Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FSA LANDACCESS 22 NOFO0001219
The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program is a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) funding opportunity (USDA-FSA-LANDACCESS-22-NOFO0001219; Assistance Listing 10.968) that makes up to $300 million available to help underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners overcome the practical barriers that keep them from securing land and staying economically viable. The central aim is to move producers who are "on the edge of viability" from just getting by to building stable, lasting operations. USDA plans to do this by funding organizations (not individuals) to design and run programs that directly address land access challenges while also pairing participants with wraparound technical assistance so they have the guidance, training, and individualized support needed to actually use the opportunities created.
The program is built around the idea that land access is tightly connected to capital and markets. In other words, even when land is available, producers can still get stuck if they cannot finance a purchase or lease, cannot access credit on workable terms, or cannot reliably sell what they produce. Because of that, every project funded under this opportunity must primarily focus on strengthening land access, and it must also address at least one related area: capital access issues that affect the ability to obtain or keep land, market access issues that affect the ability to obtain or keep land, or a combined approach that tackles multiple land-capital-market barriers together. The projects funded are expected to be practical and producer-centered, not just research or planning exercises, and USDA anticipates working cooperatively with awardees over the life of each project.
Only certain types of domestic entities can apply. Eligible applicants include state and local governments (including territorial and township governments), public or state-controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofit institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (including foundations and Community Development Financial Institutions). The opportunity also specifically includes a range of Tribal entities, such as federally or state recognized Tribal governments, Tribal instrumentalities, Tribal organizations, and Tribal financial institutions. Individual people cannot apply, and farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are not eligible to apply directly. Instead, they must be the ultimate beneficiaries of the funded programs and can be served through partnerships or groups connected to the applicant organization.
The intended beneficiaries are underserved producers, with emphasis on groups such as veterans, limited resource producers, beginning farmers and ranchers, and producers living in high-poverty areas. Awardees must also coordinate with USDA and with the other funded awardees in a way USDA specifies, signaling that the agency wants the different projects to share information, align where helpful, and avoid working in isolation.
USDA structured the funding into four tiers so proposals can match the scale of the work. The Large, National Land Access tier supports proposals from $20 million to $40 million and is meant for large-scale national models to increase land access; these projects must run for five years, and USDA anticipated funding up to two at this level. The Mid-sized National tier supports proposals from $10 million to $15 million for similarly national-scale efforts and also requires a five-year period. The Regional tier supports proposals from $5 million to $8.5 million for regional models and may run up to five years. The Local/State/Territorial tier supports proposals from $250,000 to $2.5 million for efforts focused on one local area (sub-state/territory), one state, one territory, or one Tribal landscape, also up to five years. Applicants are expected to choose the tier that fits their design and capacity, and USDA notes that final award amounts will depend on the strength, scope, and eligibility of the applications received.
Several basic application rules and dates are highlighted. Applicants may submit only one application; multiple submissions are not accepted. Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on November 18, 2022, and the agency indicated it expected to make selections in winter 2022/2023 and execute awards by spring 2023. For Grants.gov technical problems, applicants were directed to Grants.gov support rather than USDA program staff, and USDA limited the types of questions it would answer to clarifications about the Notice of Funding Opportunity itself (not eligibility determinations or feedback on proposal quality).
In terms of award size and duration, the estimated federal funding floor is $250,000 and the ceiling is $40 million per agreement, with each agreement lasting no more than five years. USDA also emphasizes that this is federal financial assistance and encourages applicants, especially those newer to federal grants, to complete free Grants 101 training covering the major compliance areas (laws and regulations, assistance mechanisms, uniform guidance administrative requirements, cost principles, and risk management/single audit). Finally, the notice recognizes that Tribal land access issues can be unique, and Tribal projects may fit into any of the tiers depending on their scope, while projects in U.S. territories are expected to fall into either the regional tier or the local/state/territorial tier.Apply for USDA FSA LANDACCESS 22 NOFO0001219
- The Farm Service Agency in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.968.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-11-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $40,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program?
The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program is a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) funding opportunity (USDA-FSA-LANDACCESS-22-NOFO0001219; Assistance Listing 10.968). It makes up to $300 million available to support programs that help underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners overcome practical barriers to securing land and maintaining long-term economic viability.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The central aim is to move underserved producers who are described as being "on the edge of viability" from just getting by to building stable, lasting operations. USDA intends to do this by funding organizations to create and run producer-centered programs that directly improve land access and provide wraparound technical assistance.
Who receives the funding: individual producers or organizations?
Funding is awarded to eligible organizations, not to individuals. Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners do not apply directly; instead, they are the intended beneficiaries served through the programs designed and delivered by funded organizations (often through partnerships or groups connected to the applicant).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to certain domestic entities, including:
- State and local governments (including territorial and township governments)
- Public or state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (including foundations and Community Development Financial Institutions)
- Tribal entities, including federally or state recognized Tribal governments, Tribal instrumentalities, Tribal organizations, and Tribal financial institutions
Can an individual farmer, rancher, or forest landowner apply?
No. Individuals cannot apply, and producers are not eligible to apply directly. They must be served as the ultimate beneficiaries of the funded programs.
Who are the intended beneficiaries?
The intended beneficiaries are underserved producers. The opportunity emphasizes groups such as veterans, limited resource producers, beginning farmers and ranchers, and producers living in high-poverty areas.
What must a funded project focus on?
Every funded project must primarily focus on strengthening land access for underserved producers. In addition, it must also address at least one related area tied to land access barriers:
- Capital access issues that affect the ability to obtain or keep land
- Market access issues that affect the ability to obtain or keep land
- A combined approach addressing multiple land-capital-market barriers together
Why does the program connect land access with capital and market access?
The program is built around the idea that land access is closely linked to access to financing and access to reliable markets. Even when land is available, producers can still be blocked from purchasing or leasing land if they cannot access workable credit or cannot reliably sell what they produce. Projects must therefore center land access while also addressing at least one of the connected barriers (capital and/or markets).
Are projects expected to be research or planning efforts?
No. The opportunity states that projects are expected to be practical and producer-centered, not simply research or planning exercises. Projects should directly address land access challenges and include wraparound technical assistance so participants can effectively use the opportunities created.
What is meant by "wraparound technical assistance" in this program?
Wraparound technical assistance refers to guidance, training, and individualized support provided alongside land access strategies, so participants can successfully navigate and use land, capital, and/or market opportunities created by the project.
Does USDA expect to be involved after awards are made?
Yes. USDA indicates it anticipates working cooperatively with awardees over the life of each project.
Do awardees have to coordinate with USDA and other funded projects?
Yes. Awardees must coordinate with USDA and with other funded awardees in a manner USDA specifies. This signals an expectation that funded projects will share information, align where helpful, and avoid operating in isolation.
How much funding is available in total?
USDA indicated up to $300 million is available under this funding opportunity.
What are the minimum and maximum award amounts per agreement?
The estimated federal funding floor is $250,000 per agreement and the ceiling is $40 million per agreement.
How long can projects last?
Each agreement can last no more than five years. Depending on the tier, projects may be required to run for five years or may run up to five years.
What are the funding tiers and what do they support?
USDA structured the program into four tiers to match project scale:
- Large, National Land Access tier: $20 million to $40 million; for large-scale national models to increase land access; must run for five years; USDA anticipated funding up to two awards at this level.
- Mid-sized National tier: $10 million to $15 million; for national-scale efforts; requires a five-year period.
- Regional tier: $5 million to $8.5 million; for regional models; may run up to five years.
- Local/State/Territorial tier: $250,000 to $2.5 million; for efforts focused on one local area (sub-state/territory), one state, one territory, or one Tribal landscape; also up to five years.
How should an applicant choose a tier?
Applicants are expected to choose the tier that best fits their project design and organizational capacity. USDA noted that final award amounts depend on the strength, scope, and eligibility of the applications received.
Are Tribal projects restricted to a specific tier?
No. The notice recognizes that Tribal land access issues can be unique, and Tribal projects may fit into any of the tiers depending on their scope.
Which tiers are expected for projects in U.S. territories?
Projects in U.S. territories are expected to fall into either the Regional tier or the Local/State/Territorial tier.
How many applications can an applicant submit?
Applicants may submit only one application. Multiple submissions are not accepted.
Where were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov.
What was the application deadline?
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on November 18, 2022.
When did USDA expect to announce selections and execute awards?
USDA indicated it expected to make selections in winter 2022/2023 and execute awards by spring 2023.
Who should applicants contact for Grants.gov technical problems?
For Grants.gov technical issues, applicants were directed to contact Grants.gov support rather than USDA program staff.
What types of questions would USDA answer about the opportunity?
USDA limited the types of questions it would answer to clarifications about the Notice of Funding Opportunity itself. The agency would not provide eligibility determinations or feedback on proposal quality.
Is this considered federal financial assistance?
Yes. USDA emphasizes that this opportunity is federal financial assistance.
Is there training recommended for applicants who are new to federal grants?
Yes. USDA encourages applicants, especially those newer to federal grants, to complete free Grants 101 training covering major compliance areas such as laws and regulations, assistance mechanisms, uniform guidance administrative requirements, cost principles, and risk management/single audit.
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