State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP)
The CDFA's State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations.
Funds and timeline: Farmers and ranchers can receive up to $200,000 and have 24 months to complete their projects.
Eligible practices include, but are not limited to:
- Installation of a variable frequency drive
- Pump retrofit or replacement
- Solar panels
- Soil moisture sensors
- Electronic weather station linked to irrigation controller
- Use of evapotranspiration (ET) based irrigation scheduling
- Conversion to micro-irrigation or drip irrigation
- Conversion to low-pressure irrigation system
How to Apply:
The grant process includes a web-based application consisting of a series of questions that can be saved and returned to before submitting.
Before you apply, you will need to gather three main pieces of information:
- A pump efficiency test. For more information on how and where to get a pump test, click here.
- The last twelve months of your energy records.
- Quotes from vendors for the costs of your project components and installation.
Please note: The online application can be difficult, so we strongly encourage you reach out to your nearest UC Cooperative Extension specialist for help writing your application.
To see what types of projects have been awarded previously, click here to view the 2019 award recipients.
CDFA's State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) is now OPEN. To apply, click here.
Applications are open now until January 26, 2024. More information is posted here and on the SWEEP website.
How-to and other informational videos can be found on our Youtube page.