Project sponsorship allows Individual Applicants fiscal access to NMDA’s Healthy Soil Program grant funding. Project Sponsors help Individual Applicants adhere to their timeline and budget, invoice correctly for reimbursement, report on their grant progress in a timely way, and more.

Only two types of parties can serve as an Individual Applicant’s Project Sponsor:

• The New Mexico soil and water conservation district (SWCD) in which you reside
• Your New Mexico-based pueblo, tribe, or nation

If the land where you wish to execute an HSP project for fiscal year 2026 is within the boundaries of Ciudad SWCD, you will need to request project sponsorship from the district. Please visit NMDA's Healthy Soil Program website for step by step guidelines for submitting an application.

As soon as you know you want to submit an application, please contact Agriculture Manager CJ Ames at cj@ciudadswcd.org. We can support you in assessing the steps needed to complete your application so that we can sponsor your project.

Ciudad SWCD requires Individual Applicants to  present their projects and formally request sponsorship by using the form below. When you seek project sponsorship, Ciudad SWCD will request to see your NRCS conservation planning document, your timeline and budget, and a near-final draft of your online application. The more cohesive and developed these items are, the more likely the district is to sponsor your project. If you have questions about this process, please contact Agriculture Manager CJ Ames at cj@ciudadswcd.org.

Important dates for FY26 applications:

• On November 7, 2024, NMDA hosted a pre-application webinar for Individual Applicants. Review the slides and watch a captioned recording of that webinar.
• January 15, 2025:  The online grant application for NMDA’s Healthy Soil Program (and other grant programs at NMDA) opens and will be available at https://grants.nmda.nmsu.edu. First-time users must create a free account (login ID + password).
• January 23, 2025: From 3 to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time, NMDA will host a webinar to walk through the online application for Individual Applicants. Register to attend.
• February 21, 2025: NRCS conservation planning deadline. NMDA strongly recommends that you contact NRCS well before the February 21, 2025 (5 p.m. Mountain Time) deadline to complete conservation planning. Conservation planning with NRCS can be completed at any time of year.
• March 19, 2025 at 12 p.m. (noon) Mountain Time: Deadline to submit your online application.

Once you have developed your project and are ready for it to be reviewed for sponsorship, you may fill out the form below.  After Ciudad SWCD receives your submission from our website, we will be in touch.  It will likely take a few days to review. Please note that you must submit these required documents to Ciudad SWCD by March 12th for us to consider supporting your application. 

Name (First and Last): (required)

Email: (required)

Phone Number: (required)

Address of HSP project: (required)

Total Project Acres: (required)

Healthy Soil Principal to be implemented during project: (required)

Keeping soil covered

Minimizing soil disturbance on cropland and minimizing external inputs

Maximizing biodiversity

Maintaining a living root

Integrating animals into land management, including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects or keystone species, such as earthworms

Timeline/ Budget: (required)

Conservation Plan: (required)

Near Final Draft of Application: (required)

Letter of Support: (required)

Your Signature (required)

Confirm e-Signature

Review Electronic Records and Signatures Policy (required)

Read our Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure

I agree to use electronic records and signatures

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