California Underserved and Small Producer Program (CUSP)
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) — Office of Grants Administration
Up to $20K each (drought + extreme weather)
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 4 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Relief for small CA farmers
The California Underserved and Small Producer Program (CUSP) provides direct financial relief and technical assistance to small- and medium-scale California agricultural producers — with explicit priority for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers — who have been financially harmed by drought, extreme weather, and other climate impacts. CDFA funds a network of nonprofit and Resource Conservation District (RCD) technical-assistance providers, who in turn distribute direct relief grants to eligible producers and help them with farm business management, financial planning, and marketing. Eligible producers can receive up to $20,000 in CUSP Drought Relief funds and up to $20,000 in CUSP Extreme Weather Relief funds (up to $40,000 total) within a 12-month period. The program is active, with provider application windows running on rolling and quarterly cycles into 2026 and a project period spanning January 2024 through December 2026.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- Up to $20K each (drought + extreme weather)
- Realistic amount
- A typical eligible producer receives a single relief grant of up to $20,000 for the qualifying event (drought or extreme weather); producers who qualify for both categories within a 12-month period can reach the $40,000 combined maximum. Many awards are smaller, sized to documented financial impact.
- Deadline
- Rolling / quarterly through 2026 via technical-assistance providers (e.g., extreme-weather windows such as Sept 1–Oct 31, 2025 and Feb 15–Apr 15, 2026; some providers run continuous quarterly windows). Project period runs January 2024 through December 2026.
- Status
- active
- States
- California
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Small- and medium-scale California agricultural producers (farmers up to ~$400,000 annual gross; dairy operations up to ~$1,000,000)
- Priority for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (including African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Alaska Native producers)
- Must demonstrate a specific financial need due to drought, extreme weather, or other climate impacts in California
- Must apply through a CDFA-funded CUSP technical-assistance provider serving the producer's region
- California-based agricultural operation
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Direct financial relief for documented drought-related losses
- Direct financial relief for documented extreme-weather/climate-impact losses
- Operating needs of the agricultural business affected by the disaster event
Ineligible expenses
- Operations above the small/medium producer revenue thresholds
- Losses unrelated to qualifying drought/extreme-weather events
- Non-California operations
How to apply
-
1
Find your regional CUSP technical-assistance provider
Identify the CDFA-funded CUSP provider (nonprofit or Resource Conservation District) serving your county, since producers apply through providers, not directly to CDFA.
~1 hrs
-
2
Confirm eligibility and the open window
Confirm you meet the small/medium producer size limits and have a qualifying drought/extreme-weather financial impact, and check the provider's current application window (rolling, quarterly, or fixed).
~2 hrs
-
3
Apply with provider assistance and document impact
Complete the relief application with the provider's free technical assistance, documenting the financial impact (lost receipts/profit) and your operation details.
~4 hrs
-
4
Receive relief funds and optional business support
If approved, receive the direct relief grant (up to $20,000 per category) and access free farm business management, financial planning, and marketing assistance.
~1 hrs
The relief is distributed through regional providers, not CDFA directly — so the single most useful move is to contact the CUSP technical-assistance provider for your county early and let them walk you through documentation. Drought and Extreme Weather are separate buckets: if you were hit by both within 12 months you can stack to $40,000, which many eligible producers don't realize.
Deadline & timing
There is no single statewide deadline — each funded technical-assistance provider opens its own application windows (rolling, quarterly, or fixed) within the program's January 2024–December 2026 project period. Producers apply through a participating provider in their region. Confirm the current open window with the specific provider serving your county.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks California Underserved and Small Producer Program (CUSP)’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.
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