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AgWaterAI

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Free grant wizard for any grower

Cost-share can cover part of the cost of soil moisture probes and flow meters. Done-for-you preparation is included for AgWaterAI customers and available to other growers on request. AgWaterAI has an NRCS-registered TSP on the team.

Ask about done-for-you preparation

A separate service, never a condition

The grant wizard is free for any grower, and nobody needs an AgWaterAI plan to get grant help. Done-for-you preparation is included for AgWaterAI customers and available to other growers on request. Grant help is never required for an AgWaterAI subscription, and a subscription is never required for grant help. You are the applicant, and AgWaterAI does not submit on your behalf. NRCS or CDFA decides every award, and funding is never guaranteed.

How it works

  1. 1
    Start with the free wizard
    Check eligibility and draft your application yourself: your fields, your water source, and what you want to install (probes, flow meters, or both).
  2. 2
    Or ask for done-for-you preparation
    Included for AgWaterAI customers and available to other growers on request. EQIP Practice 449, Irrigation Water Management, is open now. SWEEP is not accepting applications while CDFA moves it to regional block grants.
  3. 3
    You review, sign and submit
    You are the applicant, and AgWaterAI does not submit on your behalf. EQIP applications go to your local NRCS office and into the next California ranking batch.
  4. 4
    If it is funded
    The probes and meters go in. If you also use AgWaterAI, the monitoring records the program asks for come from your account.

What you bring

  • Your contact details and the operation: acres, crops, irrigation system and water source.
  • What you want to install, and a quote if you have one.
  • Answers to a few eligibility questions about the land and your operation.

Current Grant Windows

EQIP
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (NRCS)ACCEPTING NOW

Practice 449, Irrigation Water Management, with rolling intake through your local NRCS office. California has not posted its fiscal year 2027 EQIP cutoff yet. NRCS ranks applications in batches; one filed before a cutoff is ranked in that batch. Eligible producers may qualify for substantial cost-share; amount, eligibility and payment timing vary, and grant funding is never guaranteed.

Start the NRCS EQIP wizard →
SWEEP
State Water Efficiency & Enhancement ProgramPAUSED

Not taking grower applications right now. CDFA is moving SWEEP to regional partners. Partner awards are expected in October 2026 and agreements around January 2027; each partner then opens its own grower applications. Get your field details ready so you can apply when your region opens.

What the free wizard gives you

An eligibility estimate
For EQIP and SWEEP, from your answers
Water and GHG figures
Worked from the farm data you enter
A draft you review and submit
A starting narrative and application summary; you are the applicant
About 5 minutes
A few questions about your operation
Cost-share may be available for sensors and monitoring
EQIP is accepting applications now for Practice 449. California has not posted its fiscal year 2027 EQIP cutoff yet. NRCS ranks applications in batches; one filed before a cutoff is ranked in that batch. SWEEP is not accepting applications while CDFA moves it to regional block grants. Eligible producers may qualify for substantial cost-share; amount, eligibility and payment timing vary, and grant funding is never guaranteed.

Free • No obligation • Your data stays private

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the grant wizard free?▼
Yes. The grant wizard is free for any grower, whether or not you ever use AgWaterAI. Done-for-you preparation is included for AgWaterAI customers and available to other growers on request.
Do I need an AgWaterAI subscription to get grant help?▼
No. Nobody needs an AgWaterAI plan to get grant help. Grant help never depends on signing an AgWaterAI plan, and signing a plan never depends on a grant. NRCS or CDFA decides every award, and funding is never guaranteed.
Who prepares the grant application?▼
You are the applicant. The free wizard drafts it with you, and you review every answer and submit it yourself. Done-for-you preparation is included for AgWaterAI customers and available to other growers on request, and AgWaterAI has an NRCS-registered TSP on the team. AgWaterAI does not submit on your behalf. EQIP applications go to your local NRCS office.
What is the SWEEP grant program?▼
SWEEP is the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, run by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). It funds on-farm irrigation projects. It is not accepting applications from farmers right now while CDFA moves it to a block grant model run through regional partners.
What can SWEEP grants pay for?▼
CDFA lists irrigation water management, including soil moisture monitoring, flow metering and in-field ET stations; efficient irrigation upgrades such as drip; retrofits for lower pressure; pump repair or replacement; and pumping fuel efficiency, including renewable energy.
What is the EQIP grant program for farmers?▼
EQIP, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, is a federal program run by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It shares the cost of conservation practices on working farms. Our work falls under Practice 449, Irrigation Water Management. Applications go to your local NRCS office, and California ranks them in batches.
How do I apply for a SWEEP grant in California?▼
SWEEP is not accepting applications from farmers right now. CDFA is moving it to a block grant model, so the next round will run through regional partners. The free wizard helps you get your field details ready for when your region opens. EQIP Practice 449 is accepting applications now.
Can I apply for both SWEEP and EQIP grants?▼
They are separate programs with their own rules and timing. EQIP is open now; SWEEP is not accepting applications. Check how each fits your project before you file.
What documents do I need for a SWEEP grant application?▼
CDFA sets the document list for each round, and the next round will run through regional block grant partners. Check the list for your round when your region opens.
How much grant funding can California farmers get for irrigation upgrades?▼
SWEEP and EQIP cost-share can cover part of the sensor cost. You file as the applicant. Eligibility, award size and payment timing vary, and funding is never guaranteed.