LAEPP Application for Local Sponsor Certification

Counties, soil & water conservation districts, land trusts, cities, and townships are invited to apply to the Office of Farmland Preservation for Local Sponsor Certification. The Application for Local Sponsor Certification is open from September 20, 2021 through October 22, 2021. Any organization interested in being a local sponsor for the 2022 landowner application year must apply. The application and FAQs can be found on the Ohio Department of Agriculture website: Local Sponsor | Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Look for the box about halfway down the page titled: “The LAEPP 2022 Local Sponsor Application for Certification …”

Local sponsors who complete the above-mentioned Local Sponsor Certification application and qualify will be allocated a portion of the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (LAEPP) 2022 funds. These funds are used to purchase agricultural easements on Ohio farms.

Deadline for the Local Sponsor Certification Application is October 22, 2021.

It is important to note that applications received last fall are still being considered for 2022 LAEPP funding, so if your organization has previously applied, there is no need to apply again. Additionally:

• Local sponsors may be contacted for additional information during final review
• Local sponsors may submit updates for consideration for any application on file through the October 22, 2021 deadline
• All application forms have the same content regardless of year submitted

For a list of local sponsors that have already submitted their application for certification, please click here. If you are on this list, you do not need to complete a new application. 

For a complete timeline of upcoming dates and deadlines for this funding round, please click here.

For a press release with more information, please click here.