Colorado Open Lands Announces Funding for Implementing Conservation Easement through USDA's Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Colorado and Colorado Open Lands (COL) are announcing a funding opportunity through the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Producers within the Colorado project area identified on the map who are interested in RCPP Entity Held Easement (EHE) activities have until April 13, 2026, to apply. The project area includes portions of Costilla County.

RCPP Entity Held Easement (EHE):
If you are an agricultural producer wishing to enroll in a conservation easement, please know that you will need to work with Colorado Open Lands or another eligible entity to apply by the deadline. Applicants (eligible entities/land trusts) must be a federally recognized Indian Tribe, state or local units of government, or a non-governmental organization. Applicants must have an established farmland protection program that purchases conservation easements for the purpose of protecting conservation values.

USDA NRCS provides up to 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement in this voluntary program. The federal share is dependent upon US Right of Enforcement. The qualified landowner retains ownership and continues to use the land in a manner that protects the conservation values.
To be eligible to receive RCPP funding, eligible entity applicants must demonstrate a commitment to long-term conservation of lands; a capability to acquire, manage, and enforce easements; adequate staff capacity for monitoring and easement stewardship; and the availability of funds.

To determine if your easement application is eligible for this funding opportunity and for additional information about applications, contact Sally Wier, COL Senior Conservation Program Manager, at 719-480-8471 and [email protected] or Marissa Markus, NRCS RCPP Coordinator, at 719-342-9059 and [email protected].

Fully completed application packets must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. MDT on April 13, 2026 to be considered. Application packets may be sent to the attention of RCPP Coordinator, by email (preferred) to [email protected]; by FedEx or UPS to USDA-NRCS, Southwest Corner of 6th Ave. and Kipling St., Denver Federal Center, Building 56, Room 2400, Denver, CO 80225; or by USPS to USDA-NRCS, P.O. Box 25426, Denver, CO 80225-0426.

Applications postmarked or time stamped after these deadlines WILL NOT be accepted. Only fully completed and properly executed applications that are submitted by these sign-up dates on the appropriate forms and accompanied by all required supporting documentation will be considered for funding in fiscal year 2026 for RCPP EHE. All qualified applications will be reviewed, ranked, and considered for funding according to the Final RCPP EHE rule, policy, and guidance. Complete applications received after the cut-off date may be considered if another sign-up date is announced. Incomplete applications WILL NOT be considered.