About This Program:
The Agricultural Climate Resiliency grant program provides reimbursement funding for equipment and infrastructure that helps Massachusetts agricultural operations conserve natural resources, improve environmental stewardship, increase resilience to changing weather conditions, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of agricultural production. Applications are submitted through the Climate Smart Agriculture Program.
Is this program right for your project?
This program may be a good fit if your project will:
- Improve irrigation or water-use efficiency
- Improve soil health or reduce soil erosion
- Protect water quality or reduce agricultural runoff
- Improve nutrient or manure management
- Increase resilience to drought, flooding, excessive rainfall, or other climate-related impacts
- Improve environmental monitoring or precision agriculture
- Improve the long-term sustainability and resilience of your agricultural operation
Who can apply?
Eligible Massachusetts agricultural operations may apply. Applicants must meet the agricultural-operation, operational-history, site-control, and other eligibility requirements in the current RFR.
Examples of eligible projects:
The examples below illustrate common eligible projects and are not intended to be a complete list. Applicants should review the current RFR for complete eligibility requirements.
Water Management:
Equipment and infrastructure that improve irrigation efficiency, conserve water, reduce runoff, or improve water distribution for agricultural production.
Examples include:
- Drip irrigation systems
- Irrigation pumps and variable frequency drives (VFDs)
- Automated irrigation systems
- Water distribution piping
- Soil moisture sensors
- Irrigation monitoring equipment
Soil Health:
Equipment that supports conservation practices designed to improve soil health, reduce erosion, minimize soil disturbance, or improve nutrient management.
Examples include:
- No-till and reduced tillage equipment
- Roller crimpers
- Cover crop seeders and interseeders
- Mulchers and residue management equipment
Nutrient & Manure Management:
Equipment and infrastructure that improve the collection, storage, handling, transfer, application, or management of manure and other agricultural nutrients.
- Manure spreaders
- Manure injection or incorporation equipment
- Manure storage improvements
- Runoff and leachate control systems
- Agricultural waste management infrastructure
Monitoring & Precision Agriculture:
Equipment that collects environmental or field data to improve agricultural management decisions and resource use efficiency.
Examples include:
- Weather stations
- Soil moisture monitoring systems
- Environmental sensors
- GPS guidance systems
- Variable-rate application systems
- Precision field mapping equipment
Climate Adaptation & Resilience:
Projects that help agricultural operations adapt to drought, flooding, extreme precipitation, heat, or other climate-related challenges while protecting agricultural production and natural resources.
Examples include:
- Agricultural drainage improvements
- Water control structures
- Erosion control measures
- Stream crossings for agricultural operations
- Heavy-use pads
- High tunnels designed to extend the growing season or protect crops from weather
- Shade structures for livestock
- Ventilation for dairy barns
What projects are not a good fit?
- General farm buildings
- Livestock housing without a documented environmental benefit
- Routine equipment replacement
- Projects without a measurable conservation or climate benefit
What should the project accomplish?
Projects must address a clearly identified environmental or climate-related need. Applicants should explain how the project will conserve natural resources, improve environmental performance, increase climate resilience, reduce resource use, improve agricultural sustainability, or protect agricultural production from current or future environmental challenges.
Funding:
- Up to $50,000
- 80% reimbursement
- 20% applicant contribution
Funding limits and eligibility requirements may change by grant round. Applicants must review the current RFR.
Apply online:
- Review the current Climate Smart Agriculture Program RFR.
- Confirm that your operation and proposed project are eligible.
- Select Environmental as the project area in the combined CSAP application.
- Select the applicable environmental or climate resiliency category.
- Complete the required project, budget, timeline, and outcome sections.
- Upload all required quotes, technical information, and supporting documents.
- Submit the application before the deadline.
Apply thought the Climate Smart Agriculture Grant Program (CSAP).
Next Steps: Before you apply
Be prepared to provide:
- A clear description of the current environmental or climate-related issue or need
- Information about existing conditions and current management practices
- An explanation of why the proposed project is the appropriate solution
- Project goals and measurable expected outcomes
- Expected environmental, conservation, or climate-resiliency benefits
- An itemized budget
- Vendor quotes and equipment specifications
- A realistic project timeline
- Permit and approval information, when applicable
- Ownership or lease documentation, when required
- Site plans, maps, photographs, conservation plans, technical assessments, or other supporting documentation, when applicable
Next Steps: After you submit
MDAR will review applications for eligibility, completeness, program fit, project need, expected outcomes, feasibility, and overall value. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding
How projects are evaluated:
Reviewers consider:
- The seriousness and clarity of the compost-management issue
- How directly the project addresses the identified need
- Whether the goals and expected outcomes are clear and measurable
- Expected improvements in compost quality, processing efficiency, site management, regulatory compliance, or environmental performance
- The appropriateness of the proposed equipment or infrastructure for the scale of the operation
- Project readiness and feasibility
- Applicant capacity
- Overall project value and funding priority
Reimbursement
Awards are reimbursement-based. Grantees must complete the approved project and provide invoices, proof of payment, photographs, and any other required documentation before payment.
Not sure this is the right program?
Projects intended primarily to reduce energy use or install renewable energy may be a better fit for the Agricultural Energy Grant Program.
Projects intended primarily to improve food safety, washing, packing, handling, or storage may be a better fit for the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program.
Projects intended primarily to improve agricultural composting operations may be a better fit for the Agricultural Composting Improvement Grant Program.