Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund (Local PDR Matching Grants)

Virginia's Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund gives state matching money to counties and cities with certified Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs, which pay farm and forest owners to place permanent conservation easements on their land. You sell the easement to your locality's PDR program; the locality applies to the Department of Forestry for the state match each fall and is reimbursed after the easement deed is recorded. Only six localities currently have active funded PDR programs.

• Localities (counties/cities) with certified local purchase of development rights programs

• Deed template reviewed in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General

State match reimbursed upon recordation of the easement deed; IGA defines responsibilities.

Published amounts: Matching state grants to certified local PDR programs; $437,500 appropriated for the FY 2026 allocation round; reimbursement upon recordation of a deed evidencing the purchase of an agricultural conservation easement.

Apply annually via DOF's System Access Portal for Forestry Grants (https://vaforestry.webgrantscloud.com/index.do); awarded localities enter an Intergovernmental Agreement with DOF and submit claims for reimbursement (Form 10.08).

Deadline text on the page: A total of $437,500 has been appropriated for the FY 2026 allocation round, which will open on October 1, 2025, and close on October 30, 2025. Awards have a target announcement date of December 1, 2025. (FY 2027 round not yet posted as of 2026-09-24.)