Grant Application Assistance​

Napa Valley Grapegrowers members and Napa County farmworkers are eligible to receive free technical support for grant applications through our partner Morrison. These grant programs provide financial assistance for a variety of projects that address environmental concerns, water & air quality, improved soil health, irrigation efficiency, value-added marketing programs, reduced soil erosion, renewable energy, and more.

Morrison has worked with NVG and the Farmworker Foundation for over 8 years and is a trusted partner. They are a business consulting firm with a focus on serving the food and agriculture industry that has helped to secure more than $55 million in grant funding for their clients over their history. There are a number of programs that Morrison can provide application assistance for including:

Wildfire Recovery and Prevention

​Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)
The EFRP program provides payments to eligible owners of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) land in order to carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster. To restore NIPF, EFRP participants may implement emergency forest restoration practices such as debris removal, site preparation and planting materials, and restoration of fire lanes or fuel breaks.
To learn more about this program click here.

​Climate and Environment

Healthy Soils Program Block Grant 
CDFA’s Healthy Soils Block Grant Program funding through California Land Stewardship Institute funding of Grants up to $200,000 is underway.  Deadline for completion of HSP applications through CLSI is May 10, 2024. Over $2 million of funding is available through CLSI’s HSP process with funding provided by CDFA. Learn more.
Eligibility: 
• Grants through CLSI available for projects in 8 counties: Contra Costa, Mendocino, Napa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo. 
• California farmers, ranchers and Federal and California Recognized Native American Indian Tribes. 
• Projects must be located on California agricultural operations, reduce agricultural GHGs and sequester soil carbon. 
• Applicant must have control of the land for the duration of the grant o Letter of agreement from landowner for leased land is required 
• One application per unique tax identification number.  
• Implement at least one HSP Agricultural Management Practice on land where it was not implemented in the prior 3 years and not previously funded by CDFA.  


SDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
This program is currently accepting applications and provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Eligible entities for the program include: Agricultural producers with at least 50 percent of their gross income coming from agricultural operations or small businesses in eligible rural areas. Funds may be used in the following two ways: 1) For renewable energy systems, such as: biomass (for example: biodiesel and ethanol, anaerobic digesters, and solid fuels); geothermal for electric generation or direct use; hydropower below 30 megawatts; hydrogen; small and large wind generation; small and large solar generation; and ocean (tidal, current, thermal) generation. 2) For the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements, such as: high efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC); insulation; lighting; cooling or refrigeration units; doors and windows; electric, solar or gravity pumps for sprinkler pivots; switching from a diesel to electric irrigation motor; and replacement of energy-inefficient equipment. Applicants must provide at least 75 percent of the project cost if applying for a grant only. The program requires financial documentation, an energy assessment, and for grant requests over $200,000 a feasibility study is also required.
To learn more about the program click here.

CDFA State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP)
The SWEEP grant program is anticipated to open in the Fall of 2021 and provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations. California farmers, ranchers and Federal and California-recognized Native American Indian Tribes are eligible to apply for this program. Eligible system components for the grant program include: soil moisture monitoring, drip systems, switching to low pressure irrigation systems, pump retrofits, variable frequency drives and installation of renewable energy to reduce on-farm water use and energy, among others. The maximum grant award for the most recent funding round was $100,000 with matching funds and in-kind contributions strongly encouraged.
To find out more about the requirements of the most recent SWEEP solicitation (2019) click here.
​To read more about prior awards click here.

Zero FoodPrint
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions. ZFP members crowd-fund grants for farmers to switch to renewable farming practices—proven to be the most impactful initiative yet towards solving global warming. In past years Zero Foodprint has awarded approximately $250,000 in California and $200,000 in Colorado in grants of up to $25,000 each. They will announce new grants available each year. Learn more.