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September 2025 VSP newsletter |
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Program Updates
- VSP Capital Funding Update
- VSP Contracts & Billing Requirements
- VSP Reporting Guide
- Joint TP/SAC VSP Meeting:
Oct. 15, 2025
Partner Appreciations
- Welcome new VSP Statewide Advisory Committee member!
- Thank you Stevens County for hosting the SCC tour and meeting
Technical Panel VSP Site Visits
- Stevens county
- Grays Harbor county
Tools & Training Opportunities
- One-on-One County Support Sessions
- VSP Open Office Hours
- NRCS Reporting Data Guide
- VSP 5-Year Reporting Template Training & Aid Document
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 Photo By: Zorah Oppenheimer, Clark CD. (August 2018).
Funding Opportunities
- WDFW WSRRI Open Solicitation
- WSDA Local Food Systems Infrastructure Grant
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VSP Capital Funding - Round 2:
Closed September 15. Applications are under review.
Round 2 of VSP Capital Competitive funding was pulled from CPDS on September 15, 2025, with approximately $750,000 available.
Award notifications are expected to be announced by September 30, 2025.
VSP Capital Funding - Round 3:
Looking ahead, Round 3 will be pulled on December 1, 2025, with notifications targeted for December 15. Round 3 is anticipated to include about $300,000, plus any unused capital funding re-appropriated from the 23–25 biennium, and all counties will be notified of the total available funding before the round closes.
Above: Titled: Reflections on the Past & Future.
Photo By: Aneka Sweeney, Whatcom CD. (Dec 2020).
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VSP Contracts & Billing Requirements
SCC staff are working to review submitted contract documents and get new VSP contracts set up for payment.
Please be sure the following items have been submitted in addition to VSP county signed contract:
- Completed Contract Appendix D, including completion of the sections for authority to sign contracts, with a signature. Counties may designate more than one person for signing contracts. Sample signatures must be included.
- VSP budget
- Copy of any subcontract for a Technical Service Provider. This is typically a subcontract with a Conservation District but not always. SCC must receive the signed subcontract.
- VSP workgroup approved cost share rate for VSP for the 25-27 biennium. You may submit your VSP workgroup minutes. If your county VSP program will use your local CD cost share rate please confirm that via email to Nicole Boyes, nboyes@scc.wa.gov
- If county staff bill staff time to VSP, please be sure that SCC has a current Comp rate form for county staff. Contracting Composite Rate Form - HERE
- Please submit a signed Amendment 1, the amendment must be signed by a person designated as approved to sign contracts in your contract Appendix D.
SCC staff intend to begin sending our new A19s in the next week.
In the meantime you may use the A19 Template - HERE to complete your July and August billings.
Please submit the required information to Nicole Boyes, nboyes@scc.wa.gov
VSP Reporting Guide (Revised!)
Includes Technical Panel guidance, information & more on reporting!
Do you have questions about the 5 Year Report and what information to include?
Check out the updated VSP Reporting Guide!
This newly updated reporting guide was made from a collaborative effort by the Technical Panel and SCC VSP staff to provide guidance information and answer common questions regarding both upcoming reports.
Upcoming Joint TP/SAC VSP Meeting
Next Meeting: October 15, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PST)
Location: Online Only
This meeting will focus on program logistics between the SCC VSP staff, the Technical Panel & Statewide Advisory Committee. No counties are scheduled to present at this meeting. Topics discussed will include biennial planning for 5-Year reports, timelines and preparations for developing a stream-lined review process for all VSP counties and participants.
Open to the public. Registration required.
Please register HERE if attending.
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Partner Appreciations
SCC appoints new VSP Statewide Advisory Committee member, Brian Muegge!
The Voluntary Stewardship Program welcomes Brian Muegge, who was appointed on September 18, 2025 to serve as an environmental organization representative of the Statewide Advisory Committee to help administer VSP. The SAC is comprised of representatives of county, agricultural, environmental organizations, and tribal governments.
Mr. Muegge has worked for Salmon-Safe for the last 4+ years. Prior to his work with Salmon-Safe, he worked as a wildlife biologist for the US Forest Service. He also serves as a Board Member for several regional watershed advocacy groups. Mr. Muegge leads Salmon-Safe’s efforts to facilitate and deploy conservation programs and practices on commercial farms in the Pacific Northwest.
Many of the on-farm projects that Salmon-Safe supports and deploys are directly
connected to voluntary protection and enhancement of critical areas at a watershed scale. This overlap with the intent of VSP will help Mr. Muegge bring relevant perspectives to the SAC. Mr. Muegge also has experience with marketing programs and incentivization structures, which may bring additional value and expertise to VSP’s broader scope of work and needs in coming years. He is well connected to other environmental organizations and has multiple projects with Tribal partnerships across the state.
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Stevens County
August 19, 2025
Stevens County and the Stevens County Conservation District recently highlighted three VSP projects that demonstrate measurable ecological benefits across critical areas. At Bobolink Acres, upland and wetland native plantings were evaluated across multiple soil types, with emphasis on plant survival rates and adaptive maintenance strategies to enhance habitat function. In Chewelah City Park, a streambank stabilization effort along Chewelah Creek showcased how channel morphology design and deep-rooted grasses can reduce erosion risk during storm events, while existing conifers provide long-term stream shade and thermal refuge. The Columbia Community Creamery demonstrated how strengthening the viability of small dairy operations contributes to working lands conservation, sustaining farmland while reducing development pressures on critical areas. We extend special appreciation to Stevens County and the Stevens County Conservation District for their strong collaborative partnership in advancing these conservation outcomes.
 Photo Above: Showcasing Steven county's Columbia Community Creamery.
Mural by: Artist, Jamie Rose Lord, titled: Milk Matters (acrylic on panel 6' x 16').
Photo by: Victoria Fischella, WSCC, (August 2025).
Grays Harbor
September 11, 2025
The VSP Technical Panel was hosted by Grays Harbor Conservation District (GHCD) on September 11, 2025. GHCD staff met with the Technical Panel to discuss the status of their monitoring plan and ongoing preparations for the county’s 5-year report due next year. The group toured two farms implementing conservation practices with wide-ranging benefits.
At a beef cattle operation, the landowner recently installed a roof runoff structure for a new barn, reducing mud and improving soil health while enhancing livestock comfort and resilience. New fencing was also installed to support rotational grazing, improving forage quality, pasture health and contributing to long-term livestock health.
The second site visit highlighted a multi-use farm preparing to build a new manure storage facility, paired with a roof runoff system and heavy use area. These upgrades will help prevent excess nutrients, sediment, and bacteria from entering nearby waterways and overall contribute to watershed uplift.
These projects showcase how collaborative conservation can benefit both working lands and the natural resources that sustain them.
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One-on-One County Support Sessions
Reserve a Session Today! What are these session for?
These Support Sessions are designed to provide specific technical assistance to any participating VSP county and conservation district staff. Reserve a spot today for a one-on-one session with the VSP Technical Panel & VSP Commission Staff!
The objective is to provide tailored guidance to help your county succeed. These sessions are typically 1-2 hours, informal and can be scheduled easily through our online reservation system.
VSP Open Office Hours - Now through April
Next Session: October 14, 2025
Join VSP staff & Technical Panel on the second Tuesday of every month, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.!
What to expect and how to prepare:
NRCS Reporting Data Guidance
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The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Practices data includes information about conservation practices funded through the agency from 2004 to 2024 at the HUC12 watershed scale. This document is design to help you learn more about this data and how to interpret the information.
Check out the NRCS Conservation Practices Data: Overview & FAQs
VSP 5-Year Reporting Template
Training Aid & Online Video Available
Thank you to all VSP participants who joined VSP Commission in one of the five training sessions held to showcase how to complete the new 5-Year Reporting Template!
We have recorded the 5-Year Reporting Template Training Video-HERE for your review or if you were unable to attend a live session.
Be sure to check out our additional resource,
the 5-Year Reporting Template Training Aid-HERE for additional guidance and step-by-step information.
Tilth Conference + Farm & Food Symposium
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November 12-15 in Spokane Valley
The Tilth Conference and the Farm & Food Symposium are joining forces for a 4-day event full of learning and connecting in 2025!
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This year’s Tilth Conference will be held in collaboration with the Spokane Conservation District’s Farm & Food Symposium, bringing together farms of all sizes, researchers, educators, and food system leaders in Spokane Valley, WA. The event kicks off November 12–13 with workshops from Spokane CD’s Biofarming Program on soil health and food system transparency, followed by Tilth Conference programming November 13–14 with four educational tracks, keynote speakers, and networking events. The conference concludes November 15 with a three-stop Farm Walk.
Early Bird registration is open through October 1 & scholarships available.
WSRRI - Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration & Resiliency Initiative
Open Solicitation & Informational Webinar Recording
The Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative (WSRRI) will open its next solicitation for wildlife-friendly fencing and habitat restoration projects on September 22, 2025, with applications due by October 17 and funding decisions anticipated in late November. In addition, support for deferred grazing projects will be offered through a separate process, with conservation districts notified of funding availability at the end of the fire season for fires that meet specific criteria. This year, the Formstack application portal will remain open year-round to gather ongoing habitat restoration and fencing needs from partners, Tribes, and landowners (working through their local conservation district or other partners).
- All partners and landowners can submit projects, but private landowners must work with conservation districts, WDFW Private Lands Biologists, or WSRRI’s Shrubsteppe Coordinator (Kurt.Merg@dfw.wa.gov), to facilitate project submission.
- Projects will be supported with a mix of funding, as well as services and materials that WSRRI has already invested in.
- There will be additional scheduled project evaluation periods throughout the biennium as long as funding, services and materials are available to provide. While WSRRI will not be able to support all project needs, they plan to use this information to develop future funding requests.
WSRRI will host an informational webinar on September 22, 12–1 p.m., to provide additional details and answer questions.
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WSDA Local Food System Infrastructure Grant Program is Accepting Applications Aug. 14 - Sept. 25
WSDA has announced they are now accepting applications for the Local Food System Infrastructure Grant Program. These grants help build capacity in local communities by supporting farms and other businesses with the development of facilities and/or purchase of equipment for post-harvest handling (including slaughter), aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, distribution, or sale of Washington grown, caught, and raised food. These grants can make a significant impact on local and regional agricultural viability.
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STAR Program Enrollment, Hiring, and Partnerships
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The STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources) program is gaining traction in Washington and beyond—providing a free, science-based tool to evaluate the conservation impact of farm management practices. Developed in response to producer requests for tools that improve both soil health and farm profitability, STAR supports a future where soil health practices are both practical and financially viable. |
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Copyright 2025 - Washington State Conservation Commission |
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