LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund in Utah

The LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund provides grants to preserve or restore critical open land or agricultural land in Utah. Donor Name: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) State: Utah County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/16/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose of the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund is to conserve productive farm and ranch land through voluntary, incentive-based approaches on properties that will positively impact Utah’s agricultural future, whether on its own or as part of a broader working landscape. This includes properties that preserve significant aspects of the State’s agricultural heritage.  The program seeks to ensure the protection of vital farmland, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and safeguard the long-term viability of agricultural communities and markets in Utah. These conservation projects not only benefit individual landowners and the State’s agricultural economy, but they also provide a wealth of benefits to the public by preserving scenic open space, and wildlife habitat, and maintaining critical ecosystem functions. The LeRay McAllister Program uses funds appropriated by the Utah Legislature to purchase conservation easements on important pieces of private land, acquire small parcels in fee title under limited circumstances, and provide small restoration grants to improve conserved lands. Funding Information A total of $1,000,000 was appropriated by the Legislature for 2024. Matching funds are required. Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants must be a qualified easement-holding entity. A qualified easement-holding entity must have an organizational commitment to protect the conservation values of the easement and have the resources and expertise to enforce those restrictions in perpetuity. This can include local entities (counties, cities, towns), UDAF, the Utah Department of Natural Resources and its divisions, Land Trusts, and charitable organizations that qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information, visit UDAF.