CUSP Drought Relief Grants Available
The Community Alliance with Family Farmers is accepting applications for the California Underserved and Small Producer Drought Relief Grant Program. The CUSP program provides grants up to $20,000 to reimburse producers for drought-related losses and expenses that occurred within the last three years.
Eligibility includes:
- Must be farming within California
- Preference is given to family farmers who are actively working the land, involved in day-to-day operations and derive a portion of their income from their operation
- Make a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $400,000 in gross annual sales
- Fifty percent of grants will be awarded to farmers of color, immigrant farmers and undocumented farmers
Allowable uses of funding include:
- Drilling new wells or repairing wells
- Increased utility bills by 30% or more (due to increased rates)
- Increased surface water costs
- Lowering ag well pumps
- Emergency updates to irrigation system, paired with conservation
- Decreased crop yields/crop loss due to decreased water availability
The CUSP Drought Relief Grant application is available in both English and Spanish online. The deadline is October 15.
Contact Darlene Ruiz at [email protected] with questions or for assistance with the application.
