Restore Grant Program

The Restore Grant is administered by Zero Foodprint, a California Public Benefit Corporation, and is designed to support farmers and ranchers in implementing regenerative agricultural practices aimed at sequestering atmospheric carbon. These grants are part of Zero Foodprint’s broader mission to accelerate climate-smart agriculture by incentivizing the adoption of soil health practices that increase carbon sequestration. The program also aims to improve public awareness of regenerative agriculture and support equitable distribution of climate funding to diverse producers. Restore Grants provide up to $25,000 per project for eligible conservation practices, with a minimum grant request of $1,500. In addition to the grant amount, Technical Assistance Provider (TAP) costs are covered separately and must be included in the application. Grants are awarded based on the “cost per ton” of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) sequestered, calculated through the COMET-Planner tool. Applications must include one or more of the 30+ approved USDA-NRCS practices, ranging from cover cropping to compost application and perennial hedgerow planting. Practices must be implemented over a one-year period, although maintenance may extend for up to five years depending on practice requirements. Applicants must be food producers operating on agricultural land in California, Colorado, Oregon, or Washington, and must demonstrate property owner approval or legal right to manage the land. Eligibility also requires a Technical Assistance Provider to support the project. Applicants may only receive one grant per cycle and are capped at a $75,000 lifetime total in Restore grants. Prior grantees must complete project validation before becoming eligible for another award. The application process involves several key steps. Applicants begin by reviewing the grant guidelines to determine eligibility, then select one to four eligible practices and use COMET-Planner to estimate carbon sequestration. An estimate from a TAP must be included, and their participation is required to validate project completion. Applications must be submitted online by October 8, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to attend the informational webinar scheduled for September 24, 2025, which provides guidance on eligibility, scoring methodology, and application best practices. Scoring prioritizes cost-effectiveness per ton of carbon sequestered, but additional boosts may be applied. Applicants who supply Zero Foodprint member businesses with ingredients or who qualify as socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers can receive up to two “boosts,” which reduce their cost-per-ton score by 30% per boost, improving their rank. Awards will be announced within six weeks after the application deadline, and grant agreements must be executed within 30 days of notification. Projects not completed on schedule may be required to return unexpended funds. All applications must be accompanied by photos and invoices validating purchases and implementation. Technical Assistance Providers are responsible for confirming compliance with USDA Conservation Practice Standards. The final 20% of funds are withheld until validation is complete. Additional storytelling and site documentation may be requested by Zero Foodprint to support future program development and fundraising initiatives.

Review scoring example; Socially disadvantaged and ZFP-affiliated applicants get boosts; Attend info session on September 24