Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program (TFRLCP)

TPWD grant program that buys perpetual agricultural conservation easements on working farms, ranches and timberland to keep them from fragmentation and development. The land stays in private ownership and production, and the easements are held by accredited land trusts. Funding comes in biennial cycles; the next window opens in July 2027.

• 'Only projects that are on working lands (in general, lands that are under special ad valorem tax valuation for farming, ranching, timber production or wildlife)' (scoring criteria).

• Projects must conserve water or protect water quality, conserve native wildlife habitat, conserve rare or sensitive species, add to a landscape of conservation lands, or protect productive open space threatened by fragmentation or development.

• Scoring favors a perpetual easement, an accredited and stable easement holder, and easement terms that prohibit fragmentation and encourage stewardship.

Perpetual conservation easement. Donated or bargain-sale easements and outside matching funds score higher. Awards depend on legislative appropriation.

Published amounts: Grants buy agricultural conservation easements. The Approved Grant Projects page lists 30 easements with CE acquisition prices ranging from donated up to $1,750,000. 'The funding of projects in this cycle is subject to appropriation of funds to the TFRLCP by the Texas Legislature.'

Apply during the funding window; the next cycle opens July 2027. Contact Program Coordinator Chris Abernathy (TexasFarmandRanch@tpwd.texas.gov, 512-389-4429). Applications are scored by the program's Council on threat of development (30), value (20), watershed (20), fish and wildlife (15) and other criteria.

Deadline text on the page: The application window for grant funding through the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation program is closed. The next funding cycle will open in July 2027. (The how-to-apply page says the 2026-2027 biennium window ran June 1, 2025 through July 30, 2025.)