Small Grants Program

MALT’s small grants program funds projects that preserve agriculture, protect biodiversity, connect our community, and build climate resilience. The small grants program values social justice, prioritizes agricultural and operational diversity, and encourages climate-smart conservation practices that increase agricultural utility, protect soil and water quality, and strengthen the long-term viability of both public and private lands across Marin County.

All funded projects will have an additional public benefit by ensuring continued economic agricultural activity in Marin County and supporting the production of local food and fiber. Agricultural activities offer many benefits to the greater community including jobs and revenue to the local economy, as well as locally-produced food, fiber, and other agricultural products.

Protection of agriculturally productive land in Marin County also helps maintain open space, scenic views, and wildlife corridors. Given that healthy soils are the foundation for productive farms and ranches, Marin’s working lands are dependent upon implementing smarter strategies to conserve soils and associated habitat, like grasslands, riparian forests, and other aquatic ecosystems such as creeks, ponds, wetlands, and groundwater, which all provide crucial habitat for native species.

Priority consideration will be given to proposals from applicants serving/and or located in communities of Marin County that are most impacted by social and economic inequities due to race, income level, gender, identity, religion, immigration status, disability, age, sexual orientation, or zip code.

1. Maximum award amount is $50,000. Proposals between $5,000 – $50,000 will be accepted.
2. MALT will award up to a total of $200,000 in grants for the Round 2, Spring 2024 cycle.
3. Projects must be completed within 18 months of grant execution, unless otherwise noted in the executed grant agreement. MALT will follow up nine months after project approval if we have not heard from the landowner/applicant. MALT reserves the right to rescind funding if the project is not complete within 18 months of a signed Grant Agreement.
4. Proposals must include an estimated project cost and budget, preferably with quotes or bids for the proposed project work (see grant proposal form for more information).
5. Successful proposals include an applicant cost share of at least 10% of the total project cost. The 10% cost share is calculated from the total project cost once the project is completed (e.g, for a project that costs $40,000, the landowner will be reimbursed $36,000 and for a project that is $75,000 the applicant will have maxed out the grant amount at $50,000).
6. Grants will fund materials and labor that are used for the specific project outlined in the Grant Agreement. Labor recorded by the applicant will be reimbursed at a rate of $25/hour.

1. Landowner approval or proof of right to manage the land is required for all applicants.
2. All agriculturalists engaging in commercial agriculture (i.e., producing food and/or fiber products for sale) in Marin County are eligible for this grant. A MALT Conservation Easement is not required to apply for a grant from this program.
3. Applicants may be awarded only one (1) MALT small grant per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Small grants program recipients still are eligible for funding from MALT’s Stewardship Assistance Program (SAP) for different projects, if applicable (limited to one (1) SAP grant per fiscal year).
4. Due to a limited funding pool, MALT requests applicants only apply if the resources are needed.

Current members of the MALT Board of Directors, MALT staff, and their immediate family members are not eligible for funding. For more information, please see the MALT Conflict of Interest policy.

• February 20, 2024  – Grant guidelines and proposal form available to public
• Technical assistance is available by appointment during the work week
• Office hours will also be offered on the following days at the MALT office:
  • Tuesday, March 26, 2024 – 3pm to 6pm
  • Thursday, March 28, 2024 – 3pm to 6pm
• Friday, April 5, 2024 – Grant proposal deadline, proposals must be received by MALT
• Early June, 2024  – Grant awards announced

1. Projects are evaluated to the degree that they advance MALT’s mission and the goals of the small grants program to preserve agriculture, protect biodiversity, connect our community, and/or build climate resilience. In addition, the small grants program values social equity and justice, prioritizes agricultural and operational diversity, and encourages climate smart conservation practices that increase agricultural utility and protect soil and water quality.
2. Priority consideration will be given to proposals from applicants serving/and or located in communities of Marin County that are most impacted by social and economic inequities due to race, income level, gender, identity, religion, immigration status, disability, age, sexual orientation, or zip code.
3. All eligible proposals will be evaluated by a review committee composed of MALT staff and representatives from partner organizations with expertise in the grant focal area.

1. MALT will enter into a Grant Agreement with the grant recipients (and landowner, if different).
2. The Grant Agreement will include a detailed project scope, the estimated grant amount, and property owner approval.
3. Funding reimbursement will occur upon successful implementation of the proposed project, as determined by MALT staff after a site visit. All projects must be completed within 12 to 18 months, unless otherwise noted in the executed grant agreement.
4. Grant recipients must allow MALT to photograph any completed projects, develop narratives around the project, and permit MALT to use such photographs and project narratives for fundraising and publicity purposes.
5. Monitoring of completed projects will be included in annual easement monitoring visits for applicants with MALT easements. For projects on properties without MALT easements, MALT reserves the right to to check the status and conditions of the project for a year after the project is complete.

1. MALT reserves the right to request clarification and/or supplemental information from any applicant to facilitate evaluation of the proposed project.
2. MALT reserves the right to award funding it deems fit. This reservation includes and is not limited to: the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason; the right to award funding in different amounts to varying applicants; the right to award funding for multiple projects to the same applicant; and the right to request that an applicant reapply to remedy errors in submission.
3. MALT shall not be held liable for any expenses incurred by applicants before the date of the Grant Agreement.
4. MALT reserves the right to modify these guidelines, the attached exhibits, and any of the procedures at any time.
5. MALT reserves the right to terminate the program at any time and shall not be held liable for any projects without an executed grant agreement at the time of termination.