The Drought Plan Program provides Colorado farmers and ranchers with personalized advising and financial incentives to craft and implement strategic and actionable drought plans for their agricultural operations.
Applications are closed for 2023/2024.
The Drought Plan Program aims to:
- Increase agricultural producers’ preparedness and resilience in the face of long-term drought
- Secure the viability of our state’s agricultural businesses and communities
- Connect farmers and ranchers to a network of technical service providers and producers
How it works

WHY DROUGHT PLANNING?
There’s no question as to whether or not Colorado farmers and ranchers are aware of drought. Whether on the Eastern Plains, the Western Slope, or the San Luis Valley, drought and water availability are a dominant factor in every agricultural operation in the state.
However, we know that farmers and ranchers are busy people. Drought planning takes time, and when you are busy running an operation, time can be difficult to come by. Our financial incentives compensate producers for their time and the effort required to produce a strategic drought plan.
There is also a great deal of uncertainty surrounding drought. Creating a clear and actionable plan can reduce uncertainty and stress, and it can help a producer identify actions over which they have control. Further, our financial incentives help cover some of the initial cost to service providers, helping to move producers from planning to action.
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM
- One-on-one advising with technical experts based on your specific operational needs
- Free materials and resources for crafting and adapting a drought plan
- A $500 incentive payment for the completion of a drought plan, along with payments of up to $1,000 to jump start drought plan implementation (with receipt/ invoice)
- Access to a network of producers, technical professionals, service providers, and drought assistance to act as a continual resource of knowledge, assistance, and support for long-term drought preparedness and resilience
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for 2023/2024 have closed! Please contact our Project Manager or visit our website in the fall of 2024 for news of any future programming.
CONTACT
If you have any questions about the Program, please contact:
Tori Kauffman, Project Manager
(970) 231-0510