A new grant program to help implement the Farmland Action Plan!
We are pleased to announce the new Farmland Partnership Program to help implement the Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan at the local, regional or statewide level.
The goal of this new grant program is to build networks of partners who work together collaboratively and in coordination to protect farmland, enhance farm viability, and ensure access to farmland.
This will be achieved by providing funding to eligible partners to work with farmers, farmland owners, agricultural service providers, municipalities and others to protect farmland, enhance farm viability, and ensure access to farmland, as well as coordinate and collaborate between partners as a cohort.
This new program recognizes the importance of partners in implementing the Farmland Action Plan. The Plan is for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts – and a wide range of partners will be needed to successfully implement it.
Who can apply?
This grant program focuses on providing funding to partners rather than individual farmers. A partner is an entity/organization that can help implement tasks within the Plan. This can include a variety of public, private, non-profit and for-profit entities (see Section 1A of the RFR for further details). Over the last year there have been many conversations with potential partners about how they could get involved with implementation.
- If you have been involved in a conversation about implementing the Farmland Action Plan as a potential partner, please check out the RFR and consider applying!
- If you have not attended a meeting or presentation about the Farmland Action Plan in the last year, it’s not too late to get involved! Check out the RFR to learn more about the effort, use the resources available on the Farmland Action Plan website to catch up and consider applying!
What can I do with these grant funds?
All proposed activities must be clearly tied to a specific task(s) in the Farmland Action Plan Implementation Matrix. The proposed activity cannot just be inspired by a strategy or action – it must be aligned with a specific task, which includes following the intent of the specific action and strategy under which the task is listed.
What’s the timeline?
Applications for this RFR are due by May 19, 2025.
This is longer than typical RFRs because:
- we anticipate that applicants will need extra time to understand the new program
- it will take time for partners to prepare strong applications, including collaborative applications that involve multiple partners.
To assist applicants to understand this new program, there will be two pre-application information webinars and two rounds of questions for potential applicants. Please see the RFR for more details, including dates and registration.
Visit the Farmland Partnership Program webpage for details and updates
Sign up for Farmland Action Plan Implementation Updates
Questions? Please email questions to Katharine Otto – katharine.s.otto@mass.gov