Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Farmland Preservation
Forecasted
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Farmland Preservation supports Washington farmland conservation projects, funding easements and leases, with optional ecological improvements, to keep land in farming.
Funder: Recreation and Conservation Office
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2028 (Applications Due) | July 2028 (Technical Completion Deadline)
Funding Amounts: $10.8 million listed in program funding; no minimum or maximum grant request; 50% match for most applicants
Summary: Funds easements and leases that preserve Washington farmland, with optional ecological restoration or enhancement.
Key Information: Every project must acquire property rights that keep the land available for farming for at least 25 years.
Description
The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Farmland Preservation category helps protect significant Washington farmland from conversion to other uses. The Recreation and Conservation Funding Board administers the program with support from the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). Grants acquire less-than-fee interests in farmland—through agricultural conservation easements or leases—so the land remains available for agricultural activity. Public access is not required.
Projects may pair acquisition with restoration or enhancement that improves the farmland’s ecological functions and viability for farming, such as streamside fencing, native planting, irrigation improvements, or fish-passage work. Funding may also support a farm stewardship plan. The category was added to the broader Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program in 2005.
