Grassland Reserve Program (10.920)
Grassland Reserve Program (Assistance Listing 10.920) is run by the Farm Service Agency, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $20.5 million in 4,755 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $4,313 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1,094. Half of the 4,755 awards fell between $550 and $2,727, and they ranged from $2 to $1.1 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$20.5 million
- Grant awards4,755
- Typical award$1,094
- Awarded in FY 2025-$5
- Size rank1301 of 1824
- Type of assistanceDirect payments for specified use
Key findings
- It is the 1301st largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 9 largest recipients received 17% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 48 states and territories.
What the program funds
To assist landowners and operators in restoring and protecting eligible grazing lands, including rangeland, pastureland and certain other lands through rental contracts and easements.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
What the money can and cannot pay for
GRP easements and rental contracts emphasize support for working grazing lands. Easements and rental contracts (1) permit grazing on the land in a manner that is consistent with maintaining the viability of the native and natural grass, shrub, forest, and wildlife species adapted to the locality; (2) permit haying, mowing, or harvesting for seed production, except during the nesting and brood-rearing seasons for birds in the area that are in significant decline; (3) allow for fire rehabilitation and construction of firebreaks, fences, watering facilities and practices that protect and restore the grasslands functions and values; and (4) prohibit the production of row crops, fruit trees, vineyards, or any other agricultural commodities. Both easements and rental contracts require that the land is managed to maintain the viability of the plant community as described in the conservation or grazing management plan.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
The 5 year average estimated cost per acre for easement acquisition was approximately $400, ranging from $65 per acre to over $30,000 per acre. The average estimated cost per acre for rental contracts was $134 per acre over the life of the rental contract. 642 GRP easements were acquired on over 383,490 acres.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: NRCS has 642 easements on 383,490 acres from 2003 through 2014, prior to the program repealed with the 2014 Farm Bill.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Grassland Reserve Program (10.920) awarded$20.5 million across 4,755 grant awards, an average of $4,313 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona | Arizona | 1 | $1.1 million |
| University of Rhode Island | Rhode Island | 1 | $555,252 |
| Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska | Nebraska | 1 | $391,236 |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Texas | 1 | $332,233 |
| Northern Arizona University | Arizona | 1 | $286,022 |
| Auburn University | Alabama | 1 | $241,700 |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi | 1 | $240,000 |
| University of Florida | Florida | 1 | $190,826 |
| University of Missouri System | Missouri | 1 | $89,290 |
Who usually wins
Individuals received 83% of the money, colleges and universities 17%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals | 4,746 | $17.0 million | 83% |
| Colleges and universities | 9 | $3.5 million | 17% |
By state
39 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 169 | $2.5 million |
| Oklahoma | 422 | $1.8 million |
| South Dakota | 270 | $1.7 million |
| Arizona | 10 | $1.6 million |
| New Mexico | 46 | $1.3 million |
| North Dakota | 117 | $962,939 |
| Wyoming | 64 | $933,260 |
| Colorado | 63 | $872,723 |
| Oregon | 153 | $792,313 |
| Nebraska | 190 | $777,615 |
| Montana | 43 | $768,083 |
| Rhode Island | 8 | $557,610 |
| Florida | 9 | $507,350 |
| Iowa | 347 | $481,007 |
| Utah | 42 | $477,366 |
| Washington | 175 | $476,948 |
| Missouri | 338 | $467,732 |
| Tennessee | 356 | $406,985 |
| California | 29 | $361,209 |
| Ohio | 349 | $353,589 |
| Minnesota | 243 | $340,700 |
| Mississippi | 41 | $304,660 |
| Alabama | 73 | $292,577 |
| Kansas | 126 | $270,536 |
| West Virginia | 165 | $179,489 |
| Hawaii | 18 | $169,844 |
| Alaska | 26 | $152,452 |
| New York | 185 | $141,524 |
| Illinois | 103 | $134,310 |
| Arkansas | 73 | $95,309 |
| Pennsylvania | 128 | $79,532 |
| Wisconsin | 44 | $74,413 |
| Georgia | 64 | $44,371 |
| Kentucky | 33 | $37,423 |
| Indiana | 37 | $36,667 |
| Louisiana | 27 | $34,287 |
| Michigan | 43 | $17,494 |
| Virginia | 21 | $14,972 |
| Maryland | 24 | $14,769 |
| Idaho | 4 | $12,720 |
| Puerto Rico | 7 | $9,693 |
| Massachusetts | 28 | $9,418 |
| Maine | 12 | $8,071 |
| South Carolina | 8 | $5,306 |
| Connecticut | 9 | $2,638 |
| Delaware | 1 | $1,720 |
| North Carolina | 8 | $1,452 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $600 |