Climate Change Resilience Grant for Farmers

The mission of the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant is to support and empower local farmers to build climate resilience throughout the Granite State.

To accomplish this, the NH Conservation Districts are offering cost share grants to farmers to help reduce the impact of agriculture on climate change (mitigation) through greenhouse gas emissions reduction and carbon sequestration, and through increasing the resiliency of New Hampshire Farms in a changing climate (adaptation), while meeting farm’s conservation goals and needs. Extreme weather events, frequent and prolonged droughts, and increased pest pressures are increasing challenges for NH farms.

This grant program, through the NH County Conservation Districts seeks to support farmers in meeting those challenges.

Want to learn more about applying for the next round of funding, or are a current grant recipient?

Past Recipient’s Projects

  • Swell Oyster Co.

    Located out of Hampton Harbor, NH Swell Oyster Co. is an oyster farm in the Seabrook Hampton Estuary . Their project focused on converting on-bottom growing cages to off-bottom cages better protecting the oysters from invasive species, increasing their oysters viability - which means more sustainably grown seafood and filtered water back into the estuary.

    Learn More about Swell Oyster Co.

    Facebook

    Website

  • Stoat Oak Farm

    Located in Brentwood, NH, Stoat Oak Farm is a Certified Organic vegetable producer. Their project focused on improving soil health on the farm using compost, straw mulch, and tarping practices.

    Learn More about Stoat Oak Farm:

    Website

    Facebook

  • Bascom Road Blueberry Farm

    Located in Newport, NH, a pick your own blueberry operation and vegetable farm will purchase a plastic mulch layer to keep water in the ground and prevent weeds from growing up through it, reducing herbicide use.

    Learn More about Bascom Road Blueberry Farm:

    Website

  • Boggy Meadow Farm

    Located in Walpole, NH, producing farmstead cheeses, will install a Johnson-Su compost bioreactor, to create a fungal-rich compost to improve on-farm soil health.

    Learn More about Boggy Meadow Farm:

    Website

  • Brookfield Farm

    Located in Walpole, NH, Brookfield Farm is a certified Organic dairy farm whose project plans to increase the quality and quantity of forage, improve soil health, and improve plant resilience during extreme weather conditions and drought by applying potassium to select fields.

    Learn more about Brookfield Farm:

    Website

  • Gentile Family Homestead

    Located in Fitzwilliam, NH, Gentile Family Homestead sells pasture based beef and pork directly to the community. Their project was used to install an automatic cattle watering system, conserving water during periods of drought.

    Learn more about Gentile Family Homestead:

    Facebook

  • Green Bough Farm

    Located in North Haverhill, NH, offers grass fed beef and pastured eggs to the community. Their project focus was to install an automatic cattle pasture move system to increase soil water holding capacity through mob grazing practices.

    Learn more about Green Bough Farm:

    Website

  • Linden Woods Farm

    Located in Durham, NH, Linden Wood Farm is an equine center that grows hay and sells composted manure. Their project focus was update their drainage system to reduce and manage erosion.

    Learn more about Linden Woods Farm:

    Website

  • Loca Berry at Emery Farm

    Located in Durham, NH, their project focus was to implement climate smart agricultural practices for resilient day-neutral strawberry production. Learn More about Loca Berry and Emery Farm:

    Loca Berry

    Emery Farm

  • Meristem Flower Farm

    Meristem Flower Farm is a flower farm located in Strafford, NH, will update their drainage system to drain fields earlier in the spring and reduce soil erosion.

    Website

  • Picadilly Farm

    Picadilly Farm is a diversified farm in Winchester, NH, selling organically grown vegetables, will purchase a Perfecta Field Cultivator to reduce tillage, improving farm soil health and carbon capture.

    Website

  • Robinson Family Farm

    Robinson Family Farm

    Robinson Family Farms, located in Pittsburg, NH, who provides custom beef, pork, and chicken orders, will upgrade their manure pit and barnyard corral to minimize mud, control moisture, and increase farm manure use instead of fertilizers.

    Website

  • Tellman Hill Farm

    Tellman Hill Farm, located in Whitefield, NH, sells meat chickens and keeps a small laying flock of chickens, ducks, and geese. The farm is currently establishing a 6 acre pick-your-own orchard which will have fruit available beginning in 2024. Products will be apples, apple cider, pears, plums, sour cherries, pumpkins, and related value-added offerings. Tellman Hill Farm will enhance their irrigation water supply and distribution, providing greater security for the health and growth of trees, and in turn, producing higher quality fruit during periods of drought.

    Website

  • Winter Stree Farm

    Winter Street Farm, a reduced tillage four season vegetable production CSA, located in Claremont, NH, will purchase necessary infrastructure to increase their community composting program: reducing waste, fertilizer inputs, increasing soil health, and promoting carbon capture.

    Website

Over $1 Million in grant funds awarded to farms across New Hampshire since 2022

Stout Oak Farm, 2023 Grant Recipient

Photo Credit: Stoat Oak Farm, 2023 Grant Recipient

The NH County Conservation Districts launched this farm viability program to improve the resilience of NH farms in the face of extreme weather events and a changing climate. Direct grants to farms to invest in on-farm infrastructure, equipment, and innovative practices will support farm profitability and the long-term viability for NH’s agricultural sector.

​This grant program is designed with a high level of farmer input to ensure the most pressing needs of farms will be met. The NH Conservation Districts have also worked in close partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and other conservation partners to ensure that this statewide program fills the gaps that are not being adequately met by federal funds.

Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptations to projected climate conditions. Preference will be given to projects that can demonstrate strong potential in mitigation and adaptation.

Applications for 2025 are now closed

View the 2025 RFP Here: 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Watch or attend the Virtual Informational Sessions

Interested farmers are encouraged to watch the recording of this year’s informational session to learn more about eligibility, project types and grant requirements.

Check out the recordings from our information sessions!

Watch the 2023 recording here.

Watch the 2024 recording here.

Ready to Apply?

If you have reviewed the RFP above and confirmed that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, please complete an application:

​Applications are due on February 1, 2025

For Current Grant Awardees

To receive final reimbursement, 2023 and 2024 award recipients must fill out the 2023 or 2024 Grant Report below. Please send the completed version to rccd@rockinghamccd.org or mail to RCCD at 110 North Rd, Brentwood, NH 03608. Please reach out with any questions.

2023 Grant Recipient Report Materials

  • DUE BY: DECEMBER 1, 2024

2024 Grant Recipient Report Materials

2025 Grant Recipient Report Materials

Additional Funding Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation:

  • The NH Community Loan Fund currently has low interest rates (3.25-4.5%) for farmers who are either currently implementing or planning to implement climate smart practices or energy solutions on their farm.  These interest rates can also be used for bridge loans if needed for NRCS projects. The NH Community Loan Fund can also offer this rate to minority-owned farmers who are seeking micro-loans ($2,000-10,000) for equipment and marketing. Learn more here!