Grants

To help demonstrate one of the many ways agriculture can contribute to addressing the effects of climate change, Colorado is investing $500,000 in projects that help advance the use of agrivoltaics in the state. 

Agrivoltaics is the practice of co-locating solar energy installations and agriculture, with crops or grazing land beneath or between rows of photovoltaic panels. Now, farmers, ranchers, and other landowners with innovative ideas on how to use agrivoltaics in Colorado will have a chance to apply for funding for their projects. 

Small food retailers and small family farmers will soon be able to apply for grants of up to $50,000 to expand access to healthy food in low income and underserved areas of the state. The Small Food Business Recovery & Resilience Grant, offered by the Community Food Access program at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, will start accepting applications tomorrow.

Jerome and Ann Wheeler love their work. But even more than that, they love the animals who put the “family” in family operations. 

The NextGen Leadership Grant Program, which supports the next generation in agriculture through scholarships, career development, and other leadership training opportunities, is now taking applications from agricultural organizations and educational institutions that support developmental and training opportunities for people going into the broad and diverse food and agricultural industry. The competitive grants will fund up to $25,000 per project with $120,000 in total funding available. 

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is committed to expanding access to learning and leadership opportunities for future generations in agriculture. In the fall of 2022, CDA announced the brand new NextGen Ag Leadership Program offering small grants to organizations advancing youth education and leadership in agriculture.  Through that new program, CDA awarded $186,820 to 13 organizations across the state as part of the NextGen Ag Leadership Program.