⚠️ Applications closed. As of 2026-05-17, the Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program is not accepting new applications. All 38 on-farm projects funded under the original $4M CDFA grant have been awarded; the program is in its implementation phase through the remainder of the 4-year grant. Watch the program website or your local RCD for any future rounds.
ABOUT
The Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program provides free technical assistance and on-farm grant funding to small producers and family farms in eight Central Sierra counties: Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, and Alpine. Funded projects help farmers implement conservation practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gases.
Practices supported under the most recent round included compost application, rangeland planting, pollinator hedgerow installation, and cover cropping.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKED (last round)
- $4,000,000 total CDFA grant; $3.4M awarded directly to farmers and ranchers.
- 38 on-farm projects selected across the eight-county service area, over a 4-year grant lifetime.
- At least one project funded in each of the eight counties.
- 25%+ of funding reserved for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers.
- Remaining projects approved first-come, first-served until funds were exhausted.
WHO ADMINISTERS IT
The program is funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and locally administered by three Resource Conservation Districts:
- Placer Resource Conservation District (Placer RCD) — lead grantee
- Amador Resource Conservation District (Amador RCD) — (209) 214-9727, 12200 B Airport Road, Jackson CA 95642
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
If a future round opens, these are the people who walk farmers through securing soil health program funding.
Funded by:
Source: Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program and Amador RCD program page, confirmed 2026-05-17.
FLAG: this round ended — page kept as reference + redirect to RCDs for future rounds. Candidate for status-only update (not archive) since the CDFA statewide Healthy Soils Program is ongoing and a new local round may open.