FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2021

NACD ANNOUNCES APPLICATION

PERIOD FOR URBAN

CONSERVATION GRANTS 

WASHINGTON – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the open application period for the 2022 Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) grant initiative.

Since 2016, NACD has led the efforts of this successful grant program in collaboration with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Through the partnership, NACD has awarded over $5.6 million to 102 conservation districts in 35 states. Starting in 2022, conservation districts may apply for two types of grants: UAC planning grants, for up to $10,000, or UAC implementation grants, for up to $50,000.

The planning grants will allow districts who are new to urban or community agriculture to begin early-stage development of a program to provide conservation technical assistance. For example, funds may be used for workshops to conduct needs assessments with local urban farmers, or to spend time developing partnerships for their planned program.

“In preparation for this year’s urban agriculture grant program, NACD’s Urban and Community Resource Policy Group (RPG) looked at barriers to participate in the program,” said RPG Chair Alex Schmidt, who helps oversee the program. “We are excited to offer this new planning grant as a way to support local districts to come up with new, innovative and creative programs to meet their community’s needs.”

Both the UAC planning and implementation grants will enable conservation districts and their partners to address multiple resource concerns, while supporting underrepresented clients and addressing important themes like local food security.

More information about the program, including past grantees and the application process for 2022, is available on NACD’s Urban and Community Conservation webpage.

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About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.