• This VCRCD HSP Block Grant will prioritize Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFRs), Spanish-speaking growers, female owned and operated farms, small (<500 acre) farms, priority populations, as well as critically impaired environmental regions.
• Applicants identifying as small or medium Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFRs) on their application will receive expedited review.
• Under no circumstances, short of exhausting funds, will any eligible applicant be denied access to HSP services or funding consideration based on their operational status or social identity.
• The final scoring system will be determined by the Project Selection Committee who are made up of professionals in the field.

The Farmer Equity Act of 2017 defines “Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” to mean 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 (6) Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

1. Fill out the online Official VCRCD HSP application. 
2. Follow-up meeting with VCRCD staff to discuss your application, grant expectations, and follow-up documentation needed (ex. proposed project map, tentative timeline, and budget).
3. Complete HSP RePlan Tool to quantify proposed project’s carbon sequestration and GHG reduction potential. VCRCD will assist farmers with this quantification tool. 
4. Applicants review their final applications before submission for quarterly review.
5. Finalized applications are ranked on a quarterly basis and submitted to CDFA for final approval. 
6. Applicants notified of status of proposed project: approved, postponed to next selection round, needs revision, or declined.
7. Approved and selected applicants sign contracts before work on proposed projects begins.