Is it your dream to start a small farm or ranch?

The academy is a 1-day introduction to starting a small commercial farm or ranch and will help prospective farmers start their operations. Participants will learn to assess their resources, research markets, analyze the potential economic viability of their operations and learn what makes foothill farming different.

The class is taught by University of California farm advisors and with a panel of local farmers and ranchers. This will also include a farm visit to tour a local successful operation.

Sign Up today!

Date: Friday, October 30, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

The NPS Grant Program seeks proposals for projects that reduce runoff of pollution to waters of the state, such as agricultural projects that reduce pesticide and nutrient runoff, improvement or decommissioning of dirt roads to reduce erosion and sediment runoff, streambank stabilization to reduce erosion and infrastructure improvements for ranching and livestock operations to reduce erosion and runoff of nutrients and pathogens. 

Agency/Department Name

State Water Resources Control Board

Application Close Date

12/18/26 17:00

Estimated Available Funds

Join the first annual Gold Country Wildlife & Habitat Fair on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Kennedy Mine in Jackson, CA. The fair will feature guided hikes, live animals, educational booths, family-friendly activities, local vendors, food and beverages, live music, and more.

Date: September 12, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Location: Kennedy Mine, 12594 Kennedy Mine Rd, Jackson, CA 95642

There is no registration required to attend. Organizers are also seeking vendors, local producers, food vendors, artists, and nonprofit organizations focused on wildlife, pollinators, conservation, and natural resources.

Photo Contest: Submit entries August 3-31 for a chance to have your photo displayed at the event. Learn more and enter here:

US Dept of Interior Tribal Tourism Grant Program

• Focus: Tourism development and sustainable economic growth.

• Deadline: August 7, 2026.

• Location: Tribal Stewardship tab.

CA Strategic Growth Council Tribal Capacity Building Pilot Program (Round 2)

• Focus: Funding to build long-term grant-seeking and climate/housing project capacity.

The AACT Natural & Working Lands Hub is hosting a Ranching for Profit: A Rangeland Health Series Workshop with Dave Voth from the Ranching for Profit team.

📅 August 22, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 📍 General Service Administration, 12200 Airport Rd., Jackson, CA 🍴 Free lunch sponsored by Halter 🌱 Learn practical strategies to improve ranch profitability, management effectiveness, and long-term land health. 🐄 A Halter representative will also be available to answer questions about virtual fencing.

For more information or to register, contact Bill Synk at billy@amadorrcd.org.

Please share with ranchers and producers in your network!

Tuolumne County has officially opened bidding for qualified vegetation management contractors to provide defensible space and hazardous fuel reduction services. This project is funded through the USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program to assist eligible homeowners in high-risk areas at no cost.

Here are the key details of the solicitation:

📋 Project Overview

• Scope: Provide defensible space and hazardous vegetation, brush, and small tree removal on private residential properties to achieve compliance with California Public Resources Code Section 4291 (PRC 4291).

• Scale: Up to 1,290 private parcels may be eligible for treatment based on Right of Entry (ROE) permits.

• Timeline: All contracted work must be fully completed by July 31, 2028.

Valley Vision is offering a free, three-part virtual series for local governments, nonprofits, and community organizations across the Sierra and Sacramento Valley who work with woody biomass and are ready to build the business model and financing strategy to get their projects funded.

Missed Parts 1 and 2? Click here for recordings: https://www.youtube.com/@valleyvision6647

Part 3 takes place on July 31 at 12:00pm! To register for part 3 click here.

Part #3: Now that we've covered operations and productization, let's unlock the capital to build it. Join us for the final webinar in our series, where we are bringing in financial professionals to discuss real-world financing, grants, and funding opportunities. The capstone session maps the full landscape of financing tools, grants, low-interest loans, public/private and public/public partnership structures, and puts them in context for your specific project type. You'll learn how to sequence funding sources, structure your ask, and present your…

LEAF partners working in forest health, wildfire resilience, prescribed fire, biomass utilization, watershed restoration, tribal stewardship, and landscape-scale collaboration may want to take a close look at California's new 2026 Wildfire Resilience Block Grant opportunity.

Funded through Proposition 4, this program is designed to strengthen regional capacity by supporting collaborative, landscape-scale projects that reduce wildfire risk, improve forest and landscape resilience, and invest in long-term implementation efforts. The program emphasizes partnerships, regional coordination, and projects that deliver multiple community and environmental benefits.

This funding may be particularly relevant for:

• Forest collaboratives and stewardship organizations

• Tribes and tribal organizations

• Resource Conservation Districts

There is an exciting opportunity for high school students and recent graduates in Mono and Inyo Counties: The Outdoor Career Mini-Academy, a free 4-day program focused on careers in wildland fire, forestry, and outdoor recreation.

The academy runs August 10–13, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Wind Drift Studios in Mammoth Lakes. Each day is dedicated to one sector, with the final day covering Leave No Trace principles and outdoor safety. Participants will learn alongside local professionals through hands-on activities both on-site and at nearby outdoor locations.

Additional details worth noting:

• The program is completely free to participants thanks to support from Wind Drift Studios, Sierra Jobs First, Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation,  and Arc’teryx.

• Potential transportation assistance for participants traveling from Inyo County or northern Mono County, dependent upon need.