Get Assistance with Soil Health, Rotational Grazing, and Agroforestry Plantings

PURPOSE

 

WSU Extension Thurston County is advertising an opportunity for landowners and agricultural enterprises to receive direct assistance to build resilience into agricultural grasslands in the South Sound and Chehalis Basin. On-farm practices that will be funded include soil testing and amending, rotational grazing enhancement, and agroforestry plantings for livestock and habitat.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Agricultural lands in Thurston County are disappearing. These economically and ecologically critical working landscapes suffered an estimated loss of 20% between the years 2012-2017. Similarly, the range of glacial outwash prairie ecosystems and the populations of their resident species have been significantly reduced over the last 150 years of land use conversion and development. Existing pressures on the agricultural community and grassland ecosystems, which often serve as the last remaining repositories for native prairie species and species assemblages, are currently being compounded by new climate challenges. In response to these trends, Southwestern Washington landowners and agricultural producers are invited to join in on a host of activities aimed at addressing the intertwined futures of these landscapes and livelihoods.

 

WSU Extension, in partnership with the Ecostudies Institute, Agroforestry Northwest, and Thurston Conservation District, is coordinating a funding and technical assistance opportunity which will integrate agricultural land management with conservation and habitat enhancement efforts. These projects are aimed at increasing the resilience, health, and long-term agricultural viability of grasslands in the south puget sound which will protect against farmland loss to development.

 

Financial and technical assistance is available for projects aimed at improving soil health, increasing pasture productivity and diversity, and supporting habitat and ecosystem services. Projects could include soil testing, mineral and biological amendments, installation of rotational grazing infrastructure, and the establishment of appropriate woody plantings for habitat and livestock. Applications are welcome from anyone with an interest in grassland resilience. Applicants are encouraged to share their broader goals even if specific approaches to meeting these goals are not yet clear. Our team is available for pre-application dialogue and assisting farmers and other applicants in developing a plan for proposal.

 

Assistance Offered

This program will pay for remote consultation, site visits, testing, project design work, material acquisition, installation, and/or short term maintenance for projects related to building soil health, enhancing rotational grazing, and incorporating agroforestry practices on agricultural grasslands in and around Thurston County.

 

Specifically, fundable projects can include:

• Soil testing
• Soil amendment (mineral and biological) purchases
• Amendment application
• Paddock design
• Fence materials
• Fence construction
• Movable fence materials
• Livestock water system design, materials, and installation
• Design and integration of agroforestry plantings into livestock pasture systems including: hedgerows, riparian buffers, wind breaks, silvopasture, and non-timber harvestable woody crops
• Plant material purchases
• Mulching
• Tree protection
• Irrigation design, materials, and installation
• Monitoring of plantings
• Other assistance as needed

 

Technical and financial assistance is also available for soil health, agroforestry, and rotational grazing features and activities not contained in the description above. If the specific features or activities related to the proposed project for your site are not listed here funding may still be available.

 

Farmer Contributions

Farmers are expected to request assistance, participate in design processes, install or assist in installation to the extent of their ability, and monitor and maintain installations. No direct financial contributions are required from applicants. However, documentation of applicants time and material contributions to the project is necessary and. The ability for a farmer to install and/or maintain infrastructure and plantings will be considered in the selection process. Assistance will be provided for installation however requested projects need to be scaled to the farmer’s ability and equipment.

The farmer/applicant shall act as a Cooperator for the projects proposed. As an applicant for these funds, cooperators should expect to participate in the following ways:

 

1. complete an application detailing their proposed projects and assistance they can provide.
2. work with WSU staff and partners to coordinate site visits
3. work with WSU staff and partners to develop design plans and timelines for their execution.
4. contribute and document ongoing labor for the implementation, maintenance, and monitoring of projects to the extent of their ability.
5. utilize their available equipment for the installation and maintenance of infrastructure and practices.

 

Timeline

 

Proposals will be accepted from February 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Applications will be reviewed according to when they are received, and will be selected on a quarterly basis.

 

WSU Contact/ AOO Coordinator

 

AOO Coordinator	Sierra Smith, WSU Thurston Co. Extension Agricultural Specialist
Contact  Information	sierra.smith1@wsu.edu
	360-867-2165

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

 

EVENT	SCHEDULE
Announcement of Opportunity (AOO) issued	February 1st, 2026
Applicants selected and notified	By April 30, 2026; July 31, 2026; October 31, 2026; or January 31, 2027 depending on the quarter in which the application was submitted
Phone consult with applicant	within 4 weeks of approval
First site visit	within 8 weeks of approval
Design Process	Estimated 4 months
ESA and Cultural Resource Compliance	Estimated 4-6 months from design completion
Installation of improvements	Within 18 months of applicant selection
Applications close	December 31, 2026

 

Washington State University reserves the right to revise the above schedule.  Process review and notification timeline is subject to change.

Application Process

 

Farmers interested in this funding opportunity must fill out an application that describes their operation, their proposed project, and the assistance they are seeking. Application questions are available below.

 

To complete the application online, use this application portal:

 

https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKaQi3bDw1oiNCK

 

The application can also be downloaded, completed and submitted via email. Find the fillable form from the WSU Extension Thurston County Webpage here:

 

https://extension.wsu.edu/thurston/repi-grant/

 

Completed questions on the online portal will be submitted automatically upon completion. Paper or electronic applications can be submitted to WSU at the following addresses:

 

Delivery Address for RFP Responses	Due Date and Time
sierra.smith1@wsu.edu	Accepted through December 31, 2026. Reviewed quarterly beginning March 31, 2026
Attn: Sierra Smith Washington State University Extension 3054 Carpenter Rd SE Benoschek Building Lacey, WA 98503	Accepted through December 31, 2026. Reviewed quarterly beginning March 31, 2026