The Boulder County Healthy Soils Initiative provides grants to local agricultural producers who operate on leased Boulder County Park and Open Space (BCPOS) land, private land, or both. This initiative aims to improve soil health and promote a local, sustainable, and resilient food system.
This application cycle is the second year of the Soil Health Initiative, which exists alongside an updated version of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund that focuses on education, market infrastructure, processing, and support for frontline farm workers.
2025 Funding
$1 million is available for the 2025 BCSHI grant, and will be awarded based on how well applicants incorporate USDA’s principles to improve soil health, including:
- Increasing soil surface cover
- Increasing plant diversity
- Increasing livestock integration
- Minimizing soil and chemical disturbance
- Keeping a live root in the ground
Grant Eligibility
- Applicants must have been operating a farm or ranch in Boulder County for at least two years.
- Applicants may only submit one application.
- Applications open on December 4, 2024 and close on January 8, 2025.
Eligible practices include but are not limited to:
- No- or reduced-tillage
- Utilizing cover crops
- Rotational grazing and/or crop rotation
How to Apply
Please review the 2025 Soil Health Initiative Application Packet to draft your answers before submitting applications at the two links below.
Click here to apply for projects that will take place only on private land.
Click here to apply for projects that will take place on partially or fully BCPOS land.
Please note: each applicant may only submit one application for an BCSHI grant; please do not apply using both links.
Additional Program Information
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
- Summaries of awarded projects in the 2024 cycle can be found below.
- Additional soil health projects funded by Zero Foodprint can be found on the Zero Foodprint website. Zero
Foodprint’s grant application cycle opens on January 15, 2025.
The Boulder County Healthy Soils Initiative aims to empower the agricultural community to both adapt to climate change and contribute to climate solutions. The program is possible thanks to partnerships with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University Extension, OpenTEAM, Zero Foodprint, and Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment.