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Currently Open: Drought Relief - Grants for Organic Farmers and Ranchers in California

Hardship Assistance Fund

Direct financial support for organic producers

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Giving direct financial assistance to organic producers

The Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund gives direct financial disaster assistance for drought from $5,000 – $20,000 to organic farmers and processors.

CCOF has partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to administer drought relief grants through the California Small and Underserved Producer Program. These are reimbursement grants for expenses incurred as a result of drought.

Drought relief funding is only open to organic farmers and ranchers in California. Funding is prioritized for small-scale operations and for underserved, socially disadvantaged communities as described in CDFA’s Farmer Equity Report.

Grant amounts range between $5,000 to $20,000.

About the Grant

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Drought Relief applicant requirements:

  • Be a certified organic operation with a valid organic certificate from any third-party USDA-accredited certifier (CDFA registration alone is not sufficient).
  • Submit a complete and detailed description of hardship endured and how it relates to drought.
  • Submit supporting financial documentation of economic loss (ex: Profit and Loss Statements).
  • Submit a final progress report one year after grant is awarded (for grant recipients only).
  • Must be an organic farming or ranching business in California.
  • Grant funds cannot be used for organic certification fees.
  • First-time applicants and underserved producers will be prioritized.
  • Applications are open on a rolling basis and are awarded based on need and funding availability.

Timeline and Details:

  • Applications must be completed online – Click here to access the application.
  • To review a sample application, click here. 
  • Applications accepted year-round with no deadline.  
  • Applications are open on a rolling basis and are awarded based on need and funding availability.  
  • Applications missing required documentation will not be processed until the missing information is received and/or will be followed up with a maximum of two times. 

Examples of covered expenses can include but are not limited to:

  • Increased electric utility bills of 50% or more due to increased electricity rates.
  • Surface water costs if increase from year prior.
  • Cost of hauling water for livestock.
  • Lowering ag well pumps if a primary source of water is lost.
  • Emergency upgrades to irrigation system (paired with conservation) if not covered through CDFA OEFI programs or USDA programs and for other emergency scenarios.
  • Decreased crop yields/crop loss due to less water available or having to fallow land.
  • Drilling of new wells or repairs on existing wells if they are the sole source of water for operation. To be eligible, an applicant must provide written verification from a Groundwater Sustainability Agency managing the basin or area of the basin where the well is located or proposed to be located approving the action, per Executive Order N-7-22.

NOT Covered:

  • Upgrading to a larger pump that will draw more water

Producers are eligible for a maximum of $20,000 per 12-month period through CDFA CUSP funding. Only California organic producers are eligible for CDFA CUSP Drought Relief funding.

To Apply: Applications must be completed online. Click this link to begin your application. Applications must be filled out completely, including financial documentation, to be eligible for consideration. The application is available in both English and Spanish.

Accepting applications for farmers and ranchers in California who have been affected by the drought.

Community is at the heart of the CCOF Foundation and we’re here to support you. If you have questions or need assistance completing your application, please reach out to grants@ccof.org or 831-824-6123. Se habla español.

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We are so deeply grateful for this grant!  It will be a key factor in our farm’s survival.  Blessings to all of you who made this possible.  ”

Patricia Rockwell , CCOF grantee
owner of Green Gift Gardens

Our dairy means everything to us, and we vow to keep it going even in the hard times. The past few years have been hard, this last year especially so. The grant we were awarded by the Bricmont Fund came at exactly the right time, giving us much needed relief. ”

Marissa Silvia , CCOF Grantee
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