Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Indiana State Department of Agriculture

Contact the CREP Program Manager or a local Soil and Water Conservation District / USDA FSA office to review eligibility requirements and enroll.

Julie Harrold

Program Manager - CREP and Water Quality Initiatives

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a partnership between the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) that addresses water quality and wildlife issues by reducing sediment and&#x2004;nutrient runoff in watersheds and enhancing wildlife habitat for state- and federally-listed threatened and endangered species. CREP helps alleviate high nonpoint-source sediment, nutrient, pesticide, and herbicide losses from agricultural lands by restoring buffers and wetlands. Participants receive financial incentives to voluntarily enroll environmentally sensitive agricultural land and frequently flooded croplands under contracts of 14 to 15 years. First announced in 2005, the program was expanded in October 2024 and is now available in every county and watershed in the state, with a targeted enrollment of 100,000 acres.



The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a partnership between the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) that addresses water quality and wildlife issues by reducing sediment and nutrient runoff in watersheds and enhancing wildlife habitat for state- and federally-listed threatened and endangered species. CREP helps alleviate high nonpoint-source sediment, nutrient, pesticide, and herbicide losses from agricultural lands by restoring buffers and wetlands. Participants receive financial incentives to voluntarily enroll environmentally sensitive agricultural land and frequently flooded croplands under contracts of 14 to 15 years. First announced in 2005, the program was expanded in October 2024 and is now available in every county and watershed in the state, with a targeted enrollment of 100,000 acres.

Indiana landowners and farmers with environmentally sensitive agricultural land or frequently flooded croplands. Enrollment is voluntary under 14-to-15-year contracts; the program is available in every Indiana county and watershed.

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

Cost Share

Air Quality

Carbon Capture

Certification

High Tunnel

Landscape

Regenerative

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Water Management

Conservation

This program pays per-acre rates and percentage incentives, not a fixed award, so there is no per-recipient dollar ceiling. All figures below are verbatim from ISDA's Approved Practices and Incentives page.

Federal incentives.
- Cost share: "Based on a current FSA cost-share plan of 50% of eligible cost (not-to-exceed) as determined by FSA for eligible reimbursable practice establishment costs."
- Signing Incentive Payment (SIP): "A one-time incentive payment equal to 32.5% of the 1st full year Annual Rental Payment (12-months) for newly enrolled CP21, CP22, CP23, CP23A, CP31 and CP9."
- Practice Incentive Payment (PIP): "A one-time incentive payment equal to 50% of the eligible installation costs for CP21, CP22, CP23, CP23A, CP31, and CP9."
- Annual Rental Payment: "An annual payment for the life of the contract," summing (a) a base soil rental rate "determined by calculating the normal CRP weighted average soil rental rate for the three predominant soil types using the current posted applicable local soil rental rates for cropland offers," (b) an "incentive payment of 40% of the base rental rate without regard to other incentive payments for all practices offered and eligible for CREP," and (c) "a maintenance fee equal to the terms of FSA national CRP directives, if applicable."

State of Indiana one-time incentive payments.
- "$100/acre for CP2, CP4D, and CP21"
- "$400/acre for CP3A, CP22, and CP31"
- "$950/acre for newly enrolled CP23, CP23A, and CP9"
- "$400/acre for re-enrolled CP23, CP23A, and CP9"

Contract length. "Program participants receive financial incentives to voluntarily enroll in the program in contracts of 14 to 15 years."

Practice and width conditions. Only nine CRP practices are approved (CP2, CP3A, CP4D, CP21, CP22, CP31, CP23, CP23A, CP9). CP2, CP3A, CP4D, CP21 and CP22 "must be installed on former cropland adjacent to an eligible stream, river or water body"; buffer widths run from a 35-foot minimum average (CP21, CP3A, CP4D, CP22) or 50 feet (CP2) up to 120–180 feet, "up to 300 feet in alluvial soils." CP23 and CP31 "are required to be located in the 100-yr floodplain."

Program scale. Available in every Indiana county and watershed since October 2024, with a targeted enrollment of 100,000 acres.

Verified 2026-09-04.

Producers contact their local Resource Specialist or Soil and Water Conservation District office to discuss project ideas and eligibility, then submit an application for review. Applications are ranked and selected by the IMAGE Ranking Committee; selected applicants receive an award notice with their maximum reimbursement amount. Producers have 12 months from approval to install approved practices (with a 6-month progress check-in). Reimbursement of up to 75% of eligible costs follows verification and receipt review.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture — Division of Soil Conservation

The Indiana Management of Agriculture Enhancements (IMAGE) Cost-Share Program is a conservation funding initiative administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to help producers implement practical conservation improvements. IMAGE provides financial assistance and technical support&#x2004;for projects that improve livestock management, strengthen farm infrastructure, improve soil health, and protect Indiana's natural resources, delivered in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), NRCS, and other partners. Made possible through Clean Water Indiana funding, approved participants may receive reimbursement for up to seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible project costs through a competitive ranking process, subject to available funds. Eligible practices include Heavy Use Area Protection (NRCS 561), Pasture and Hay Planting (NRCS 512), Watering Facility (NRCS 614), Livestock Pipeline (NRCS 516), Soil Amendments, and committee-approved unfunded EQIP practices, installed to NRCS specifications.



The Indiana Management of Agriculture Enhancements (IMAGE) Cost-Share Program is a conservation funding initiative administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to help producers implement practical conservation improvements. IMAGE provides financial assistance and technical support for projects that improve livestock management, strengthen farm infrastructure, improve soil health, and protect Indiana's natural resources, delivered in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), NRCS, and other partners. Made possible through Clean Water Indiana funding, approved participants may receive reimbursement for up to seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible project costs through a competitive ranking process, subject to available funds. Eligible practices include Heavy Use Area Protection (NRCS 561), Pasture and Hay Planting (NRCS 512), Watering Facility (NRCS 614), Livestock Pipeline (NRCS 516), Soil Amendments, and committee-approved unfunded EQIP practices, installed to NRCS specifications.

Producers in the pilot coverage area, comprising these Indiana counties: Brown, Clay, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Johnson, Knox, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, and Warrick. Applications are evaluated by the IMAGE Ranking Committee.

Buildings

Construction

Fencing

Greenhouse

HVAC

Irrigation

Lighting

Repairs

Storage

Cost-share reimbursement of up to seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible project costs for approved conservation practices. Funding is awarded through a competitive ranking process and is subject to available program funds; selected applicants receive notice of funding approval and their maximum reimbursement amount.

This is a reimbursement program — the applicant must pay project costs upfront. Reimbursement occurs only after ISDA verifies practice installation, the applicant submits paid receipts and required documentation, and ISDA confirms the project meets NRCS and locally approved standards.

Timeline: producers have 12 months from the date of approval to install approved practices, with a progress check-in 6 months after award approval. Extension requests may be considered case by case.

No per-applicant dollar ceiling and no per-practice payment rate is published on the program page or in the IMAGE fact sheet — the maximum reimbursement amount is set individually in each award notice.

Apply via ISDA's online form accompanied by the FSA-578 (Report of Commodities). Pre-enrollment for the 2026 crop opened December 15, 2025. The program has reached funding capacity for 2026 and is not currently accepting applications; enrollment is expected to reopen for the next crop year.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), The Nature Conservancy, and USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) offer first-time cover-crop users a $5-per-acre discount on the following year's crop-insurance premium for up to 750 acres that are enrolled and verified. The discount is tied to the acre, not the person (two landowners split the $5), and applies only to cover-crop acres not already enrolled in another state or federal cover-crop incentive. The discount is applied through the normal crop-insurance premium process via USDA-RMA.



Indiana producers planting cover crops on eligible acres located fully within a covered watershed (see the annual county coverage map), targeted to first-time cover-crop users. Up to 750 acres per crop-insurance ID/number. Fields enrolled in another cost-share program are not eligible; full-width fall tillage/termination of the cover crop is not allowed (spring management per USDA-NRCS termination guidelines).

This is a per-acre rate, not a lump-sum award: "$5 per acre on verified acres," delivered as a premium discount on the following year's crop insurance invoice rather than as a payment from the state.

Cap: "750-acre cap per crop insurance ID/number."

The discount is tied to the acre, not the person — "example: two land owners must split $5 discount."

How it is paid: "Funding will be provided through RMA as an additional insurance premium discount through normal crop insurance processes." Confirmed applications are forwarded to USDA-RMA for processing on the crop insurance premium invoice. The premium reduction is applied based on the acreage report filed for federal crop insurance, so "ensuring the field designations match is mandatory to receiving the premium discount."

Exclusions: "Only acres in cover crops (absent other state or federally incentivized cover crops) will be eligible for the premium discount"; fields not enrolled in another cost-share program are eligible.

Status: "The program has reached its funding capacity for 2026. Applications are no longer being accepted."

Apply through ISDA per the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and supplemental documents (application instructions, SAM.gov and Indiana Secretary of State registration, W-9). The program runs on an annual cycle; the 2026 application period closed May 13, 2026. Watch for the next NOFO or request notification from ISDA.

Emily Conwell

Economic Development Program Director

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) administers USDA's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of Indiana specialty crops - fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery/floriculture crops. Approximately $409,581 is made available per cycle through a competitive solicitation. Funds support marketing and promotion, research and development, expanding availability and access, and addressing challenges facing specialty crop producers.



For-profit entities (including sole proprietors), nonprofit entities, local units of government (towns, cities, counties), and public and private institutions of higher education may apply. Individuals acting on their own are not eligible. Projects must benefit the specialty crop industry and/or the public broadly; projects benefiting a single entity, organization, or individual are not eligible.

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

Grant

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Trials

Trade Relief

Award floor, no published ceiling. The FFY2026 NOFO states "Minimum Award Amount: $50,000.00" and "Available for Competitive Grants: $409,581.00." That $409,581 is the whole competitive pool, not a per-award cap — the NOFO publishes no maximum award. For scale, a 2023 Indiana awardee (Slaughter Orchard & Cidery) received $163,680.

Where the money comes from. "$635,414.60 in funding from the United States Department of Treasury (USDA) is available to the State of Indiana." Of that, "The ISDA will retain $175,000.00 (27% of the State's total allocation) for a statewide Indiana Grown specialty crop initiative" and "$50,833.60 (8% of the State's total allocation) for indirect costs ('grant administration')."

Match / cost share. None required. No cash or in-kind match is mentioned anywhere in the NOFO.

Term. Performance Period Sept. 30, 2026 – Sept. 29, 2028 (two years). Scoring asks whether the timeline "demonstrate[s] the applicant can complete the proposed projects within the two (2) year Performance Period."

Limits and conditions. Applicants "must not have more than two (2) open grants with the ISDA at the time of application" and "must not have any delinquent reports, claims, or outstanding corrective actions for any award with the ISDA." Applications are scored out of 200 total points. Special-purpose equipment over $10,000 per unit may be eligible only for research, scientific or technical activities. Selection is not a guarantee: "Projects are not considered awarded until the USDA approves the ISDA's State Plan," and selected applicants "may be required to modify scope/budget components."

Verified 2026-09-04 against the FFY2026 ISDA SCBG NOFO PDF.

The 2027 competitive grant cycle closed September 3, 2026 (applications were due by 12 p.m. EST).

- Notification of intent: all lead applicants must submit a notification of intent to apply by email to the Clean Water Indiana program inbox.
- Apply online: applications are submitted through the Indiana Grant Management System (GMS) / Indiana Grants Management Portal (https://in-lg.my.site.com/Grants/s/). A GMS account is required; request one at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/898f6ffc7f794f80abda15c5b773ba93.
- Follow the CWI Grant Guidance, CWI Application Template, and CWI Scoring Rubric.
- Funding recommendations were presented to the full State Soil Conservation Board at its October 20, 2026 meeting.

Clean Water Indiana (CWI) is a state fund administered by ISDA's Division of Soil Conservation under the direction of the State Soil Conservation Board. It provides competitive grants and local matching funds to Indiana Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) for sediment- and nutrient-reduction projects and conservation-practice implementation - supporting education, technical assistance, training, and cost-share programs that reach landowners. CWI also provides state matching funds for Indiana's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. The 2027 competitive grant cycle closed September 3, 2026 (applications were due by 12 p.m. EST).



- Any Indiana Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) or natural-resources-related conservation group may apply; applicants that are not an SWCD must partner with an SWCD.
- One application is permitted per project and must be submitted by a lead applicant.
- Lead applicants must be up to date on all past awarded CWI grant reporting.
- The State Soil Conservation Board accepts competitive proposals for targeted projects up to three years in length.
- Landowners benefit through SWCD-delivered technical assistance and cost-share rather than applying to CWI directly.

- 2027 CWI Grant Guidance (PDF)
- CWI Application Template 2027 (Word)
- CWI Scoring Rubric 2027 (PDF)
- Indiana Grants Management Portal
- CWI program page

Fertilizer

Waste & Manure Management

Weeds

No award ceiling or floor: "Proposals can be for any amount that would accomplish the project described." The SSCB does not intend to partially fund applications — "partial awards will be only in special circumstances."

Match: "A 50 percent cash and/or in-kind match is required." Proposals that request funds for staffing require a 25% cash or in-kind match on the staffing component (the guidance's example: a $10,000 staff-only proposal needs $2,500 match; a $10,000 proposal split $5,000 staff / $5,000 cost share needs $3,750). Match may come from federal, state, or local sources including landowner costs, staff and supervisor time, and equipment use, purchase, or rental. Match must be new, distinct, and directly tied to the proposed project, and cannot double-count match used in another grant. Published match rates: $35/hour for ICP staff, SWCD supervisors, landowner time, and professional services; $15/hour for students, interns, and volunteers; $0.49 per mile for mileage.

Administrative cap: "The grant may ask for no more than 10% of the total grant funds for administrative support of the grant." CWI competitive dollars may not pay employee benefits.

Term: competitive proposals for targeted projects up to three years in length.

What reaches landowners through a funded district: "The maximum cost share or all conservation practices is 75% of the total final cost of the practice, with 25% of the cost being the responsibility of the landowner." Cover crop cost share must be for new acres (none in the past 3 years) and is eligible up to $30/ac for a single-to-double species mix and up to $40/ac for a multi-species (3+) mix. Separately, SWCDs are eligible for a $10,000 CWI statutory match.

Payment: up to 50 percent of grant funding may be disbursed at the beginning of the grant; after 50% is spent, payments are made as reimbursement 45 days in arrears on an updated report and claim submitted to GMS; 10% of total grant funds are withheld until the final report is completed.

Source: 2027 Clean Water Indiana Grant Guidance (IC 14-32-8-5).

List of Indiana State Department of Agriculture Funding Opportunities