The California Underserved and Small Producers Program (CUSP) is designed to facilitate support for small and medium scale California agricultural producers, or small and medium scale socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through direct relief grants. Direct Assistance Providers act as administrators of the CUSP Direct Relief Grant Program and distribute relief grants to aid in addressing specific financial needs due to drought, extreme weather, and other climate impacts in California.
Direct relief producer grants are available through partnering organizations, and available on a rolling basis.
The CUSP program also funds Technical Assistance (TA) providers to assist farmers and ranchers with applications to the Drought or Extreme Weather & Other Climate Impacts Relief programs. TA providers may also offer assistance with federal and state economic and disaster relief programs, farm business management, financial planning and marketing assistance to individual agricultural producers as tools to mitigate immediate concerns and needs related to drought and extreme weather.
New! CDFA ANNOUNCES Awards for $17 million for Extreme Weather and Other Climate Impacts Relief and an additional $5 million for Drought Relief through the CUSP program.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Grants Administration announces that it is awarding $17 million in grants to six Direct Assistance Providers throughout the state via the 2024 CUSP Extreme Weather and Other Climate Impacts direct relief program. An additional $5 million has also been awarded to four providers via the 2023 CUSP Drought direct relief program.
CUSP Direct Assistance Providers will distribute direct relief producer grants for both the Drought and Extreme Weather and Other Climate Impacts programs on a rolling basis throughout the two-year grant period. Four of the providers will also provide Technical Assistance (TA) to assist producers with direct relief applications. The start date for these projects is January 2024 and they will continue through December 2026.
Who is eligible for direct relief grants?
Direct Relief Recipients are made up of the following:
- Small and medium scale California agricultural producers. “Small and medium scale” California producers are defined by this program as any farmer making up to $400,000 or any dairy operation making up to $1,000,000 in annual gross sales.
- Small and medium scale socially disadvantaged California farmers and ranchers. “Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. “Socially disadvantaged group” means a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. These groups include all of the following: (1) African Americans, (2) Native American Indians, (3) Alaskan Natives, (4) Hispanics, (5) Asian Americans, and (6) Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
Direct Relief Producer Grants Application Periods
| CUSP Direct Assistance Provider | Application Dates | Link to Applications |
|---|---|---|
| AsianBusiness Institute and Resource Center (ABIRC) | Extreme Weather Relief Round 1: 2/1/2025 - 4/30/2025 Round 2: 8/1/2025 - 10/31/2025 Round 3: 2/1/2026 - 4/30/2026 Round 4: 7/1/2026 - 9/30/2026 Drought Relief Round 1: 2/1/2025 - 4/31/2025 Round 2: 8/1/2025 - 11/15/2025 Round 3: 3/1/2026 - 6/15/2026 |
Fresno ABIRC |
| Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) | Extreme Weather Relief Round 1: 3/1/2025 – 4/1/2025 Drought Relief Round 1: 9/1/2025 – 9/30/2025 |
CAFF |
| California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Foundation | Drought and Extreme Weather Relief Round 1: 1/6/2025 - 3/28/2025 Round 2: 4/7/2025 - 6/27/2025 Round 3: 7/7/2025 - 9/26/2025 Round 4: 10/6/2025 - 12/19/2025 |
CCOF Organic |
| East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District | Drought Relief Round 1: 1/1/2025 – 3/31/2025 Round 2: 4/1/2025 – 6/30/2025 |
|
| Inland Empire Resource Conservation District | Drought and Extreme Weather Relief Round 1: 2/15/2025 – 3/31/2025 Round 2: 4/1/2025 – 5/31/2025 Round 3: 6/1/2025 – 7/31/2025 Round 4: 8/1/2025 – 9/30/2025 Round 5: 10/1/2025 – 11/31/2025 |
IERCD CUSP Program |
| Sierra Resource Conservation District | ||
| Ventura County Resource Conservation District | Extreme Weather Relief Round 1: 3/1/2025 – 5/31/2025 Round 2: 6/1/2025 – 8/31/2025 Round 3: 9/1/2025 – 11/31/2025 Drought Relief Round 1: 1/1/2025 – 3/31/2025 Round 2: 4/1/2025 – 6/30/2025 Round 3: 7/1/2025 – 9/30/2025 Round 4: 10/1/2025 – 12/31/2025 |
Drought Relief: VCRCD CUSP Drought Relief Grant District Extreme Weather Relief: VCRCD CUSP Grant Program |
Technical Assistance Available – Technical Assistance (TA) for agricultural producers to receive assistance on applications to CUSP Drought or Extreme Weather & Other Climate Impacts Relief Grants is available.
CUSP Technical Assistance Providers
| CUSP Technical Assistance Provider | Contact Information |
|---|---|
| Asian Business Institute and Resource Center (ABIRC) | |
| Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) | Arabelle Schoenberg farmerfund@caff.org (510) 838-1002 |
| California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Foundation | Larissa Hernandez grants@ccof.org or lhernandez@ccof.org (831) 346-6324 |
| East Stanislaus Resource Conservation District | Chris Yohannan chris.esrcd@gmail.com 209-495-0733 *Spanish TA available |
| Inland Empire Resource Conservation District | Lucy Ceja lsolorzano@iercd.org (909) 285-4754 Malu Huerta mhuerta@iercd.org (760) 880-0474 |
| Multiplier (Kitchen Table Advisors) | |
| Resource Conservation District of Monterey County | Kasey Butler kasey.butler@rcdmonterey.org |
| North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council | Claudia Muralles Claudia@conservationworksnc.org Sarah Keiser Sarah@conservationworksnc.org Brian Tajii Brian@conservationworksnc.org (707) 978-4149 Conservation Works |
| Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego | |
| Sierra Resource Conservation District | |
| Sutter County Resource Conservation District | |
| Ventura County Resource Conservation District | Emily Nye emily.nye@vcrcd.org (805) 764-5155 Johnagustin Zecua johnagustin.zecua@vcrcd.org (805) 764-5153 *Spanish TA available |
Offer of Help with CUSP Applications in Exchange for CUSP Funds
CDFA has been made aware of individuals offering to help with CUSP applications in exchange for compensation upon receipt of CUSP funds. Anyone carrying out this scheme is not authorized or condoned by CDFA. Only the organizations listed on the CUSP website are authorized to accept applications or provide Technical Assistance (TA). CDFA, CUSP organizations, and TA providers will never charge fees for applications or assistance.
Program Status
Open
Quick Links
Contact Us
Office of Grants Administration
1220 N Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Grants@cdfa.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 657-3231