Did you know that there are numerous grant programs that offer funds directly to farmers and ranchers? Some grants fund healthy soil practices or help improve farm infrastructure, while other grants offer economic assistance to producers experiencing hardship due to drought or extreme weather events.
See below for a list of current grant opportunities for farmers offered by our project partners.
Need help with your application? The UCCE Small Farms Network community educators offer application assistance in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Chinese. Contact your regional community educator for more information.
Current Grant Opportunities
CDFA CUSP Extreme Weather & Drought Relief Grants
Small- and medium-sized agricultural operations in California that have experienced losses due to natural disasters from 2017 onward may be eligible to apply for extreme weather and drought relief grants funded through CDFA’s CUSP program.
CDFA has contracted with numerous farmer-serving organizations to accept applications for these relief funds. To learn more about the extreme weather relief grants, including eligibility requirements and application instructions, please visit the website of the granting organization of your choice.
Organizations Accepting Applications + Spring 2025 Application Periods:
- Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) (3/1/25 – 4/1/25)
- CCOF (1/6/25 - 3/28/25)
- Fresno Asian Business Institute & Resource Center (ABIRC) (2/1/25 – 4/20/25)
- Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD) (2/15/25 – 3/31/25)
- Ventura Resource Conservation District (RCD)
- Drought (1/1/25 – 3/31/25)
- Extreme Weather (3/1/25 – 5/31/25)
You can also visit CDFA's CUSP webpage for a full list of granting organizations, as well as information on summer and fall 2025 application periods.
Application Assistance:
All organizations listed above offer application assistance. You can also reach out to the UCANR Small Farms Network for grant application assistance.