California Farmland Conservancy Program
California Farmland Conservancy Program supports farmers, ranchers, and communities through agricultural conservation easements and land improvements to preserve farmland and sustain agriculture.
Funder: California Department of Conservation
Due Dates: Rolling (Pre-proposals) | Rolling (Full applications)
Funding Amounts: Approximately $1.625 million available under the 2025 solicitation; no maximum per proposal; standard two-year term
Summary: Supports voluntary, permanent agricultural conservation easements and improvements benefiting protected agricultural land in California.
Key Information: A pre-proposal and matching contribution are required for both project types.
Description
The California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP), administered by the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Land Resource Protection, supports statewide efforts to preserve productive agricultural land and enhance sustainable agricultural uses. Created in 1995, it funds voluntary, permanent agricultural conservation easements on land threatened by conversion to nonagricultural uses, alongside improvements directly benefiting land already protected by an easement or similar long-term agreement.
The program promotes long-term private stewardship, continued farming and ranching, orderly urban growth, and local planning consistent with agricultural conservation. Its goals also include land access for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, clean air and water, carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and climate resilience. The 2025 solicitation uses Proposition 68 funding and prioritizes projects serving severely disadvantaged communities.
