FARMLAND PROTECTION STAFF CAPACITY GRANTS PILOT PROGRAM

RFP0397 - Request For Proposals (RFP) for Pilot Program (Round 1) - Farmland Protection Staff Capacity Grant Program This grant opportunity is currently available and shall remain open until June 26, 2026. Proposals will be funded in order of rank from highest to lowest grant total score until all funding is exhausted or all award-eligible projects have been awarded within the funds available. Description: The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (the “Department”) invites proposals for financial assistance to build staff capacity of those entities that will hold agricultural conservation easements on viable agricultural land pursuant to agricultural and farmland protection efforts of counties and municipalities. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to provide State financial assistance to support local agricultural and farmland protection goals by building staff capacity for eligible organizations to initiate or accelerate farmland protection projects. Projects will consist of increasing staff capacity for the planning and implementing of farmland protection at the local and regional level. Funding awarded through these grants is an investment in local and regional organizations to build staff capacity, increase skillsets and broaden institutional knowledge. The impact from increasing staff should allow the organizations to initiate or accelerate their rate of farmland protection projects. The additional staff capacity will seek out, evaluate, and complete agricultural conservation easement projects across the State. The Department has made available $1.0 million for awards with an individual maximum award amount of $300,000. This funding is made available through appropriations from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Awards will be granted to the highest scoring proposal and subsequent proposals until funding is no longer available. The following general limitations apply to all applications: · No award shall exceed $300,000. · The RFP contains a list of eligible and ineligible costs. The RFP, Statewide Financial System Proposal Submission Instructions, and associated documents are available for printing from the Department’s website at www.agriculture.ny.gov under “Funding Opportunities.” Minority Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Women Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Contract Term: Four years Location: New York State Contact: Eric Rubenstahl, Farmland Protection Program Manager Division of Land and Water Resources NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets 10B Airline Drive Albany, NY 12235 Fax: 518-457-3412 E-mail: [email protected] Submit To: NYS Statewide Financial System (https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/) Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: None Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE) MBE Goal: 0.00% WBE Goal: 0.00%