{"status":200,"message":"Success","data":{"id":"52ad9d1c-1de8-550e-9aeb-ffa60a997525","title":"Conservation Buffer Initiative","identifiers":{"otherIds":{"opp:opengrants:program":{"registry":{"code":"opp:opengrants:program","url":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/registries/opp-opengrants-program.json"},"id":"md:mda-conservation-buffer-initiative"},"opp:maryland:system":{"registry":{"code":"opp:maryland:system","url":"https://md.api.cg.a6lab.ai/common-grants"},"id":"2b16a4cd-cd5d-5e33-beaa-112032163e19"}}},"status":{"value":"forecasted","description":"Expected: April 2027"},"description":"The Conservation Buffer Initiative provides Maryland farmers and landowners with incentive payments to plant streamside buffers (grass buffers, forest buffers, or watercourse access control areas) on farmland adjacent to streams or floodplains. The program aims to improve local stream health and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Three types of buffers are eligible: forest buffers planted next to waterways, grass buffers planted next to waterways or field ditches, and watercourse access control areas adjacent to pastures. Payment rates range from $500 per acre for an existing grass buffer to $4,500 per acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing. New riparian forest buffers also qualify for a one-time tree bonus payment of $1,000 per acre, and annual maintenance payments of up to $330 per acre per year are available for forest buffers during the first five years after planting. Farmers receive 75% of the project cost up front and 25% after verification of planting. Contracts run for 5 or 10 years. Local soil conservation districts provide free technical assistance for buffer installation. Enrollment is open annually from November 1 through April 30.","funding":{"details":"Up to $330","maxAwardAmount":{"amount":"330.00","currency":"USD"}},"funders":{"primary":{"id":"5d1f771c-0c8e-51d6-a127-a863a49894d4","name":"Maryland Department of Agriculture","identifiers":{"otherIds":{"org:opengrants:funder":{"registry":{"code":"org:opengrants:funder","url":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/registries/org-opengrants-funder.json"},"id":"2b78e1a6-dc1b-41ef-ade6-8d2f6ddf16e4","allIds":[{"id":"2b78e1a6-dc1b-41ef-ade6-8d2f6ddf16e4","status":"active"},{"id":"b500a56a-e0f7-454b-8efc-3778af72e1ca","status":"active"},{"id":"b78c02eb-8c5f-479c-b674-95f3a8f1570c","status":"active"},{"id":"88cead67-7621-44a1-84c2-8dda44aabc9c","status":"active"},{"id":"c0068e36-66fb-473e-b976-bea205acba13","status":"active"}]},"org:us:md:agency":{"registry":{"code":"org:us:md:agency","url":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/registries/org-us-md-agency.json"},"id":"MDA"}}}}},"keyDates":{"otherDates":{"nextCycle":{"name":"Expected next cycle","eventType":"other","details":"Expected: April 2027","description":"Projected from the program cycle, not a confirmed date"},"cycle":{"name":"Application cycle","eventType":"other","details":"Annual open enrollment period: November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026"}}},"acceptedApplicantTypes":[{"value":"for_profit_small_business","description":"Business"},{"value":"for_profit_not_small_business","description":"Business"},{"value":"individual","description":"Individual"}],"source":"https://mda.maryland.gov/conservation/grants-soil-water-conservation/conservation-buffer-initiative","customFields":{"contactInfo":{"name":"contactInfo","fieldType":"object","value":{"name":"Jason D. Keppler","email":"jason.keppler@maryland.gov","phone":"410-841-5864"},"description":"Program contact","schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/contactInfo"},"eligibilityCriteria":{"name":"eligibilityCriteria","fieldType":"object","value":{"details":"Cropland next to a stream or ditch that has an established cropping history in pasture, commodity crops or hay; Areas adjacent to watercourses with highly erodible or hydric soils, as determined by the local soil conservation district.; Field ditches are not eligible to establish woody conservation buffers.; Existing buffers or agricultural lands that are actively enrolled in state (MACS) or federal programs (CRP, CREP, EQIP, etc.) or mandated by an easement are not eligible for this program.​"},"description":"Who is eligible, in the funder's words","schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/eligibilityCriteria"},"additionalInfo":{"name":"additionalInfo","fieldType":"object","value":{"url":"https://mda.maryland.gov/","description":"Maryland Department of Agriculture grants page"},"description":"Where the agency publishes its programs","schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/additionalInfo"},"fundingInstrument":{"name":"fundingInstrument","fieldType":"string","value":"grant","description":"grant, loan, grant+loan, tax credit, rebate, in-kind or other","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"fundingSource":{"name":"fundingSource","fieldType":"string","value":"Other","description":"State, Federal, Federal and State, or Other","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"lastSyncedAt":{"name":"lastSyncedAt","fieldType":"string","value":"2026-10-29T08:48:16Z","description":"When the OpenGrants record data behind this opportunity was last refreshed (UTC)","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"stateCode":{"name":"stateCode","fieldType":"string","value":"MD","description":"USPS code of the state whose agency offers this funding","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"agencyKey":{"name":"agencyKey","fieldType":"string","value":"mda","description":"Portal key of the administering agency","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"agencyAbbrev":{"name":"agencyAbbrev","fieldType":"string","value":"MDA","description":"Administering agency abbreviation","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"agencyUrl":{"name":"agencyUrl","fieldType":"string","value":"https://mda.maryland.gov/","description":"Administering agency website","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"categories":{"name":"categories","fieldType":"array","value":["Agriculture"],"description":"Portal categories","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"applicantTypes":{"name":"applicantTypes","fieldType":"array","value":["Business","Individual"],"description":"Portal applicant types","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"purpose":{"name":"purpose","fieldType":"string","value":"Now in its 7th year, Maryland's Conservation Buffer Initiative provides farmers with attractive incentive payments to plant streamside buffers on farmland to improve the health of local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.","description":"One-line purpose","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"estimatedAmounts":{"name":"estimatedAmounts","fieldType":"string","value":"Up to $330","description":"Estimated award amounts, as published","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"howToApply":{"name":"howToApply","fieldType":"string","value":"Applications for this year's program will be accepted from through April 30​, 2027 .  Contact your local soil conservation district to apply for this program.","description":"How to apply","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"electronicSubmission":{"name":"electronicSubmission","fieldType":"string","value":"url: https://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/conservation-buffer-initiative.aspx;","description":"Where applications are submitted (url: … or email: …)","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"cycle":{"name":"cycle","fieldType":"string","value":"Annual open enrollment period: November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026","description":"Application cycle pattern","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"nextDeadlineDisplay":{"name":"nextDeadlineDisplay","fieldType":"string","value":"Expected: April 2027","description":"What the portal shows as the next deadline","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"deadlineSource":{"name":"deadlineSource","fieldType":"string","value":"cycle","description":"editorial, record or cycle","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"programSlug":{"name":"programSlug","fieldType":"string","value":"mda-conservation-buffer-initiative","description":"Stable program slug within the portal","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"programUrl":{"name":"programUrl","fieldType":"string","value":"https://opengrants.io/grants-in-maryland/#p-mda-conservation-buffer-initiative","description":"Program card on the portal page","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"upstreamSource":{"name":"upstreamSource","fieldType":"string","value":"maryland","description":"Upstream CommonGrants API this record is also served by (src/data/state-portals/upstreams.json)","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"bindingMode":{"name":"bindingMode","fieldType":"string","value":"upstream","description":"record, upstream, pending-import or none","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"verifiedOn":{"name":"verifiedOn","fieldType":"string","value":"2026-10-29","description":"Date the official page was last checked","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"},"cardStatus":{"name":"cardStatus","fieldType":"string","value":"published","description":"published, needs_review or retired","schema":"https://opengrants.io/common-grants/schemas/state-portal-v1.json"}},"createdAt":"2026-07-02T21:19:54.545Z","lastModifiedAt":"2026-10-29T00:00:00Z","competitions":[],"awards":[]}}