS or work with our Energy Specialist to carry out your Energy Management Plan." In practice the cost-share for installing the measures comes through the NRCS EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative, whose rates are set in Colorado's EQIP payment schedule — not by CDA.

How to get in: applications are accepted on a rolling basis; download the ACRE3 pre-application form and "Submit completed pre-applications to cda_efficiency@state.co.us." Open to EQIP-eligible Colorado agricultural producers and processors.

Fill out the Preliminary Application and submit it here to get started.

Learn more about the complete application process here.

Project Developers should view the Hydro Navigation Guide Resources to download the Agricultural Hydropower Technical Manual, hydropower assessment and design tools, a project planning checklist, and other resources for project developers and program partners.

Energy Coordinator

The ACRE3 program has secured $2.9 million, including $1.45 million from the USDA RCPP program, for financial and technical assistance to help farmers upgrade their irrigation systems to save&#x2004;water and energy.


CDA has teamed up with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-Colorado, Rural Development-Colorado, the Colorado Energy Office, and nine other partners through the RCPP program to facilitate the development of low-impact small hydropower on new and existing pressurized irrigation systems.


In addition to pressurized irrigation systems, the ACRE3 program can also support the development of low-impact hydropower projects in irrigation canal drops and small reservoirs.

The Hydropower Partnership Project will make it as easy as possible for agricultural producers to implement hydropower in their irrigation operations. The project aims to install 30 integrated hydromechanical or hydroelectric power systems across Colorado over the next four years. This project also promotes the conversion of flood-irrigated fields to sprinkler irrigation with integrated hydropower to promote water conservation while preserving the irrigator’s full water rights.


Each landowner participating in the Hydropower Partnership Project will work with NRCS to engage in an Irrigation Water Management Plan as part of the resource assessment and conservation activities. With combined funding from the ACRE3 program, EQIP, and REAP, landowners could receive as much as 50-75% of project costs to install new irrigation and hydropower systems.


You can learn more about how to use hydropower in your agricultural operation through these useful publications:

- [Recommendations for Developing](https://drive.google.com/a/state.co.us/file/d/0Bxn6NtpJWc9JTGk3SjZBM3pIY00/view?usp=sharing)

- [Agricultural Hydropower in Colorado](https://drive.google.com/a/state.co.us/file/d/0Bxn6NtpJWc9JTGk3SjZBM3pIY00/view?usp=sharing)

- [Colorado Small Hydropower Handbook](https://drive.google.com/a/state.co.us/file/d/0Bxn6NtpJWc9JTGpJYmI5dzlYU1k/view?usp=sharing)

- [Agricultural Hydropower Technical Manual](https://drive.google.com/a/state.co.us/file/d/0Bxn6NtpJWc9JTGtZQnFPdnpxbWs/view?usp=sharing)


For more information, here is [how to participate](https://ag.colorado.gov/acre3-how-to-participate) in the ACRE3 Program.



The ACRE3 program has secured $2.9 million, including $1.45 million from the USDA RCPP program, for financial and technical assistance to help farmers upgrade their irrigation systems to save water and energy.

CDA has teamed up with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-Colorado, Rural Development-Colorado, the Colorado Energy Office, and nine other partners through the RCPP program to facilitate the development of low-impact small hydropower on new and existing pressurized irrigation systems.

In addition to pressurized irrigation systems, the ACRE3 program can also support the development of low-impact hydropower projects in irrigation canal drops and small reservoirs.
The Hydropower Partnership Project will make it as easy as possible for agricultural producers to implement hydropower in their irrigation operations. The project aims to install 30 integrated hydromechanical or hydroelectric power systems across Colorado over the next four years. This project also promotes the conversion of flood-irrigated fields to sprinkler irrigation with integrated hydropower to promote water conservation while preserving the irrigator’s full water rights.

Each landowner participating in the Hydropower Partnership Project will work with NRCS to engage in an Irrigation Water Management Plan as part of the resource assessment and conservation activities. With combined funding from the ACRE3 program, EQIP, and REAP, landowners could receive as much as 50-75% of project costs to install new irrigation and hydropower systems.

You can learn more about how to use hydropower in your agricultural operation through these useful publications:
- Recommendations for Developing
- Agricultural Hydropower in Colorado
- Colorado Small Hydropower Handbook
- Agricultural Hydropower Technical Manual

For more information, here is how to participate in the ACRE3 Program.

- Colorado farmers and ranchers installing on-farm renewable energy or energy efficiency projects.
- Open to farmers, ranchers, and other individuals, Tribal or local governments, colleges, universities, and other research organizations, energy providers including electric cooperatives and utilities, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and for-profit entities including developers and contractors.
- Projects must reduce energy use or cost on farms and ranches in Colorado.
- The project must focus on agricultural energy loads, though blending with residential loads is permitted.
- The majority of the energy produced should be used on site; grid-connected projects remain eligible.
- Applicants must cover at least 15% of total project costs from their own funds.

- P.03a RCPP-EQIP Eligibility Criteria
- P.03c REAP Eligibility Criteria
- P.03b ACRE3 Eligibility Criteria

Irrigation

Water Quality

Waterway Protection

Wetland Conservation

HVAC

Lighting

Repairs

Alternative Energy

The RCPP irrigation hydro program provides funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and ACRE3 energy grant program. Additional funding is available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). ACRE3 funding will be awarded after funding has been approved for EQIP and REAP (if applicable). When applying for funding through these programs, please note that funding payments are on a reimbursement basis and upfront costs of the project are the responsibility of the applicant. Please note that federal tax incentives for renewable energy cannot be used together with payments from a federally funded program such as EQIP or REAP.

EQIP:

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to eligible agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. EQIP may also help producers meet Federal, State, Tribal, and local environmental regulations. EQIP has three payment rates within the RCPP program: regular EQIP, EQIP special initiatives, and EQIP historically underserved.

To get started with EQIP, go to: www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted. Select “Service Center Locator” to find a local representative. Please request assistance through the RCPP hydro program.

This document describes EQIP project eligibility and criteria for the RCPP irrigation hydro program: P.03a RCPP-EQIP Eligibility Criteria.

EQIP payments are determined from the eligible conservation practices listed in the EQIP Practice Payment Schedule. Here are some examples of available practice codes:
- 430 Irrigation Pipeline – Micro Hydro Power Plant 442 Irrigation System, Sprinkler 449 Irrigation Water Management 430 Irrigation Pipeline – HDPE Pipe 587 Structure for Water Control – Cleaning Screens 533 Pumping Plant

While the minimum REAP grant request is $2,500 and competition is lower for requests under $20,000, ACRE3 encourages applicants to consider that the amount of work required for small grants is nearly the same as that required for large grant requests. Before applying for a REAP grant, the applicant should look over the application and REAP checklist to estimate the number of hours that it will take to meet the application requirements both before and after the application is submitted.

This document describes REAP project eligibility and criteria: P.03c REAP Eligibility Criteria.

Additional Incentives, Policies, and Programs:

Participation in the RCPP irrigation Hydropower Program precludes you from receiving renewable energy tax credits from the IRS. However, several other tax incentives, financing options, renewable energy policies, and local programs may provide additional assistance with hydro projects. The attached brochure provides information to help you take advantage of these other opportunities: P.04 Renewable Energy Incentives and Policies in Colorado.

REAP grants provide up to 25% of eligible project costs, including renewable energy equipment and installation costs. REAP grants and loans can be combined for a maximum of 75% of project costs.

Please note: When completing the REAP application, all hydro projects approved for the RCPP irrigation hydro program should always be categorized as Renewable Energy Systems for Energy Replacement (not for Energy Generated or Energy Saved) unless the estimated energy production exceeds the on-farm energy needs. In that case, the project should be categorized under Renewable Energy Systems for Energy Generation.

ACRE3:

The ACRE3 program promotes the development and implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for Colorado’s agricultural producers and processors under the direction of the Colorado Agricultural Value-Added Development Board. The Colorado Department of Agriculture may award ACRE3 funds to projects for up to 25% of eligible project costs, not to exceed $25,000 per project. The ACRE3 program will provide technical services to agricultural producers to complete the project development process described in this navigation guide. This document describes ACRE3 project eligibility and criteria: P.03b ACRE3 Eligibility Criteria. 

REAP:

The USDA Rural Development (RD) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP grants can be used to purchase or install hydropower systems to reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation’s critical energy needs. REAP has two types of funding assistance, Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Assistance Financing programs, for secured loans up to 75% of project costs.

The USDA is not currently accepting REAP applications and this technical-assistance program is on-hold. See the program page (and the 2025 CO REAP Journey Map) for details and updates.

The Agricultural Energy Renovation Opportunities (AERO) Project is a free technical-assistance service, not a direct grant. Funded by a grant from USDA Rural Development, CDA provides technical assistance to producers interested in USDA Rural Energy for America&#x2004;Program (REAP) grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. CDA can provide: help deciding if REAP is right for you; free grant assistance to farmers and ranchers interested in applying for REAP projects; free technical reports and feasibility studies (required for REAP applications); potential grant assistance for qualified projects; and project development assistance.


REAP, through the USDA, provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.



The Agricultural Energy Renovation Opportunities (AERO) Project is a free technical-assistance service, not a direct grant. Funded by a grant from USDA Rural Development, CDA provides technical assistance to producers interested in USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. CDA can provide: help deciding if REAP is right for you; free grant assistance to farmers and ranchers interested in applying for REAP projects; free technical reports and feasibility studies (required for REAP applications); potential grant assistance for qualified projects; and project development assistance.

REAP, through the USDA, provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.

Any farmer, rancher, or rural small business who is interested in a REAP award can work with CDA to create an application. Though CDA will support any project, it is focused on projects that: apply for underutilized technologies; focus on Distressed or Disadvantaged Communities; and request $20,000 or less.

AERO is a free service rather than a funding award, and no award amount, payment rate, cost-share percentage, or match requirement is published for it.

What CDA states it gives you, verbatim: "Free grant assistance to farmers and ranchers interested in applying for REAP projects" and "Free technical reports and feasibility studies, required for REAP applications." Those reports and feasibility studies are normally the costly part of assembling a REAP application, so the value is real even though no dollar figure is attached. CDA also lists "Potential grant assistance for qualified projects" without stating an amount, and "Project development assistance."

The one dollar figure on the page is a targeting preference, not a cap on anything: "Though we will support any project, CDA is focused on projects that: Apply for underutilized technologies; Focus on Distressed or Disadvantaged Communities; Request $20,000 or less."

The actual money would come from REAP itself, and REAP intake is paused: "The USDA is not currently accepting REAP Applications. This program is on-hold." For REAP's own grant and guaranteed-loan terms, see the REAP record rather than this one.

Katy Dickey

Denise Martinez

**_There is currently a waitlist for this program. _**


The Colorado Agricultural Future Loan is a financially-inclusive lending program that offers financing to beginning farmers and ranchers, and businesses that transform, package, process, store, or grade Colorado&#x2004;farm or ranch products.

We’re using alternative forms of documentation to qualify loans that conventional lenders won’t consider. By providing agricultural infrastructure and operating loans to those who might not otherwise qualify for traditional lending opportunities, we are seeking to strengthen Colorado agriculture, expand diversity within farming, and increase participation from next-generation farmers.

Loan funds can be used for most business purposes, including, but not limited to: operating expenses, the purchase of land and equipment, business improvements, worker wages, and conservation projects.



There is currently a waitlist for this program. 

The Colorado Agricultural Future Loan is a financially-inclusive lending program that offers financing to beginning farmers and ranchers, and businesses that transform, package, process, store, or grade Colorado farm or ranch products.
We’re using alternative forms of documentation to qualify loans that conventional lenders won’t consider. By providing agricultural infrastructure and operating loans to those who might not otherwise qualify for traditional lending opportunities, we are seeking to strengthen Colorado agriculture, expand diversity within farming, and increase participation from next-generation farmers.
Loan funds can be used for most business purposes, including, but not limited to: operating expenses, the purchase of land and equipment, business improvements, worker wages, and conservation projects.

- You must be a resident of Colorado.
- You must be at least 18 years of age.
- You must own or operate a farm, ranch, or business that provides supporting infrastructure to benefit farms and ranches in the state of Colorado. Although your business does not yet have to be operational, you do need to have applied for and received a Colorado business license. 
- You must have the ability and resources needed to operate. You are capable of beginning or expanding the operation of your business as soon as funds are disbursed. 
- You must have the education, training, or experience necessary to operate the business. 
- You will need to provide a detailed written description of your business that answers the following questions:
    - What does your business do?
    - What need(s) are you filling?
    - Who are your customers and how will you reach them?
    - How is your business going to make money?
    - What do you need to get started?
    - What are the biggest challenges you face?
    - What do you have in place to help you succeed?
    - How will you measure success?

Succession

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Trade Relief

Legal & Finance

- 4% fixed interest rate (Annual Percentage Rate 4.17%)
- Term notes of 1-20 years
- 1.5% loan fee
- Revolving lines of credit up to 5 years
- Up to $750,000, with more possible for significant capital purchases

The refundable Tax Credit has application periods that close April 30th, August 30th, and December 31st, 2026 (the final day to apply for a tax credit for equipment purchased in 2025 is December 31st, 2026). Grant opportunities under the Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience grant program are administered periodically; check the program page and sign up for the newsletter for the latest updates. Questions: cda_cfa@state.co.us or 303.869.9067.

CDA Community Food Access Program

Mickey Davis

Adonai Cuevas-Lopez

The Community Food Access Program was established in spring of 2022 in House Bill 22-1380 "to improve access to and lower prices for healthy foods in low-income and underserved areas of the state by supporting small food retailers." The program includes a Community Food Consortium for small food retailers and Colorado-owned and Colorado-operated farms, as well&#x2004;as the Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience grant program. In 2023, the Community Food Access program was expanded to include refundable tax credits for small food retailers and small family farms who make costly equipment purchases or incur delivery or distribution fees to increase access to healthy food in low-income and underserved areas of Colorado. The Community Food Access Program is funded in part by State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.



The Community Food Access Program was established in spring of 2022 in House Bill 22-1380 "to improve access to and lower prices for healthy foods in low-income and underserved areas of the state by supporting small food retailers." The program includes a Community Food Consortium for small food retailers and Colorado-owned and Colorado-operated farms, as well as the Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience grant program. In 2023, the Community Food Access program was expanded to include refundable tax credits for small food retailers and small family farms who make costly equipment purchases or incur delivery or distribution fees to increase access to healthy food in low-income and underserved areas of Colorado. The Community Food Access Program is funded in part by State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

Small food retailers, and Colorado-owned and Colorado-operated farms and small family farms, serving low-income and underserved areas of Colorado. See the program page for tax-credit and grant-specific eligibility.

Farmers Market

Local Food

Food Systems

Marketing

Two funding legs, and only one is still open.

LIVE — Community Food Access Equipment Tax Credit (a refundable Colorado income tax credit, not a grant):
- Rate: 75%. "Small Food Retailers and Small Family Farms - your costly equipment purchases may be eligible for a refundable income tax credit equal to 75% of the amount you spent." Restated at award: "The tax credit amount is 75% of the purchase price of your equipment."
- Refundable, so it pays out even if you owe little tax: "If your tax credit amount exceeds what you owe the State of Colorado in taxes that year, the difference will be paid to you by the Department of Revenue."
- No per-business cap is published. The constraint is the annual pool: "A maximum of $10 million in tax credits will be issued each year for this program between 2024 - 2030" and "Once $10 Million in tax credits have been issued in a calendar year, no more credits will be issued that year." Plenty was left mid-year: "As of June 18, 2026, $82,774 in tax credits have been issued of $10 Million in funds available for the 2026 calendar year."
- Timing rule: equipment "must be purchased in the calendar year for which the certificate will be issued." Deadlines: "The deadlines in 2026 are April 30th, August 31st, and December 31st." First priority goes to businesses that have never received a CFA tax credit.

CLOSED — Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience Grant: "There will not be another round of Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience Grants." For reference, "A total of $5 million in grants has been awarded" across "116 grants... in 42 Colorado counties" over two rounds between September 2023 and March 2024; no per-award cap was published, and "Awardees were paid the award amount in full after the beneficiary attestation is signed."

Who applies — the Conservation District, not the landowner. This grant is written for districts: it "is open to all Colorado Conservation districts that are in 'Good Standing' (meeting minimum standards as required by state statute and the CSCB)" and pays for projects the district then delivers on private land. If you are a producer who wants one of these projects on your ground, your route is your local Conservation District, not CSCB.

Route — a downloaded document package submitted to CSCB. There is no online portal. The CDA program page says only that "Materials are available on the District Operations site." That package — the item linked to this record as a form — lives on CSCB's District Operations site under Matching Grants: https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/cscb/grant-applications-and-operational-materials/matching-grants . Go there directly: the "District Operations site" link on the CDA page actually lands on the District Conservation Technician page, which is a different grant.

What is in the package, and what each piece is for. CSCB posts the round as a set of separate downloads:
• Matching Grant Application Guidelines and Checklist — read this first; it defines the requirements and the match.
• Matching Grant Scoring Rubric — how your application will actually be scored, against "focused approach with measurable outcomes, conservation impact, feasibility, district involvement, partner involvement."
• Exhibit A: General Information — the cover/identification form.
• Exhibit B: Matching Grant Application Narrative — the project write-up.
• Exhibit C: Measurable Deliverables — published in two versions, Technical Projects and Educational Projects; submit the one that matches your project type.
• Exhibit D: Matching Grant Application Budget — the budget template, where the cash match has to reconcile.
• Matching Grant Key Points — a short orientation document.
Also on that page are the Operational Guidelines, Cost-Share Agreement, Reimbursement, Quarterly Report and Final Report forms. Those are post-award administration for districts that have already been funded, not part of the application — though CSCB does ask you to read them before applying: "Please be sure to read the Application Guidelines and Operational Guidelines or Matching Grant Key Points before submitting your application to ensure full understanding of the requirements and commitment involved."

The match is a hard gate, not a preference. "half of the state award must be matched with hard cash (see Application Guidelines)." Line up committed partner cash before writing the narrative; in-kind will not substitute for the cash half.

Timing — an annual round, due June 1 every year. CSCB's grant FAQ answers "When are applications due?" for the Matching Grant with "Applications are due on June 1st of each year." The most recently posted cycle, covering the 2027 grant year, matched that: "Applications are Due June 1, 2026" — a date that has now passed. So the next round to aim at is June 1, 2027, for the 2028 grant year; confirm it against the Matching Grants page, which is where CSCB posts each year's materials and due date. Plan around the contract calendar while you write, because it is fixed: "Matching Grant contracts begin on January 1st of each year, and the projects must conclude by November 20th. Final reports and reimbursement requests are accepted until December 20th." Do not use the July 1 due date that appears on the same FAQ page — that one belongs to the District Conservation Technician grant, a different program.

Who to ask. The grant administrator: CDACSCBGrants@state.co.us ("Contact the Grant Administrator at CDACSCBGrants@state.co.us with any questions or concerns"). On program questions CSCB also says to "Contact the CSCB main office or your regional CSCB Field Specialist" — Colorado State Conservation Board, 305 Interlocken Parkway, Broomfield, CO 80021, (303) 869-9030.

Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB)

The Natural Resources Matching Grants Program, administered by the Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB), is designed to assist Colorado Conservation Districts in "Good Standing" (those meeting minimum statutory and CSCB requirements) with implementing on-the-ground conservation projects and educational activities on private lands. This competitive program&#x2004;provides matching state funds to cover project and activity costs within each Conservation District. Applications are scored by a committee of government and private conservation experts based on: focused approach with measurable outcomes; conservation impact; feasibility; district involvement; and partner involvement. The program is funded by a severance tax from oil & gas entities as mandated by the state legislature. For the 2026 cycle, CSCB awarded a total of $689,182.00 to 32 Conservation Districts across Colorado. Approved projects focus on education, water quantity & quality, soil conservation, rangeland health, forest health, invasive species management, and wildlife habitat.



The Natural Resources Matching Grants Program, administered by the Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB), is designed to assist Colorado Conservation Districts in "Good Standing" (those meeting minimum statutory and CSCB requirements) with implementing on-the-ground conservation projects and educational activities on private lands. This competitive program provides matching state funds to cover project and activity costs within each Conservation District. Applications are scored by a committee of government and private conservation experts based on: focused approach with measurable outcomes; conservation impact; feasibility; district involvement; and partner involvement. The program is funded by a severance tax from oil & gas entities as mandated by the state legislature. For the 2026 cycle, CSCB awarded a total of $689,182.00 to 32 Conservation Districts across Colorado. Approved projects focus on education, water quantity & quality, soil conservation, rangeland health, forest health, invasive species management, and wildlife habitat.

Eligible applicants are Colorado Conservation Districts in "Good Standing" (those meeting minimum statutory and CSCB requirements) and their partners.

Stewardship

Conservation

Conservation Districts and their partners are required to leverage additional funding, as half of the state award must be matched with hard cash. Application and operational materials are available on the CSCB District Operations site.

Due to federal funding cancellations, this program is not currently accepting new applicants. 

### **Updates from the Colorado Soil Health Program**

 Friends,

You have likely heard that the CDA, our partners, and producers have had a rocky few weeks as we deal with the cancellation of our Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grant (PCSC).

Unfortunately, losing these funds will reduce our ability to provide much-needed technical assistance and incentive payments to the hundreds of spectacular farmers and ranchers who we have worked with&#x2004;over the last few years. Though this has been an unexpected setback, the Colorado Soil Health Program and our efforts to assist producers on their soil health journeys are not over.

CDA was the only state department of agriculture to be a main awardee for PCSC grant funds, and through some new state funding opportunities, Colorado will continue to be a leader in the national movement towards healthier soil. We will keep you informed as we work towards this new future for our program, and we look forward to continuing to work with our wonderful Colorado ag communities in new ways. 

Thank you,

John Miller (Program Manager) and the entire CSHP Team


The Colorado Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) Program is a free and voluntary tool to inspire producers, give bragging rights, and structure conversations around soil health. STAR is a practice-based rating system that assigns points for the following soil health practices: cropping, tillage, nutrient application, and other best management practices based upon a 10-minute form that producers fill out about each field. As a result, the farmer or rancher receives a STAR rating from 1-5 stars that help them understand how well they are doing in promoting soil health and upholding the **5 principles of soil health**:

- Soil Armor

- Minimize Soil Disturbance

- Plant Diversity

- Continual Live Plant/Root

- Livestock Integration

STAR could become a market signal to pay producers more for products grown using healthy soils practices and provide an onramp to other opportunities.



Updates from the Colorado Soil Health Program
 Friends,
You have likely heard that the CDA, our partners, and producers have had a rocky few weeks as we deal with the cancellation of our Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grant (PCSC).
Unfortunately, losing these funds will reduce our ability to provide much-needed technical assistance and incentive payments to the hundreds of spectacular farmers and ranchers who we have worked with over the last few years. Though this has been an unexpected setback, the Colorado Soil Health Program and our efforts to assist producers on their soil health journeys are not over.
CDA was the only state department of agriculture to be a main awardee for PCSC grant funds, and through some new state funding opportunities, Colorado will continue to be a leader in the national movement towards healthier soil. We will keep you informed as we work towards this new future for our program, and we look forward to continuing to work with our wonderful Colorado ag communities in new ways. 
Thank you,
John Miller (Program Manager) and the entire CSHP Team

The Colorado Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) Program is a free and voluntary tool to inspire producers, give bragging rights, and structure conversations around soil health. STAR is a practice-based rating system that assigns points for the following soil health practices: cropping, tillage, nutrient application, and other best management practices based upon a 10-minute form that producers fill out about each field. As a result, the farmer or rancher receives a STAR rating from 1-5 stars that help them understand how well they are doing in promoting soil health and upholding the 5 principles of soil health:
- Soil Armor
- Minimize Soil Disturbance
- Plant Diversity
- Continual Live Plant/Root
- Livestock Integration
STAR could become a market signal to pay producers more for products grown using healthy soils practices and provide an onramp to other opportunities.

Open to Colorado farmers and ranchers — but not currently taking new participants.

Who. Individual producers operating in Colorado. STAR is described as "a free and voluntary tool to inspire producers, give bragging rights, and structure conversations around soil health," rated from "a 10-minute form that producers fill out about each field," after which "the farmer or rancher receives a STAR rating from 1-5 stars." No acreage minimum, income floor or ceiling, ownership or tenure requirement, commodity restriction, or audience priority (beginning, veteran, socially disadvantaged) is published anywhere on the source pages.

Where. Colorado. CDA runs STAR inside the Colorado Soil Health Program, which CDA describes as "a voluntary, producer-driven initiative."

Unit of enrollment. The field, not the farm — one STAR assessment form per field.

Verification if you enroll. "Individual producers who have submitted a STAR field assessment form to CDA will be subject to random verification by a CDA employee." That is a paperwork check rather than a site visit: receipts, invoices, dated photographs, harvest logs, FSA Form 578 or NRCS records.

Status — read this before applying. The program is not currently accepting new applicants. CDA has said that losing the cancelled USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant "will reduce our ability to provide much-needed technical assistance and incentive payments to the hundreds of spectacular farmers and ranchers who we have worked with over the last few years," and CDA's live Soil Health Program page no longer lists STAR at all. CDA's current soil-health funding is the separate Soil Health and Optimizing Water (SHOW) grant, and "SHOW Applications are closed for 2026." Confirm current status with the Colorado Soil Health Program at cda_soil@state.co.us before assuming you can join.

Education

Research

Compliance

Individual producers who have submitted a STAR field assessment form to CDA will be subject to random verification by a CDA employee.  This verification process does not require a field visit, but rather will involve the submission of documentation showing the practices indicated in the STAR Form.  Documentation may include receipts, invoices, dated photographs, harvest logs, FSA Form 578, NRCS records, harvest logs, and other commonly kept records.  

The application period is currently closed. For more information or questions, contact the Urban Agriculture Program Specialist, Emma Hardiman. Full Microgrant Guidelines are published as a Google Doc linked from the program page.

Emma Hardiman

CDA's Urban Agriculture Microgrant Program is designed to support small-scale projects that help urban producers&#x2004;build a more resilient and sustainable local food system. This microgrant aims to support projects that:


- Expand urban production;

- Implement conservation practices;

- Educate community members;

- Address common challenges faced by urban producers.


Grant awards may not exceed $5,000.00 for a single entity application, and grants are paid on a reimbursement basis. The program is part of CDA's broader Urban Agriculture program, which focuses on supporting agricultural producers in and around Colorado's communities as they work to create local food systems and networks.



CDA's Urban Agriculture Microgrant Program is designed to support small-scale projects that help urban producers build a more resilient and sustainable local food system. This microgrant aims to support projects that:

- Expand urban production;
- Implement conservation practices;
- Educate community members;
- Address common challenges faced by urban producers.

Grant awards may not exceed $5,000.00 for a single entity application, and grants are paid on a reimbursement basis. The program is part of CDA's broader Urban Agriculture program, which focuses on supporting agricultural producers in and around Colorado's communities as they work to create local food systems and networks.

You must apply as an entity that actually farms. "Eligible entities can be either non-profit entities or for-profit entities" — but the entity has to produce agricultural products, because the guidelines list as ineligible "Funds to for profit or nonprofit entities that do not produce agricultural products."

Who is shut out, explicitly:
- Institutions. "Funds to institutions including schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, etc." are an ineligible project type.
- Hobby and subsistence growing. Also ineligible: "Funds to individual urban growers or hobbyists for homesteads, backyard subsistence gardens, equine facilities, or community gardens." A commercial urban farm run by one person is not the same thing as a hobbyist, but the guidelines never say in so many words that a sole proprietor qualifies — worth confirming with CDA before you spend time on an application.
- Community and school gardens, this cycle. "Due to limited funding, we are focused on urban farms and ranches rather than community and school gardens for this grant cycle."

What counts as an urban farm. CDA's definition is broad on geography and narrow on purpose: "An agricultural operation located within or on the periphery of an urban, peri-urban, or rural population center, which is designed to serve the local community. These are typically small-scale and grow produce for direct to consumer or local retail or restaurant sale." Note "rural" is included — you do not have to be inside a city. Your operation must be in Colorado.

No acreage minimum, revenue floor or ceiling, years-of-experience requirement, ownership or tenure test, or audience restriction (beginning, veteran, socially disadvantaged) is published.

Project-level exclusions that sink otherwise eligible applicants: research projects, travel expenses, "Leases and purchase of land/water," staff costs except on community-engagement/education/coalition-building projects, and "Projects already funded partially or in full through other grants, state funds, or similar." Purchases must also be complete before June 30, 2026, and "Any work performed prior to the issuance of the notice of award is not eligible for reimbursement."

Applications for this cycle have closed — the full application was due via Google Form "by the grant deadline, January 26th, 2026 at 8:00am MT." Contact Urban Agriculture Program Specialist Emma Hardiman about the next round.

A small reimbursement grant, and — unusually for a state grant — no match is required.

- Cap: "Grant awards may not exceed $5,000.00 for a single entity application, and grants are paid on a reimbursement basis."
- Timing matters more than the cap: "Any work performed prior to the issuance of the notice of award is not eligible for reimbursement." Don't buy before you're awarded.
- Match is optional, not required. The guidelines ask only that "The project budget should realistically cover project materials including both award funds and any match (if necessary)."
- Your ask may be trimmed: "After application submissions and prior to award, CDA may work with applicants to refine budget requests as the department deems fit."
- The pool is genuinely tiny, so expect competition: "In 2025, $20,000 of the Colorado Department of Agriculture's (CDA) Agricultural Management Funding was allocated to the Urban Agriculture Program to be distributed as microgrants for urban producers during Fiscal Year 2026."
- Eligible entities can be non-profit or for-profit, and this cycle is scoped to urban farms and ranches rather than community and school gardens.
- No contract length or ongoing reporting obligation is published beyond a follow-up on outcomes.

Businesses may submit up to 3 applications online via AccessGov during the open application period. CDA will review all applications, and notify awarded businesses within 60 days of the close of the application period.

2026-2027 Schedule (for 2027 internships):

- Application Opens: October 1, 2026
- Informational Webinar (register via Zoom): October 7, 2026 at 11:00 am MT
- Application Closes: November 2, 2026 at 5:00 pm MT
- Review Period: early November - early December 2026
- Notices to Applicants: mid-December 2026
- Earliest Internship Start Date: January 1, 2027
- Latest Internship End Date: December 31, 2027

CDA may deviate from this schedule as needed and without notice.

CDA — Agricultural Workforce Development Program

The Agricultural Workforce Development Program (AWDP) provides financial incentives to Colorado farms, ranches, and other agricultural businesses to&#x2004;hire interns and provide them with the hands-on training needed to begin a career in agriculture. Businesses may apply for up to 3 internships per year. Awarded businesses may be reimbursed for up to 50% of the actual cost to employ each intern, up to $5,000 per intern. Businesses benefit by receiving compensation for their efforts in training interns on the day-to-day operations of a farm, ranch, or agricultural business. Interns benefit by gaining at least 130 hours of on-the-job training and real-world work experience.



The Agricultural Workforce Development Program (AWDP) provides financial incentives to Colorado farms, ranches, and other agricultural businesses to hire interns and provide them with the hands-on training needed to begin a career in agriculture. Businesses may apply for up to 3 internships per year. Awarded businesses may be reimbursed for up to 50% of the actual cost to employ each intern, up to $5,000 per intern. Businesses benefit by receiving compensation for their efforts in training interns on the day-to-day operations of a farm, ranch, or agricultural business. Interns benefit by gaining at least 130 hours of on-the-job training and real-world work experience.

Colorado farms, ranches, and other agricultural businesses are eligible for this program. Preference is given to Colorado businesses engaged in the production of agricultural crops, livestock, dairy, timber, or greenhouse and nursery products.

To be eligible, a business must:

- Have business operations of an agricultural nature;
- Have a physical operation in the state of Colorado which would be considered the intern's place of work;
- Adhere to all applicable labor and/or occupational safety laws and regulations, unless otherwise exempted; and
- Be compliant with all federal, state, and local laws.

Eligible businesses may apply for up to 3 internships each year.

Intern eligibility: To be eligible, interns must be a student, a recent graduate (within 6 months post-graduation), or a beginning farmer or rancher (with 10 years of experience or less). Interns must also be at least 18 years old. Interns may not be a current or past employee, or a relative of the owner or operator of the business. Interns must not displace any current employees of the business.

Training

Labor

Historically Underserved

Awarded businesses may be reimbursed for up to 50% of the actual cost to employ an intern, up to $5,000 per intern. The actual cost of an internship includes: intern gross wages; workers' compensation insurance; and other incidental costs directly related to the internship (including tuition reimbursement). Awarded businesses may also be reimbursed for fixed overhead expenses, up to 10% of the actual cost to employ each intern. 75% or more of the total amount reimbursed must be paid to the intern.

To qualify, an internship must: include an educational focus preparing the intern for a career in agriculture; provide for an educational experience of at least 130 hours; be no more than 1 year in duration; pay the intern at least the State's prevailing minimum wage; provide a supervisor for the intern; and provide workers' compensation insurance coverage for the intern.

The Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grant application window for Fiscal Year 2026-27 closed on June 15, 2026. See the program page for the AgPV FY27 Grant Guidelines and Grant Application, and for updates on future rounds.

Rosie Skovron

Agrivoltaics are the integration of solar energy generation facilities with agricultural activities. To help promote multi-faceted uses of agricultural land, the Colorado Department of Agriculture operates the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grant Program. Grants are intended to investigate the advantages, additional costs, and compromises of agrivoltaics systems. Funded projects include the construction of multiple new agrivoltaic arrays that showcase various panel technologies&#x2004;and applications with different cropping systems, as well as outreach campaigns, research studies, the retrofitting of a traditional solar array for grazing, and economic modeling projects. The program has awarded $1 million to thirteen projects in its first two years.


The program originated from Senate Bill 23-092, in which the Colorado state legislature appropriated $500,000 to distribute as agrivoltaics grants in Fiscal Year 2023-24 to support Colorado producers and help Colorado's clean energy transition. This program is separate from CDA's existing Advancing Colorado's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ACRE3) Program.


This grant encourages innovative projects, including demonstrations of agrivoltaics, research projects, and outreach campaigns to further agrivoltaics and Colorado's agricultural economy. Eligible project types include:


- Planning and/or permitting of agrivoltaics demonstration projects;

- Construction of agrivoltaics demonstration projects;

- Expansion of existing demonstration projects of agrivoltaic systems;

- Research, monitoring and/or analysis of an agrivoltaic demonstration project;

- Outreach and communication projects promoting results found from agrivoltaics demonstration projects;

- Other projects that further the research and demonstration of agrivoltaics projects.



Agrivoltaics are the integration of solar energy generation facilities with agricultural activities. To help promote multi-faceted uses of agricultural land, the Colorado Department of Agriculture operates the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grant Program. Grants are intended to investigate the advantages, additional costs, and compromises of agrivoltaics systems. Funded projects include the construction of multiple new agrivoltaic arrays that showcase various panel technologies and applications with different cropping systems, as well as outreach campaigns, research studies, the retrofitting of a traditional solar array for grazing, and economic modeling projects. The program has awarded $1 million to thirteen projects in its first two years.

The program originated from Senate Bill 23-092, in which the Colorado state legislature appropriated $500,000 to distribute as agrivoltaics grants in Fiscal Year 2023-24 to support Colorado producers and help Colorado's clean energy transition. This program is separate from CDA's existing Advancing Colorado's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ACRE3) Program.

This grant encourages innovative projects, including demonstrations of agrivoltaics, research projects, and outreach campaigns to further agrivoltaics and Colorado's agricultural economy. Eligible project types include:

- Planning and/or permitting of agrivoltaics demonstration projects;
- Construction of agrivoltaics demonstration projects;
- Expansion of existing demonstration projects of agrivoltaic systems;
- Research, monitoring and/or analysis of an agrivoltaic demonstration project;
- Outreach and communication projects promoting results found from agrivoltaics demonstration projects;
- Other projects that further the research and demonstration of agrivoltaics projects.

- Open to Tribal, state, or local governments, colleges and universities, other research organizations, energy providers including electric cooperatives and utilities, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, for-profit entities, and farmers, ranchers, and other individuals.
- Projects must demonstrate or research the potential, benefits, and tradeoffs of agrivoltaics in Colorado.
- Projects are intended to support Colorado agricultural producers.

Trials

Maximum funding depends on which project type you apply under. From the FY27 Grant Guidelines:

- Demonstration projects (planning/permitting, construction, or expansion of an agrivoltaic array): "Maximum funding: $150,000."
- Outreach and communication projects: "Maximum funding: $75,000."
- Research projects: "Maximum funding: $75,000."

Match is not required but helps you score: "Match is encouraged" is listed under the 20-point Budget criterion, and the rubric asks whether "If additional funding is needed to complete the project, the source of funding has been identified and secured."

Indirect costs are capped: "Indirect costs (maximum 5% of grant award)." Eligible costs include salaries, travel at GSA rates, and construction costs.

Term: "Grantees will have two years to complete their grant projects, roughly June 2026 to June 2028," and "The grant deliverables will be completed by June 30th, 2028."

Two things worth knowing before you invest application time: CDA states "This will be the final year of the Agrivoltaics Research & Demonstration grant program," and the FY 2026-27 application window "closed on June 15, 2026." The program has "awarded $1 million to thirteen projects in its first two years." Farmers and ranchers are explicitly eligible applicants alongside universities, utilities, tribes and nonprofits, and demonstration projects score better when "a producer(s) is directly involved in the project scope" with a landowner letter of support. Reporting includes a final report due "no later than 8 weeks after the end of the grant agreement," with agrivoltaic cost premiums "quantified on both a dollar-per-megawatt and a dollar-per-megawatt-hour basis."

Applications for the 2025-2026 round opened October 15, 2025 and were due by November 24, 2025 at 11:59pm. Applications are currently closed; check back in October 2026 for the application opening of the next round of the Climate Resilience Grants. Applicants refer to the Grant Guidelines and complete the Google Form Application. Questions: rosie.skovron@state.co.us.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO) operates the Climate Resilience Grant Program. Climate&#x2004;resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate. This grant program is designed to provide crucial financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who have experienced adverse effects due to climate-change induced disasters and are seeking to enhance their resilience against future climate-related challenges. The maximum grant award is $30,000. Matching funding is not required, though applicants will receive more points if they use matching funds.



The Colorado Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO) operates the Climate Resilience Grant Program. Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate. This grant program is designed to provide crucial financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who have experienced adverse effects due to climate-change induced disasters and are seeking to enhance their resilience against future climate-related challenges. The maximum grant award is $30,000. Matching funding is not required, though applicants will receive more points if they use matching funds.

Eligible entities include:

- Farmers, ranchers, and other individuals;
- Tribal or local government (including Conservation Districts);
- 501(c)(3)s;
- University extension or field offices.

If you received a CDA Climate Resilience grant award in the prior year, you are not eligible to apply. Each year, CDA publishes project types that will be prioritized in the Grant Evaluation Rubric. For Grant Year 2025-2026, CDA prioritized farm and ranch resiliency for future disasters including wildfire, snow events, drought, and flooding.

Coronavirus

Fencing

Trees

Wildfire

Drought

Flood

Hurricane

Tornado

Emergency

Weather

Disaster Relief

From CDA's 2026 Agricultural Climate Resilience Grants guidelines:

- "Maximum award is $30,000." No minimum.
- Match: "There are no match requirements, but leveraging matching funds will increase the rating of the project." Scoring is explicit — 0–10% match = 0 points, 10–24% = 3 points, ≥25% = 5 points.
- Reimbursement, not upfront cash: "Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis," and "Any work performed prior to the full execution of an agreement is not eligible for reimbursement."
- Indirect costs: allowed up to "maximum 10% of grant award."
- Grant period: "Grant funding must be spent by June 30, 2027 at the latest, though it is anticipated that most successful projects will be complete within several months." All funds must be invoiced by June 30, 2027; final report due September 2027.
- One bite per cycle: "If you received a CDA Climate Resilience grant award in 2025, you are not eligible to apply."
- No commingling: "State and Federal funding cannot be comingled." If you're also pursuing federal money, you must show which items each source pays for.

What it buys: equipment; construction costs including materials and labor; equipment purchase or lease; salaries and labor; travel at GSA rates; permitting costs; project assessments and feasibility studies. Recent awards funded no-till drills, portable corrals, solar irrigation pumps and irrigation improvements, living snow fences, water storage tanks and delivery systems, silvopasture, composting systems and fuel-load mitigation.

Resilience, not recovery: "this grant is intended for resilience projects not immediate recovery projects. Producers who are seeking to recoup losses and return to a level of normalcy should seek out federal funding for those immediate needs."

Status: the 2025–26 window (opened October 15, 2025, due November 24, 2025) is closed. "Applications are currently closed, check back in October 2026 for the application opening of the next round."

The 2025 funding cycle is now over. Please check the program page for updates on future funding rounds, and sign up for CDA's email list to receive updates on the Climate Smart Market Expansion Project and future opportunities.

CDA Climate Smart Markets Program

Susan Enfield

The Climate Smart Markets Program drives market development and increases sales for agricultural products grown using practices that directly address Colorado's climatic challenges. Through competitive awards, the program incentivizes innovation and creates new climate-smart market opportunities by removing the financial risk associated with entry and start-up. The Climate Smart Market&#x2004;Expansion (CSME) Project is a competitive opportunity that supports pilot projects to facilitate expanding the marketplace for climate-smart commodities and products. These awards support initiatives that increase demand for climate-smart crops and establish market premiums for Colorado producers at all stages of the supply chain.


Businesses that source Colorado's climate-smart commodities and products are strongly encouraged to submit a proposal. This includes, but is not limited to, food, beverage, clothing, and other manufacturers, as well as processors, commodity handlers, farm product dealers, buyers, and distributors.



The Climate Smart Markets Program drives market development and increases sales for agricultural products grown using practices that directly address Colorado's climatic challenges. Through competitive awards, the program incentivizes innovation and creates new climate-smart market opportunities by removing the financial risk associated with entry and start-up. The Climate Smart Market Expansion (CSME) Project is a competitive opportunity that supports pilot projects to facilitate expanding the marketplace for climate-smart commodities and products. These awards support initiatives that increase demand for climate-smart crops and establish market premiums for Colorado producers at all stages of the supply chain.

Businesses that source Colorado's climate-smart commodities and products are strongly encouraged to submit a proposal. This includes, but is not limited to, food, beverage, clothing, and other manufacturers, as well as processors, commodity handlers, farm product dealers, buyers, and distributors.

Eligible businesses or organizations must be based in Colorado or have demonstrated clear relationships with Colorado-based suppliers. Entities awarded by CDA must be compliant with local, state, and federal rules and regulations.

For purposes of this program: 'Climate Smart Commodities' means raw materials produced using any practice that increases soil health, optimizes water usage, or enhances more diverse and beneficial ecosystems, and/or reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 'Climate Smart Agricultural Products' means processed or semi-processed agricultural goods grown, raised, or made using climate-smart practices.

The live program page publishes no award figures at all — it describes the opportunity ("competitive awards" that "remov[e] the financial risk associated with entry and start-up") and states "The 2025 funding cycle is now over. Please check this page for updates on future funding rounds," with no dollar amounts, cost-share percentage or match requirement.

CDA publishes each round's figures in its own press releases rather than on the program page. Two rounds have published terms, and the per-proposal ceiling was $30,000 in both.

Round 1 — CDA press release, February 28, 2025:
- "Up to a total of $90,000 is available for projects supporting the development of market opportunities for Colorado producers using climate smart practices."
- "The maximum award amount is $30,000.00 per proposal."
- No match or cost-share requirement was stated.
- Solicited not as a grant application but as procurement: "Proposals are being accepted as Documented Quotes through the Colorado Vendor Self Service (VSS) website" (DQ number 2025-0364). Deadline March 17, 2025.

Round 2 — CDA press release, October 13, 2025:
- "A total of $120,000 is available for initiatives that increase demand for agricultural products employing climate smart practices at any stage of the supply chain or for projects that develop market premiums for producers."
- "The maximum award amount for this round of the Climate Smart Market Expansion Project is $30,000.00 per proposal."
- Again solicited as a Documented Quote through Colorado VSS, DQ number 2026-0001; deadline October 29, 2025 at 12 p.m. MT.
- The same release reports round 1's outcome: "In April, the first round of the Climate Smart Market Expansion grants distributed $90,000 to three innovative projects."

Both rounds carried the same duration condition among the scored outcomes: "Documented premiums for climate smart commodities or products for a minimum of the length of the award, preference given to proposals demonstrating long-term sustainability."

Treat $30,000 as the ceiling CDA has used in every round it has published, not a guaranteed standing figure — and look for the next round in CDA's press releases, since the program page itself never carries amounts. Note also that this is aimed at supply-chain buyers rather than at producers directly: eligible applicants are "food, beverage, clothing, and other manufacturers, as well as processors, commodity handlers, farm product dealers, buyers, and distributors" that source Colorado climate-smart commodities, and must be Colorado-based or show clear relationships with Colorado suppliers. The producer benefit is the market premium the funded project creates.

Applications were reviewed in two Award Periods: applications received by November 30, 2021 were reviewed for Award Period #1, and those received by February 28, 2022 were reviewed as part of Award Period #2. For each award period, $1 million was available for grants, with up to $2 million to be awarded by June 30, 2022. This program has concluded.

Colorado Department of Agriculture — Markets Division

Jodi Walder

Agricultural Future Loan Program Coordinator

To strengthen local food systems and create greater supply chain resilience, the Colorado Department of Agriculture distributed grant funding to be used for agricultural processing projects. Up to $2 million was awarded through the competitive Farm-to-Market Infrastructure Grant Program to help farmers, ranchers, food processors and manufacturers improve local food systems and drive the development and expansion of agricultural value-added projects. Colorado's legislature adopted Senate&#x2004;Bill 21-248, creating the Farm-to-Market Infrastructure Grant Program within the Colorado Department of Agriculture in response to food supply chain weaknesses revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.


Grant funds could be used only for agricultural processing projects -- meaning the transforming, packaging, sorting, storage, or grading of Colorado livestock, livestock products, agricultural commodities, plants, or plant products. Value-added products generally go through a production or manufacturing process (for example, making meat into jerky or fruit into jam; processing barley into malt; or segregating a product in a way that enhances value).



To strengthen local food systems and create greater supply chain resilience, the Colorado Department of Agriculture distributed grant funding to be used for agricultural processing projects. Up to $2 million was awarded through the competitive Farm-to-Market Infrastructure Grant Program to help farmers, ranchers, food processors and manufacturers improve local food systems and drive the development and expansion of agricultural value-added projects. Colorado's legislature adopted Senate Bill 21-248, creating the Farm-to-Market Infrastructure Grant Program within the Colorado Department of Agriculture in response to food supply chain weaknesses revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grant funds could be used only for agricultural processing projects -- meaning the transforming, packaging, sorting, storage, or grading of Colorado livestock, livestock products, agricultural commodities, plants, or plant products. Value-added products generally go through a production or manufacturing process (for example, making meat into jerky or fruit into jam; processing barley into malt; or segregating a product in a way that enhances value).

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural processing businesses were eligible to apply if they are residents of and operate in the state of Colorado. The maximum grant award amount for any one project was $150,000.

A one-time COVID-recovery grant, now concluded. Terms as published by the Colorado Department of Agriculture: "The maximum grant award amount for any one project is $150,000." No match or cost-share is stated. Total pool: "Up to $2 million will be awarded through a competitive Farm-to-Market Infrastructure Grant Program," split as "For each award period, $1 million will be available for grants, with up to $2 million to be awarded by June 30, 2022."

What the money could pay for: "Grant funds can be used only for agricultural processing projects -- meaning the transforming, packaging, sorting, storage, or grading of Colorado livestock, livestock products, agricultural commodities, plants, or plant products." CDA framed this as investment "into new equipment and technologies" for value-added production — jerky, jam, malt, juice, graded eggs.

Who could apply: "Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural processing businesses are eligible to apply if they are residents of and operate in the state of Colorado."

Timing, for the record: two rolling award periods, with applications due November 30, 2021 (Period 1) and February 28, 2022 (Period 2). The program was created by Senate Bill 21-248 as a one-time stimulus measure and no successor round has been announced — do not plan around it. For current Colorado value-added and processing money, look at the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure and Colorado Agricultural Future Loan programs instead.

Apply for the grant online using this form.

Joanne Hernandez

The NextGen Ag Leadership Grant&#x2004;Program is a new opportunity created by the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the fall of 2022. This program provides grants to agricultural organizations and educational institutions that support developmental and training opportunities for the next generation of agriculturalists.  

Programs qualifying for NextGen grants must help lead young people into careers in food and agriculture and prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow. 

To ensure the security of our food systems, stewardship of natural resources, and equitable food access across communities, CDA is advancing our support of educational and leadership development opportunities for the next generation of agricultural producers, aspiring producers, and young people across the food and ag value chains. 

Colorado’s food and agriculture industry is broad and diverse. This program is geared toward not just future generations of farmers and ranchers, but also people trained in the biosciences, nutrition, meat science, veterinary science, agronomy, soil health and conservation, engineering, food safety, technology, product development, marketing, and logistics.



The NextGen Ag Leadership Grant Program is a new opportunity created by the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the fall of 2022. This program provides grants to agricultural organizations and educational institutions that support developmental and training opportunities for the next generation of agriculturalists.  
Programs qualifying for NextGen grants must help lead young people into careers in food and agriculture and prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow. 
To ensure the security of our food systems, stewardship of natural resources, and equitable food access across communities, CDA is advancing our support of educational and leadership development opportunities for the next generation of agricultural producers, aspiring producers, and young people across the food and ag value chains. 
Colorado’s food and agriculture industry is broad and diverse. This program is geared toward not just future generations of farmers and ranchers, but also people trained in the biosciences, nutrition, meat science, veterinary science, agronomy, soil health and conservation, engineering, food safety, technology, product development, marketing, and logistics.

Proposals for grants can be submitted by any agricultural organizations and educational institutions serving the next generation leaders in agriculture. The grant application must address one or more of the following strategic NextGen program priorities:
1. Develop individual leadership and/or entrepreneurial skills. Examples might include established leadership and training programs. 
2. Enhance organizational leadership and capacity building. Examples might include agricultural organizations seeking to develop leaders internally. 
3. Create educational and/or training opportunities. Examples might include foundations providing NextGen educational and/or training, conferences wanting to offer scholarships, community colleges and other educational entities offering financial assistance for youth pursuing education in a food or agricultural program. 
Creative and innovative ideas that fit within the strategic priorities are encouraged. Grants will not be awarded to individuals. 

- PDF flyer about the program
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Preview Application

Transition

All projects must be fully completed by the end of the state fiscal year in which funds are awarded. The state fiscal year runs from July 1st - June 30th of the following year. For example, projects funded in July of 2023 must be fully completed by June 30, 2024.

To apply, first carefully review the RFA and complete the Google Form Application, then submit by the deadline. 2026 timeline: RFA Release Date October 31, 2025; deadline to submit questions December 5, 2025; Q&A posted December 9, 2025; application submission deadline December 15, 2025 at 5:00 pm MST; estimated notification of award February 13, 2026. The 2026 Noxious Weed Annual Grant cycle is now closed.

CDA Noxious Weed Program

The Noxious Weed Management Grants are funded through the Noxious Weed Management Fund (NWMF) and&#x2004;the United States Forest Service (USFS) State & Private Forestry Grants. Approximately $450,000 of Noxious Weed Management Fund and approximately $50,000 of USFS State & Private Forestry (SPF) funding was available for the 2026 grant round. The primary objectives of the NWMF grant program are to: provide additional financial resources to entities engaged in cooperative efforts to eradicate and/or contain state-listed noxious weeds; produce measurable outcomes across Colorado for noxious weed management; and assist new or underfunded weed management programs, especially in regions where additional resources are needed.



The Noxious Weed Management Grants are funded through the Noxious Weed Management Fund (NWMF) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) State & Private Forestry Grants. Approximately $450,000 of Noxious Weed Management Fund and approximately $50,000 of USFS State & Private Forestry (SPF) funding was available for the 2026 grant round. The primary objectives of the NWMF grant program are to: provide additional financial resources to entities engaged in cooperative efforts to eradicate and/or contain state-listed noxious weeds; produce measurable outcomes across Colorado for noxious weed management; and assist new or underfunded weed management programs, especially in regions where additional resources are needed.

Eligible applicants for the 2026 grant cycle were limited to local governing bodies, weed control districts, and cooperative weed management areas in Colorado that demonstrate project capacity and compliance with the Colorado Noxious Weed Act. State/Federal agencies can be partners but not applicants.

Fertilizer

Inputs

Nutrient Management

Reimbursement grants with no per-award ceiling but a hard 1:1 match.

- No cap on the ask: "Is there a maximum amount of funding we can request? A: No, there is not a limit on the amount that can be requested, but there is limited funding available." CDA will not name a typical award either — "Our grants range from single projects to multiple-county cooperative initiatives with a wide range of funding levels."
- Match: "We require a 1:1 match for this grant opportunity. However, we welcome and appreciate proposals that include match above the minimum." "All funding requests must be met with a 1:1 match." In-kind counts: landowner and volunteer hours valued at "the current Federal Volunteer Rate," full-time staff wages that directly contribute to the project, and fringe benefits (payroll taxes, health premiums, cell phone reimbursement) all qualify. Match may be incurred "90 days prior to the start date listed on the Purchase Order (PO)." One real restriction: "matching fund sources cannot come from other state funds unless approved by CDA prior to submitting a project proposal."
- Money available in the round: "Approximately $450,000 of Noxious Weed Management Fund is available for the 2026 grant round. Approximately $50,000 of United States Forest Service (USFS) State & Private Forestry (SPF) funding is also available." CDA notes "a 37% reduction in the noxious weed fund" this cycle.
- Budgeting benchmark CDA publishes: "a reasonable estimate for a successful, integrated management project would fall between $75-$150 per acre."
- Equipment: "we will not fund any single item exceeding $5,000" (equipment defined as an item costing $5,000 or more with a lifespan of a year or more), and "reimbursable staff wages are limited to part-time/temporary employees" absent pre-approval.
- Paid on invoice after close-out, not up front: the final report is due by the grant expiration date, then "you will have 45 days to submit your invoice and all supporting documentation." Project periods run roughly April 1 of the award year to a latest end date of May 31 the following year.
- Recurring but not guaranteed: "there will be a grant cycle around this same time next year. Funding one year does not guarantee funding the next year."

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) will accept concept proposals between January 5, 2026 and February 13, 2026 for projects starting no earlier than January 1, 2027 and ending no later than November 15, 2028.
CDA anticipates awarding approximately $700,000 to FFY 2026 projects.
Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and local governments, colleges and universities, nonprofits, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. Proposals submitted by individual producers must demonstrate that the potential impact of the project will accrue to a broader group of similar producers, region, or industry segment. Projects may not solely benefit individuals, individual operations, or individual companies or businesses.
CDA encourages applicants to submit concept proposals that focus on the following State priorities:
1. Creating and expanding pathways to increase profitability and access diverse markets;
2. Addressing labor challenges;
3. Investing in new agricultural technology; and
4. Responding to pest, disease, and climate pressures.
CDA’s competitive solicitation process will be divided into two (2) phases: 
- Phase 1: Concept Proposal
- Phase 2: Project Plan
Applicants may submit one or more concept proposals in Phase 1 using the online application form by 5:00 pm MST on February 13, 2026. All eligible concept proposals will be evaluated by a review committee comprised of experts and qualified individuals.
Applicants will be notified whether they have been selected to participate in Phase 2 and complete a project plan to be included in Colorado's FFY 2026 state plan in mid-March or early April 2026. CDA will provide further instructions at that time.

Colorado Department of Agriculture

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a federal grant program&#x2004;administered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) to enhance the competitiveness of Colorado specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). For a list of plants commonly considered specialty crops, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.


Applications are closed. Applications for 2028-2029 projects will open in January 2027.


FFY 2026 Schedule

Phase 1: Concept Proposal (open to eligible applicants)

- Application Opens: Monday, January 5, 2026

- Informational Webinar (Watch the recording): Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 12 pm MST

- Application Closes: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 5 pm MST

- Review Period: mid-February to mid-March 2026

- Notices Sent to Applicants: Delayed until further notice

Phase 2: Project Plan (by invitation only)

- Invitation to Submit Project Plan: Delayed until further notice

- Project Plan Due: Delayed until further notice

- Project Plans Submitted to USDA: Delayed until further notice

- Project Plan Revisions with USDA: Delayed until further notice

Grant Award

- USDA Notice of Award: By September 30, 2026

- Grant Agreement Process: October to December 2026 (estimate)

- Earliest Project Start Date: January 1, 2027\*

- Latest Project End Date: November 15, 2028

- Annual Reports Due: November 2027, November 2028, November 2029

\*Subrecipients cannot be reimbursed for project costs incurred before the effective date of their agreement with the State.

CDA may deviate from this anticipated schedule as needed and without notice.



The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a federal grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) to enhance the competitiveness of Colorado specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). For a list of plants commonly considered specialty crops, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.

Applications are closed. Applications for 2028-2029 projects will open in January 2027.

FFY 2026 Schedule
Phase 1: Concept Proposal (open to eligible applicants)
- Application Opens: Monday, January 5, 2026
- Informational Webinar (Watch the recording): Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 12 pm MST
- Application Closes: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 5 pm MST
- Review Period: mid-February to mid-March 2026
- Notices Sent to Applicants: Delayed until further notice
Phase 2: Project Plan (by invitation only)
- Invitation to Submit Project Plan: Delayed until further notice
- Project Plan Due: Delayed until further notice
- Project Plans Submitted to USDA: Delayed until further notice
- Project Plan Revisions with USDA: Delayed until further notice
Grant Award
- USDA Notice of Award: By September 30, 2026
- Grant Agreement Process: October to December 2026 (estimate)
- Earliest Project Start Date: January 1, 2027*
- Latest Project End Date: November 15, 2028
- Annual Reports Due: November 2027, November 2028, November 2029
*Subrecipients cannot be reimbursed for project costs incurred before the effective date of their agreement with the State.
CDA may deviate from this anticipated schedule as needed and without notice.

- Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and/or local organizations, academia, and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply with projects lasting from approximately January 1, 2024 to November 15, 2025, either as single entities or in combined efforts.
- Proposals submitted by individual producers must demonstrate that the potential impact of the project will accrue to a broader group of similar producers, region or industry segment. Projects may not solely benefit individuals, individual operations, or individual companies or businesses. 
- All projects must solely enhance the competitiveness of Colorado specialty crops.

Specialty Crops

Aloe Leaves

Blackberries

Fruits

Honey

Horticulture

Mamey Sapote

Maple Syrup

Mustard Greens

Parsnips

Passion Fruit

Pineapples

Plantains

Pummelos

Raspberries

Rutabagas

Tree Nuts

Vegetables

Abiu

Achachairu

Antidesma

Apples

Apricots

Bananas

Barbados Cherry

Blueberries

Breadfruit

Cacao

Caimito

Calabaza Melon

Canary Melon

Canary Seed

Caneberries

Canistel

- Watch a recording of the 1/13/2026 informational webinar on YouTube
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- Obtain a Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov
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- View USDA's list of plants commonly considered specialty crops as well as ineligible commodities
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- Read summaries of previously funded SCBGP projects
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- Review last year's (FFY 2025) Request for Applications (RFA) from USDA-AMS
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- Read through USDA-AMS Grant Division's General Terms and Conditions
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For any technical issues, email us at cda_scbgp@state.co.us
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.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to its services, programs, activities, education, employment, and applications. If accommodation or assistance is requested, please contact us at cda_a11y@state.co.us
(opens in new window) or 303-869-9000

Money available. CDA does not publish a per-project cap. For FFY 2026: "CDA estimates that Colorado's total FFY 2026 SCBGP allocation will be approximately $800,000. CDA anticipates awarding approximately $700,000 of that allocation to subrecipient projects."

Match. None: "Applicants are not required to provide a cash or in-kind matching contribution" and "This funding opportunity does not have a federal cost-sharing requirement." Whether you are contributing match is still a scored review factor.

How you get paid. Reimbursement after the fact — "Funds will be released to the subrecipient through the reimbursement of eligible, documented expenses incurred within the grant agreement dates. Claims for reimbursement may not be made more often than monthly." You submit a claim form, invoice and supporting documentation; "Eligible project expenditures will not be reimbursed without proof of payment." Late reports can get reimbursement withheld.

What is not payable. No paying down debt or general administrative expenses (rent, phone, printers/copiers, legal services); no capital expenditures for general-purpose equipment, buildings or land; no lobbying or political activity. Special-purpose equipment over $10,000/unit is allowable if used solely to benefit specialty-crop competitiveness. Items under $10,000 count as supplies, not equipment. Grant funds "are intended to supplement (not replace) private, state, and/or third-party funding."

Insurance. "Each subrecipient must obtain and maintain at least $1,000,000 in general liability, at least $1,000,000 in automobile liability, and workers' compensation insurance per statute for the full length of the grant agreement."

Term. Projects start no earlier than January 1, 2027 and end no later than November 15, 2028; nothing incurred before your agreement's start date is reimbursable. Annual reports due November 2027, 2028 and 2029.

Status. "Applications are CLOSED. Applications for 2028-2029 projects will open in January 2027."

List of Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) Funding Opportunities