FACT SHEET

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

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June 2011

Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP)

Overview

The Voluntary Public Access 

and Habitat Incentive Program 

(VPA-HIP) is a competitive 

grants program authorized under 

Section 1240R of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, 

and is only available for states 

and tribal governments. Up to 

$50 million is available through 

fiscal year 2012. 

The primary objective of the 

VPA-HIP is to encourage owners 

and operators of privately-held 

farm, ranch and forest land to 

voluntarily make that land available for access by the public for 

wildlife-dependent recreation, 

including hunting or fishing, 

under programs implemented by 

state or tribal governments. 

Grantees that are states will have 

the grant amount reduced by 25 

percent if opening dates for migratory bird hunting in the state 

are not consistent for residents 

and non-residents. This reduction does not apply to grantees 

that are tribal governments.

Regulations at 7 CFR part 1455 

govern the VPA-HIP.

Background

A number of states and tribal 

governments have public access 

programs for hunting, fishing, 

and other related activities. 

These programs provide rental 

payments and other incentives, 

such as technical or conservation services, to landowners who 

allow recreation on their land 

by the public, including hunting, fishing, or other appropriate 

activities.

 

The majority of the existing public access programs have limited 

scope and budgets; most existing 

programs have an annual budget 

of less than one million dollars 

per year. The goals of these existing programs include providing access for wildlife-associated 

recreation, wildlife management, 

helping local economies that 

depend on revenue from hunters, 

and encouraging conservation. 

The funding provided by the 

VPA-HIP will help states and 

tribal governments address many 

issues that can greatly increase 

access and recreational experiences. Grant recipients will be 

able to use the funding to provide additional landowner incentives and conservation assistance 

and increase acreage available 

for public access. 

Nothing in the VPA-HIP preempts liability laws that may 

apply to activities on any property related to grants made in 

this program; however, a number 

of states provide limited liability 

protection to landowners participating in state public access 

programs.

How the Program Works

Periodically, the Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) acting on behalf 

of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will publish a Request for Applications (RFA) on 

the federal government’s grants 

portal at www.grants.gov.

The RFA highlights considerations that should be adequately 

described in VPA-HIP applications and identifies evaluation 

criteria that will be used by FSA 

to determine VPA-HIP applications that will be approved and 

awarded funding. State and tribal 

governments submit applications 

to FSA through 

www.grants.gov. A federal interagency panel reviews and scores 

applications against evaluation 

criteria. FSA considers interagency review panel scoring in 

making a determination of which 

applications will be approved to 

receive VPA-HIP funding. Approved applicants must complete 

additional financial agreements 

and related assurances, and a 

programmatic environment assessment, before VPA-HIP funds 

awarded are released to them.

Who Can Participate

Only states and tribal governments are eligible for federal 

VPA-HIP funding. States and 

tribal governments may propose 

to use VPA-HIP grant funding 

to expand existing public access 

programs, create new public 

access programs, and/or provide 

incentives to enhance wildlife 

habitat on lands enrolled in state 

or tribal government public access programs.
FACT SHEET

VPA-HIP June 2011

Funding Priorities

Funding priority is given to 

applications that use VPA-HIP 

grant funding to implement public access programs to address 

these objectives:

• Maximize participation by 

landowners; 

• Ensure that land enrolled in 

the program has appropriate 

wildlife habitat; 

• Provide incentives to 

strengthen wildlife habitat 

improvement efforts on Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) land;

• Supplement funding and 

services from other federal, 

state, tribal government 

or private resources that is 

provided in the form of cash 

or in-kind services and;

• Provide information to the 

public about the location of 

public access land.

Current Participation

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, 

Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, 

North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, 

Washington, and Wisconsin were 

approved for VPA-HIP funding 

and awarded multi-year (based 

on the availability of out-year 

funding) grants in 2010. 

California, Georgia, Hawaii, 

Montana, New Hampshire, 

North Dakota, Pennsylvania, 

Texas, Virginia, Washington, and 

Wyoming, and the Confederated 

Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 

Nation were approved for VPAHIP funding and will be awarded 

new or additional VPA-HIP 

funding in 2011.

For More Information

For more information on VPAHIP, contact a local FSA office 

or visit FSA’s web site at: http://

www.fsa.usda.gov/vpa.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) prohibits discrimination in 

all of its programs and activities on 

the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial 

status, parental status, religion, 

sexual orientation, political beliefs, 

genetic information, reprisal, or 

because all of part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public 

assistance program. (Not all bases 

apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, 

large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 

(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 

Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-

9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-

9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 

(TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English 

Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 

(Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is 

an equal opportunity provider and 

employer.

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