Clean Water Grant Dollars Available
Over $1M Available to Fund Agricultural Clean Water Planning and Implementation
November 21, 2017 / Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) is pleased to announce the opening of the Request for Proposal (RFP) period for at least $1 million in grant funding associated with the Ag Clean Water Initiative Program (Ag-CWIP). This grant program is made possible and supported by the Clean Water Fund—a fund created by Act 64 of 2015, Vermont’s Clean Water Act.
VAAFM’s Ag-CWIP will provide new opportunities for farmers and partner organizations to undertake projects that will achieve reductions in nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, with a focus on projects which reduce phosphorus losses in priority watersheds. Please visit https://Agriculture.Vermont.gov/WQ-RFP for the complete RFP documents.
“Farmers and their partners are focused on improving the environment. These funds are an important part of improving water quality,” said Secretary Anson Tebbetts.
These local and statewide partners support farmers to identify, plan and implement management, agronomic and structural best practices to improve water quality. Implementation efforts are further supported by an additional $3M in available funding from VAAFM’s Best Management Practices program for 2018.
VAAFM is requesting agricultural water quality program proposals that address the following priority outcomes to improve water quality in Vermont:
- Regulatory compliance with the RAPs and agricultural non-point source pollution reduction; and
- Economic and environmental viability on Vermont farms.
VAAFM will be prioritizing funding based on need, meaning it will consider those areas of the state identified through water quality monitoring and Tactical Basin Planning efforts to have the greatest reduction targets for agriculture.
The Request for Proposals applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on January 10, 2018. Eligible applicants include farmers, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and local government entities.
For the complete Request for Proposals, program details, and additional information, please visit https://Agriculture.Vermont.gov/WQ-RFP, call the Agency at (802) 828-2431, or email: [email protected].
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Contact:
Ryan Patch
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
802-272-0323