SACRAMENTO — The 2023 CUSP Drought Relief Technical Assistance and Direct Producer Grant Program is designed to facilitate support for small-and-medium scale California agricultural producers or small-and-medium scale Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFR’s) through technical assistance with business planning and marketing strategies. This two-year grant program also includes direct farmer grants for drought relief for those same priority groups.
Applicants may apply for one or both of the funding tracks available under this grant program:
Part 1: Drought Relief Technical Assistance grants from $50,000 up to $100,000. This funding track is for eligible technical assistance providers to support California agricultural producers in applying for Federal and State drought relief grant programs including the CUSP Drought Relief Direct Producer Grant Program, and assistance with business planning, financial and marketing strategies needed to be resilient and stay in business during the on-going drought in California.
Part 2: Drought Relief Direct Producer Block Grant Program provides funding from $500,000 up to $1,500,000 for organizations to act as regional administrators to provide drought relief grants for small-and-medium scale producers or small-and-medium scale Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFR’s) to aid in addressing specific financial needs due to the drought.
Applications will be accepted through March 16, 2023, at 5pm PST.
Grant Application Opens January 17, 2023
Grant Application Closes March 16, 2023 @ 5 PM PST
Review Process Mar/Apr 2023
Award Announcement April 17, 2023
Grant Term Begins May 1, 2023
Grant Term Ends April 30, 2025
The following entities are eligible to apply for this program: Non-profit organizations, Tribal Governments, County Departments of Agriculture and Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs). Entities applying for Part 1 must have demonstrated technical assistance expertise in assisting small and medium scale agricultural producers in applying to economic or drought relief fund programs, marketing, or business planning. Entities applying for Part 2 must have demonstrated expertise in managing direct grants or previous rounds of CUSP Economic or Drought Relief Direct Producer Grants. Priority in both tracks will be given to organizations with language and cultural capacities in offering technical assistance and program resources in languages other than English.
Applications will be accepted via Amplifund. All applicants will need to register for an Amplifund account prior to completing the 2023 CUSP Drought Relief Technical Assistance and Direct Producer Grant Program Application. For information, training videos, and materials on how to set up an account with Amplifund, please visit the Amplifund Portal Resources.
The 2023 CUSP Drought Relief Technical Assistance and Direct Producer Grant Program application link can be found here: 2023 CUSP Grant Program Application, and the request for applications (RFA) can be found on the program website www.cdfa.ca.gov/CUSP.
CDFA’s Farm Equity Office will hold two informational sessions on the 2023 CUSP Drought Relief Technical Assistance and Direct Producer Grant Program during the application period. These sessions will be offered via Zoom. CDFA staff will review the components of the application and answer questions about the application or the process during this time. Sessions will be recorded and available on the CUSP Program website after the session.
Session 1: Thursday February 2nd 1pm-2:00pm. To register for this session, click here.
Session 2: Thursday February 16th 1pm-2:00pm. To register for this session, click here.
For more information on the 2023 CUSP Drought Relief Technical Assistance and Direct Producer Grant Program, please contact: carmen.carrasco@cdfa.ca.gov
–California Department of Food and Agriculture
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
SACRAMENTO — The 2023 CUSP (California Underserved and Small Producers Program) grant program will provide critical drought relief technical assistance and direct financial assistance for small and medium scale producers or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as assistance with business planning, marketing strategies, and other economic recovery activities. This program also supports organizations […]
SACRAMENTO — CDFA’s Farm Equity Office is seeking public input on drought-related program priorities to help inform the Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2023 California Underserved and Small Producer Grant Program (CUSP). The current CUSP Program was formed in 2021 for COVID-19 economic relief and includes two components for eligible entities. Part 1 provides […]
BOSTON — With the risk of wildland fires increasing due to below average precipitation across the state, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Beth Card today declared that the Cape Cod Region will join the Connecticut River Valley, Southeast, Northeast, and Central Regions as a Level 3-Critical Drought. Additionally, the Islands and Western Regions will […]
SACRAMENTO — CDFA is extending the application period for the 2022 Beginning Farmer and Farmworker Training and Workforce Development Program (BFFTP). The agency is now accepting grant applications until August 15, 2022, at 5 p.m., in order to allow sufficient time for applicant organizations to connect with partnering organizations and submit proposals. The BFFTP grant […]
SACRAMENTO — The Beginning Farmer and Farmworker Training and Workforce Development Program (BFFTP) is a new grant program, funded through the 2021 California general fund budget. This program will provide support to organizations to enhance or expand beginning farmer and farmworker training/apprenticeship programs. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that resources are […]
