Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by Washington State Conservation Commission (WSCC)

Landowners work with their conservation district, which applies to ACES during the window. "If you are interested in the program, reach out to Paul D’Agnolo (pdagnolo@scc.wa.gov) to schedule a time to talk more about the program".

Deadline text on the page: "Application window closed on February 2, 2026." "The next application window is expected to open November 2027. Applications will be due February 2028. Awards expected in September 2029." Aligns with RCO's even-year cycles.

Paul D'Agnolo

Office of Farmland Preservation Specialist

Hilary Aten

Office of Farmland Preservation Coordinator

General office

Through ACES, Washington farmland owners can sell a permanent agricultural conservation easement funded by the state's Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) Farmland Preservation grants. You work with your local conservation district, and the Conservation Commission's Office of Farmland Preservation sponsors the project and holds the easement. Land must be used mainly for commercial agriculture and be at risk of conversion. The last application window closed February 2, 2026; the next is expected to open around November 2027.



- "All projects facilitated through this program are for permanent agricultural conservation easements that are developed and implemented in partnership with local conservation districts."
- "Eligible lands for the easement program must be devoted primarily to the production of livestock or agricultural commodities for commercial purposes."
- SCC priorities: the parcel can sustain commercial agricultural production, is in an area that supports long-term commercial agriculture, and "Without preservation, the land proposed for protection is likely to be converted to nonagricultural use in the foreseeable future."

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

Easement

Permanent easement held by SCC; "easement acquisition typically within 2-3 years" after the grant agreement.

Published amounts: Funding matrix: "No match requirement at this time. No minimum or maximum grant amount; the Conservation Commission is eligible for up to 100% of total project costs."

"Contact your local conservation district"; a local CREP technician designs the buffer plan and the landowner signs up with the USDA Farm Service Agency. See the map of eligible stream segments.

Deadline text on the page: Rolling. Funding matrix: "Ongoing as long as funds are available". Grant-programs index shows CREP as accepting applications (the 'Not currently accepting' label is hidden for CREP).

Brian Cochrane

Habitat and Monitoring Coordinator (SCC CREP coordinator)

Washington's CREP pays farmers to plant native trees and shrubs along salmon-bearing streams instead of crops, on renewable 10-15 year FSA contracts. Landowners get annual rental payments, a one-time signing bonus, full coverage of planting costs and five years of maintenance, and livestock operators are reimbursed for exclusion fencing and new water facilities. Enrollment runs through the local conservation district and the USDA Farm Service Agency.



- "Landowners and operators who meet USDA FSA CRP/CREP eligibility and enroll riparian lands under an FSA contract; participants must meet FSA cropping history or marginal pasture requirements and have an approved riparian plan and contract with FSA."
- Fact sheet: "You must have owned and/or operated your land for at least 12 months before enrollment."
- "Land must be either cropland or marginal pastureland; be able to support the required vegetation; and have required cropping history."
- "Property must border eligible stream segments."

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

Cost Share

Renewable 10-15 year contracts; buffers maintained for the contract term. Fact sheet: "Entire cost of project installation is covered"; "Project maintenance cost is reimbursed for the first five years"; "Livestock operators are reimbursed for fencing that excludes cattle from the buffer and for new water facilities."

Published amounts: "The program covers all project costs, from site planning and planting to five years of maintenance"; "landowners receive annual rental payments for the acres they restore and a one-time signing bonus for enrolling." Funding matrix: "FSA pays 50% of implementation costs plus 40% PIP; SCC adds 10% implementation cost share and up to 2,700 dollars per acre maintenance".

Contact your local conservation district about forest health cost-share.

Deadline text on the page: Funding matrix: "Funding requests are currently closed." News May 18, 2026: "FHCWR Supplemental Funds Request Form is now open". Program page: $1.25M added for FY2027. Landowner availability depends on each district's award.

Jennifer Coe

Forest Health and Community Wildfire Manager

Conservation districts use this Washington State Conservation Commission funding to help private forest landowners improve forest health and reduce wildfire fuels, including landowner-implemented cost-share for forest health and hazardous-fuels reduction projects, forest stewardship planning and post-fire help. Contact your local conservation district about forest health cost-share; availability depends on each district's award.



- Conservation districts meeting CAPP requirements receive the funds; landowners take part through their district.
- Eligible activities include "Forest health projects (landowner implemented cost-share or District Implemented Projects)" and "hazardous fuels reduction and forest health improvement projects (Landowner-implemented cost-share or Districted Implemented Projects)."

All work, including cost-share, must be completed by the end of the funding period; SCC cost-share cap $100,000 per landowner per fiscal year.

Published amounts: Guidelines: "Maximum cost-share per landowner per fiscal year is $100,000". "Cost-share on equipment purchases will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis."

Contact your local conservation district (scc.wa.gov/conservation-district-map). The district enters the project in SCC's Conservation Practice Data System and signs SCC's Contract for Cost Share with the landowner.

Deadline text on the page: Landowner cost-share is offered by conservation districts from their biennial allocation. Funding matrix (CD level): "Next application window starts July 1, 2027." March 5, 2026 news: "a deadline has not been established for when conservation districts must access this available funding."

State cost-share for farmers and other landowners who voluntarily install conservation practices (BMPs) that improve water quality, habitat, forest health or climate resilience, paid through their local conservation district. "Cost-share means a landowner only pays a portion of a project's total cost – the remaining portion is paid by the conservation district." Every eligible district gets an allocation each biennium.



- Landowners work with their local conservation district. SCC funds go to "Conservation districts that meet all Conservation Accountability and Performance Program (CAPP) requirements."
- Practices must meet NRCS standards or SCC-approved designs.
- Cost-share limit: $100,000 per landowner or cooperator per fiscal year across all SCC programs.

The district sets the cost-share rate (up to 100%; default 50%). Up to 25% of each district award may fund technical assistance. Work must start within 120 days of award.

Published amounts: "Maximum cost-share per landowner per fiscal year is $100,000" (across all SCC programs). SCC manual: cost share on private property can be reimbursed "at up to a maximum of 100 percent of the total project costs" at the rate each district sets by resolution (default 50 percent). Each CD's 2025-27 total is $116,470.

Contact your local conservation district. The district enters projects in CPDS as "Ready for Funding" by the end of each month for the monthly review.

Deadline text on the page: "Funding for this project is ongoing." Funding matrix: "Shellfish projects are pulled from CPDS the first week of every month." Grant-programs index shows Shellfish as accepting applications.

Josh Giuntoli

Regional Manager - Southwest

Cost-share through local conservation districts for farmers and landowners in watersheds that drain to Puget Sound and Pacific coast shellfish beds. It funds practices that improve water quality, such as manure management, livestock exclusion and stream restoration, with priority for clusters of projects in problem areas. Projects are reviewed and funded monthly.



- "Conservation districts in watersheds that drain to recreational or commercial shellfish beds." Landowners take part through their district.
- "Priority is given to “project clusters” within a watershed or stream reach where there's a water quality concern."
- "Program funds supports manure management, livestock exclusion, stream restoration, and other projects that improve water quality in shellfish areas."

SCC cost-share policy applies (district-set rate up to 100%; max $100,000 per landowner per fiscal year).

Published amounts: No program-specific amounts; SCC cost-share policy caps awards at $100,000 per landowner per fiscal year across all SCC programs.

Landowners contact their local conservation district, which submits projects on the WSRRI application form during a solicitation. Projects are ranked by the WSRRI steering committee.

Deadline text on the page: Page: "WSRRI Solicitation for Projects!" and "A competitive solicitation for projects was announced this week" (undated). Guidelines effective September 18, 2025: "Application deadlines and availability of funds will be announced on the SCC WSRRI program webpage."

Allisa Carlson

Regional Manager – South Central (WSRRI staff)

Cost-share through conservation districts for shrubsteppe habitat restoration, wildlife-friendly fencing (new, replacement of burned fence, barbed-wire retrofit, removal, virtual fence) and post-fire deferred grazing in prioritized areas of Eastern Washington's Columbia Plateau. Private ranch land is eligible, and grazing-management cross fencing and virtual fence are prioritized.



- "Conservation districts are eligible to apply to WSRRI under these program guidelines."
- "All landownerships are eligible under this program including private, tribal, federal, state, non-profit organization, or local government ownerships."
- "Projects must demonstrate a benefit to shrubsteppe habitat and associated wildlife"; spatial selection criteria by county.

"Work must begin on all funded proposals within 120 days of the award of funding." Fencing must follow WSRRI specifications. SCC cost-share policies apply.

Published amounts: 2025-2027 proviso: "Funded at $3,000,000 from the State Building Construction Account to implement the Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative 30-year strategy."

Farmers contact their local conservation district (or WSU Extension/other public partner), which submits the Formstack application to SCC during the annual window. The FY27 window is closed.

Deadline text on the page: "The Sustainable Farms and Fields funding window for fiscal year 2027 is now closed." Guidelines: "The Sustainable Farms and Fields grant cycle begins at the beginning of each state fiscal year, in the month of July."

Karen Hills

Sustainable Farms and Fields Program Manager

Climate-smart farming grants that reach Washington farmers and ranchers through conservation districts and other public partners. Producers can get free services, such as on-farm consultations and climate-smart (carbon) farm plans, plus financial help for eligible projects, equipment and cover crop seed. A district or other public entity applies to SCC on behalf of farmers who have already asked for help.



- SCC applicants: "Conservation districts; state agencies; colleges, universities, extension offices; federally recognized tribes; counties, cities, towns, and other municipalities; and special purpose districts."
- Farmers take part through one of these applicants. "Conservation districts and other public entities may apply for a single grant from the commission that serves multiple farmers that have been pre-identified in the application."
- Practices must meet NRCS standards or be SCC-approved; the GHG benefit is estimated with COMET-Farm/COMET-Planner.

Cost-share up to $100K per landowner/operator per fiscal year; equipment must be new or meet used-equipment rules; BMPs must be maintained for their NRCS design lifespan.

Published amounts: Guidelines: "The maximum cost-share per landowner or operator per fiscal year is $100K unless a waiver" is granted. "No more than 20% of total annual SFF funds may be awarded to any single grant applicant."

List of Washington State Conservation Commission (WSCC) Funding Opportunities