The Soil Health Initiative is back for its second year, offering grants to Boulder County farmers and ranchers to implement regenerative practices that improve soil health, enhance agricultural resilience, and address the impacts of climate change. $1.1 million in funding is available for the 2025 grant cycle, with $100,000 of that funding provided by Colorado Zero Foodprint member businesses and supporters. Farmers and ranchers who operate on leased Boulder County Parks & Open Space land, private land, or both, can apply for funding until the Jan. 8, 2025, deadline. Grants will be awarded in February.
Healthy soil is alive with microorganisms, minerals, and organic matter that support agriculture and environmental health. It stores water, retains nutrients, and sustains plant growth while filtering pollutants, reducing erosion, and absorbing water during heavy rains to prevent flooding. Soil also acts as a natural carbon sink, capturing greenhouse gases and helping to combat climate change. It improves resilience to drought and enhances crop yields, making it essential for productive farming. However, the United Nations reports that one-third of the world’s soils are moderately to severely degraded due to unsustainable practices, causing erosion, lower productivity, and higher carbon emissions.
This initiative supports local producers by funding USDA-supported soil health practices like no-till farming, cover cropping, rotational grazing, and compost application—all of which restore soil health, promote biodiversity, and improve farm productivity.
In its first year, the Soil Health Initiative provided funding to 11 Boulder County farms and ranches:
- USDA supported soil health practices implemented across 549 acres.
- 36 USDA-endorsed soil health practices implemented: These included rotational grazing, perennial plantings, soil amendments, cover cropping, and reduced tillage, advancing soil restoration and agricultural resilience.
- 90% of recipients met the USDA's criteria for historically underserved farmers or ranchers: This includes beginning, socially disadvantaged, veteran, or limited-resource farmers and ranchers.
- $92,000 funded by Zero Foodprint through local restaurants: Colorado Zero Foodprint member businesses and supporters contributed customer donations to support Soil Health Initiative projects. For a full list of member restaurants and businesses, visit the Zero Foodprint Member Directory.
- 40 applications requesting $1.8 million in year one: The high demand underscores local food producers’ interest in adopting science-backed soil health practices to mitigate environmental and economic challenges.
“Funding through the Boulder County Soil Health Initiative has made an incredibly generous impact on my operation,” said Eric Knutson of Wild Nectar Farm, shown installing a portable solar-powered electric fence for rotational grazing. “I was able to get tools and equipment that put me ahead multiple years in building a stable, scalable small-livestock operation.”
Farmers who participated last year are already seeing measurable benefits:
- Artemis Flower Farm: Helen Skiba adopted reduced tillage and cover cropping practices, sharing equipment with other farmers. “This program doesn’t just support farms—it supports the whole community. It’s amazing to live in a place that truly values its farmers,” said Skiba.
- Light Root Community Farm: Daphne Kingsley purchased hay baling equipment operated by draft horses, reducing fossil fuel use while improving rotational grazing systems. “This grant gave us the tools to farm sustainably and protect our land for the future,” said Kingsley.
- Wild Nectar Farm: Eric Knutson installed portable solar-powered electric fencing to support rotational grazing and sustainable livestock practices. “Having the right tool for the job streamlines projects and makes the hard work more enjoyable. This program is an incredible boost for small farms,” said Knutson.
“Boulder County's Soil Health Initiative made it possible for us to purchase specialized hay baling equipment that can be operated with our farm’s Belgian draft horses,” said Daphne Kingsley of Light Root Community Farm, a 2024 grant recipient. “This equipment gave us the flexibility to take advantage of the best haymaking windows while supporting rotational grazing systems and better land stewardship.”
Restaurants and food businesses in Boulder County play a vital role in this initiative, contributing $100,000 to the grants through Zero Foodprint. This nonprofit works with local businesses to fund regenerative farming practices. By adding just a few cents to each purchase, customers at participating restaurants and food businesses directly support projects like cover cropping, compost application, and reduced tillage—practices that enhance soil health, water retention, and climate resilience.
This grassroots model ensures the benefits stay local, fostering healthier soils and sustainable agriculture in the same communities served by these businesses. For a list of participating restaurants and food businesses, visit the Zero Foodprint Member Directory.
How to Apply
Farmers and ranchers operating on Boulder County Parks & Open Space land, private land, or both are eligible to apply. Projects must align with USDA soil health principles, such as minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing soil cover, increasing plant diversity, and incorporating livestock.
Applications are due by January 8, 2025, with grants awarded in February. Visit the Soil Health Initiative webpage for details and to apply.
Running parallel to the Soil Health Initiative, an updated Sustainable Food & Agriculture Fund will now focus on non-soil health related projects related to education, market infrastructure, processing, and support for frontline farm workers. Visit the Sustainable Food & Agriculture Fund webpage for more details and to apply.
For media inquiries about Boulder County's Soil Health Initiative, please contact Christian Herrmann at 720-450-0059 or cherrmann@bouldercounty.gov. For questions about the grant application, please email Tim Broderick at tbroderick@bouldercounty.gov.
About the Boulder County Soil Health Initiative
Launched in 2024, the Soil Health Initiative supports local farmers and ranchers in building resilient farms through sustainable soil management. This cross-departmental collaboration between Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience, and Parks & Open Space works with partners like the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Zero Foodprint to promote soil health as a critical climate solution.
About Zero Foodprint
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food. Learn more here.
Are you a Colorado farmer or rancher? Bookmark this website to stay in the loop on the next round of Restore Colorado Grants, which open January 15th.
Source : bouldercounty.gov