Farmlands Preservation Program

Farmlands Preservation Program is a grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office that funds the purchase of agricultural conservation easements to permanently protect farmland from development. Administered through the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, the program works with willing landowners and local agencies to preserve high-value farmland for long-term agricultural use.

Eligible applicants include local governments, conservation districts, and land trusts operating in Washington State. Projects are evaluated on farmland productivity, development pressure, and proximity to other preserved lands. The program advances Washington's goals for food security, rural economies, and open space conservation.

RCO - Washington Recreation & Conservation Office --> Farmland Preservation-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program - RCO Protecting Cultural Resources Recreation and Conservation RCO always is looking for advisors to review and evaluate grant applications RCO accepts public input via board meetings and public comments during the rule-making process Mission and Strategic Plan Read the latest RCO news.

Farmland Preservation-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program The farmland preservation grant program provides funding to buy development rights on farmlands to ensure they remain available for farming in the future. Grant recipients also may use some of the funding to restore natural functions to improve the land's viability for farming.

The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to buy land for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2005, the state Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of significant farmland.

Grant Application Schedule Application Webinar, Applications Open View the recorded webinar Technical Review (Written) May 14, 2026 - June 5, 2026 Technical Completion Deadline Project Evaluation (Written) July 28, 2026 - August 20, 2026 Board Approves Preliminary Ranked Lists October 31, 2026 Estimate Most recent grants and evaluation results, listed by the application year.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Applicant Authorization Resolution Certification of Applicant Match Form Department of Natural Resources Scope of Work Acknowledgement Form Documentation of Local Jurisdiction Review and Conferral for Acquisition Projects Electronic Signature Authorization Form Sample Letter Given to Local Jurisdiction for Acquisition Projects Manual 3: Acquisition Projects Manual 5: Restoration Projects Tips for Developing a PowerPoint Presentation for Grant Applicants 2024 Application Webinar Slides RCO’s Application Webinar recording is now available!

New for 2026: The manual for this year’s grant round will be published in February. But until then, here’s a sneak peek at upcoming changes: New written evaluation criteria ( Item 7 ) The 10 percent non-state, non-federal match is no longer required. ( Item 6 ) Cost increases now are allowed.

( Item 6 ) Acquisition of land currently or previously managed by a public entity is eligible. Sponsors have eighteen months from the board funding meeting to acquire land in a combination project. Earnest or option payments incurred before the execution of a grant agreement are an eligible pre-agreement cost if they are applied to the purchase price of the land acquired.

Buying a conservation easement on farmland threatened with development Nonprofit nature conservancies State Conservation Commission Funding comes from the sale of state bonds and is awarded every two years.

Comparison of Potential Grants Awarded at Different Legislative Funding Levels Download Funding by Grant Program Category Download No grant limits, except for the following: Enhancement and restoration elements may not exceed more than half of the total acquisition costs, including match toward acquisition. Farm stewardship plans may not exceed $10,000.

A 50 percent match is required, except for the state Conservation Commission, which has no match. Match may include the following: Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials Land acquisition through easements and leases (required for all projects). Public access is not required.

Enhancement or restoration , such as installing fences to keep livestock out of streams, replanting riverbanks, restoring historic water runoff patterns, improving irrigation, and installing solar well pumps. These activities must further the ecological functions of the farmland.

Combination of land acquisition and either restoration or enhancement Acquisition of rights for less than twenty-five years, of land already owned by the government, or of property acquired via a condemnation Consumable supplies such as fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, except as a one-time application in an otherwise eligible restoration activity Elements that cannot be defined as fixtures or capital items Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as meth labs Organizational operating expenses or overhead Purchase of maintenance equipment, tools, or supplies Restoration work done before a grant agreement is signed Transfer of development rights Land must be kept and maintained for farmland for at least twenty-five years.

Development rights may not be transferred. More information is in Manual 7: Long-term Obligations . Nondiscrimination Statement Some upcoming grant application deadlines may be adjusted due to the government shutdown.

Find deadline updates on the corresponding grant pages. PRISM, RCO’s database for grant project management, is unavailable. Thank you for your patience as we work to get it back online.