Financial Assistance
Kansas Cost-Share Programs
Conservation practices benefit all Kansans by providing cleaner water, more productive crop and grazing lands, and improved wildlife habitat. The Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture (DOC) administers three voluntary cost-share programs, the Water Resources Cost-Share Program, the Non-Point Source Pollution Control Program, and the Riparian and Wetland Protection Program. These programs provide financial assistance to eligible landowners for conservation practices that reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and/or conserve water.
All of the DOC programs are guided by the State Conservation Commission (SCC) board of commissioners consisting of five elected and four appointed members. The Kansas Water Authority annually develops the Kansas Water Plan, which provides recommendations to the Kansas Legislature in determining appropriations and priorities. Most of the DOC programs are funded through the Kansas Water Plans dedicated sources of funding. It is by this funding source the DOC, through conservation districts, has financial assistance available for Kansas landowners to apply conservation practices. Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Assistance.
Program funds are allocated to each conservation district on July 1, which is the beginning of the state fiscal year. Additional financial assistance funds are allocated to address water quality impairments identified in river segments and lakes through the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) process. The TMDLs set the maximum amount of pollution that a specific water body can receive without violating the surface water quality standards. Click here for more information on the 
TMDLs in Kansas.
Local Program Administration
The state cost-share programs are administered locally in each county by the conservation district. The conservation district board of supervisors tailors state programs to meet critical conservation needs identified within the county. Annually, the supervisors establish local policies, which include selecting practices, determining landowner limits and setting cost-share rates not to exceed 70 percent.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides a majority of the technical assistance. Conservation practices must also meet standards to ensure functionality and enduring lifespan. Most practices funded by the DOC must meet standards of the NRCS. Nearly all of the conservation districts in Kansas are co-located in a USDA Service Center with NRCS.
Application for Cost-Share
Each county conservation district accepts requests for financial assistance during a sign-up period. After the sign-up period, each application is reviewed by the board of supervisors and district staff for eligibility and ranked according to state and locally identified priorities. Landowners are notified by the conservation district whether the project is approved or denied for cost-share assistance.
Contract
After conservation district approval, the cost-share applicants must sign a Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture Contract for Financial Assistance which explains conditions of receiving state cost-share funds. This document assures proper conformance to state practice implementation and maintenance requirements for a minimum of 10 years. Construction of cost-share practices cannot begin until a contract is approved by the conservation district, approved by the Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture, and signed by the landowner(s).
Payment
After the practice is completed, the landowner notifies the conservation district and submits invoice(s)/receipt(s) to the office. An authorized representative of the conservation district will verify the practice was completed according to specification. The conservation district then submits a request to the Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Agriculture for payment to the landowner.
County average cost is used as basis for determining the amount of cost-share assistance earned. Cost-share is also based upon availability of funds, project limits and landowner limits. A landowner receiving $600 or more in cost-share assistance will receive a Form 1099-G from the State of Kansas.
Please contact your conservation district for program availability or to see how you can get more involved in conserving soil and water for future generations.
