Local Soil Health Workshop Grant

The AgSHOP Local Soil Health Workshop Grant is administered by the Utah Soil Health Partnership (USHP), a program operating under the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). The USHP was established through legislative action during the 2021 General Session via HB0296. The program promotes the adoption of sustainable soil health practices across Utah’s agricultural sector by emphasizing education, research, and voluntary implementation projects. This initiative underlines the importance of soil health in safeguarding Utah’s natural resources, supporting the state’s food systems, and maintaining long-term agricultural productivity. This grant is designed to support Utah-based organizations that plan to host educational soil health workshops within the 2025 calendar year. The program offers financial assistance to help offset the costs associated with organizing and conducting these educational events. A total of $30,000 is allocated across selected applicants, though the specific distribution or individual award amounts are not disclosed publicly. The workshops are expected to educate local agricultural stakeholders about soil health assessment methods, relevant soil health practices, and the environmental and economic benefits of implementing such strategies. While the application window for the 2025 cycle is now closed, the program indicated that all recipients have been contacted. The grant cycle follows a recurring pattern, offering new opportunities on an annual basis. The funding is not open to national applicants and is restricted specifically to entities operating within Utah. Interested parties are advised to check for announcements on future cycles by visiting the USHP website or reaching out directly to program staff. The Utah Soil Health Program operates through collaboration with a network of partners and stakeholders. This approach enhances the program’s capacity to secure funding, deliver workshops, and coordinate projects across the state. The educational workshops supported by the grant often include hands-on demonstrations and cover soil assessment techniques like evaluating soil cover, biological diversity, compaction, infiltration, and other key indicators of soil health. These workshops aim to generate actionable insights that participants can use to develop and implement soil health improvement plans tailored to their unique operational goals. There is no indication of specific pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers. The application process appears straightforward, likely involving submission of an application form available through the USHP website during the open period. No formal evaluation criteria or detailed application components are mentioned in the available materials. However, as the program is education-focused, applicants are likely evaluated based on the clarity and impact of their proposed workshop plans and their alignment with the program’s goals. For inquiries related to the grant, applicants or interested parties are encouraged to contact the Utah Soil Health Program via the official program email ([email protected]). Two program staff are listed as key contacts: Quade Fautin, Soil Health Planner for Southern Utah ([email protected], 385-501-9519), and Katie Ottman, Soil Health Program Manager ([email protected], 385-224-9447). Although the 2025 cycle has concluded, the recurring nature of the grant suggests that future cycles will follow a similar structure, with announcements and materials typically released in advance of the next calendar year.