Grant Portal
Welcome to the Grants Portal—your one-stop resource for discovering agricultural funding opportunities. Navigating the grant landscape can be complex, but we've simplified the process to help you find the right funding to elevate your farm, business, or agricultural project. Our carefully curated database includes a wide range of grants tailored specifically for California farmers and agricultural producers, with clear details on eligibility, funding amounts, purposes, application deadlines, and direct links to applications. We've also provided links to other grant portals to help you explore a mor comprehensive view of available funding. At Driver Consulting, we're committed to empowering agricultural communities by connecting you with resources to support your growth, sustainability, and innovation. Explore the portal today and unlock the potential of your farming enterprise.
The California Grants Portal serves as a centralized resource for discovering a wide array of funding opportunities offered by California state agencies. Managed by the California State Library, this portal simplifies the process of finding grants and loans by providing a single, user-friendly platform.
Key Features:
Comprehensive Listings: Access a complete directory of competitive and first-come, first-served grants and loans available from various California state agencies.
User-Friendly Search: Utilize filters to refine searches based on applicant type (e.g., individual, business, nonprofit, public agency, tribal government), grant category (e.g., agriculture, education, environment, health), and application deadlines.
Recent Opportunities: Stay informed about newly posted grants, with recent additions highlighted for easy reference.
By the Numbers: Gain insights into the current funding landscape, including the number of grants added recently, total available opportunities, and the cumulative funding amount.
The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) offers the Farmer Funding Opportunities Database, a valuable tool designed to assist farmers in identifying and securing financial resources. This database allows users to:
View Active Grants: Easily identify which grants are currently open for application.
Understand Funding Purposes: See which on-farm activities or subjects each grant supports.
Access Application Requirements: Find out the necessary paperwork and criteria for each funding opportunity.
The database is user-friendly, featuring:
Search Functionality: Quickly locate specific grants or funding opportunities using keywords.
Filter Options: Narrow down opportunities based on specific fields such as funder names or funding categories.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) provides various grant and loan programs designed to support integrated water management projects that promote environmental stewardship, enhance water supply reliability, improve public safety, and foster economic stability. While most DWR funding opportunities target public agencies, eligibility can extend to other types of applicants depending on the specific program.
The Carl Moyer Program provides grant funding to support the reduction of air pollution emissions from diesel-powered equipment and vehicles used in agriculture, construction, transportation, and other industries. Eligible projects include replacing, retrofitting, or repowering existing diesel engines with cleaner technology, such as electric, hybrid, or low-emission diesel alternatives. The goal of the program is to help businesses and agricultural producers achieve compliance with California’s air quality standards, improve public health, and promote sustainable practices. Funding amounts vary based on project type and scope, and applications are typically managed through regional air quality management districts.
The USDA provides targeted support for beginning farmers and ranchers through financing options, mentorship, education, technical assistance, and resources to facilitate successful farm operations. These initiatives include loans, conservation programs, risk management tools, and local coordinator assistance designed specifically to help new agricultural producers overcome common challenges.
The USDA's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) provides funding to support education, training, mentorship, and technical assistance aimed at improving opportunities and sustainability for new farmers and ranchers. Eligible applicants include land-grant institutions, community-based organizations, colleges, universities, cooperative extension services, and governmental or tribal agencies.
The Grant Portal's search engine provides an easy-to-use tool to search through a comprehensive database of grants, private foundations, and grant recipients in California's agriculture sector.
Driver Consulting LLC provides this Grant Database as a helpful informational resource only. We strive to keep this information accurate and current; however, grant details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria frequently change and are beyond our direct control. We strongly encourage users to verify all information directly through the official grant-providing agencies or organizations.
| Grant Name | Eligible Applicants | Funding Amount | Purpose | Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) | Small rural businesses, cooperatives, non-profits, local governments | Up to $500,000 | Business development, expansion, training, equipment purchase | https://www.rd.usda.gov | Annual, typically February |
| USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) | Farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers | Up to $250,000 (working capital); $75,000 (planning) | Value-added product development, marketing, business planning | https://www.rd.usda.gov | Annual, typically March-April |
| Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) | Agricultural producers, state departments of agriculture, non-profits | Varies by state (typically $25,000 - $100,000) | Promotion of specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts) | https://www.ams.usda.gov | Annual, varies by state, usually spring |
| Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Grant | Farmers, researchers, educators, agricultural professionals | Up to $250,000 | Research, education, sustainable agricultural practices | https://www.sare.org | Regional, typically November-December |
| California State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP) | California agricultural operations | Up to $200,000 | Implementation of water efficiency systems, irrigation upgrades, renewable energy | https://www.cdfa.ca.gov | Biannual, typically spring and fall |
| Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) | Agricultural producers, private landowners | Up to $450,000 | Conservation practices, environmental enhancements | https://www.nrcs.usda.gov | Rolling, apply anytime but deadlines typically set quarterly |
| California Healthy Soils Program | California agricultural producers | Up to $100,000 | Soil health improvement projects, carbon sequestration | https://www.cdfa.ca.gov | Annual, typically late spring |
| Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (Western SARE) Farmer/Rancher Grant | Farmers and ranchers in Western U.S. states | Up to $25,000 | Sustainable agricultural projects, farmer-led research | https://www.westernsare.org | Annual, typically November |
| Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge | Rural entrepreneurs, agricultural businesses | Up to $15,000 | Entrepreneurial projects, innovative rural business ideas | https://www.fb.org | Annual, typically June-July |
| Ag West Rural Community Grant | Non profit organizations | Up to $5000 | Enhance a community’s infrastructure, viability and/or prosperity. | https://agwestfc.com/about/community-engagement/grants/rural-community-grants | Reviewed monthly |
| Ag West New Producer Grant | Non-Ag West customers who are in the first 5 years of operation or plan on starting operation within 2 years | $15000 | Help new producers with start up costs | https://agwestfc.com/about/community-engagement/grants/new-producer-grant | March 1 - May 31, 2025 |
| California Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Program | Agricultural organizations, technical service providers | Varies | Technical assistance for climate-smart agricultural practices | www.cdfa.ca.gov | Annual, typically winter |
| California Pollinator Habitat Program | California agricultural operations, private landowners | Up to $100,000 | Creation and enhancement of pollinator habitats | www.cdfa.ca.gov | Annual, typically early spring |
| California Underserved and Small Producer Program (CUSP) | Small and medium-scale California agricultural producers, including socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers | Varies; direct relief grants available | Provides financial assistance to address specific needs due to drought, extreme weather, and other climate impacts | https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/cusp/ | Rolling basis throughout the two-year grant period (2024-2026) |
| California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) Alliance Grants Program | Organizations implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices | Up to $1.8 million per awardee | Expands and improves existing IPM practices throughout California | https://www.cdpr.ca.gov/ipm-grants/?utm_source=chatgpt.com | Varies; check the website for current solicitations |