Utah Pollinator Habitat Program Accepting Applications Through April 15

After a 2025 state law bumped cost-share support from 25% to up to 75% of eligible planting expenses, the Utah Pollinator Habitat Program is accepting applications through April 15 for landowners, nonprofits, and government agencies looking to establish native habitat for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

The program, led by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food in partnership with Utah State University, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, supplies selected applicants with regionally appropriate native plants or seed mixes. No cash changes hands; plants are pre-selected based on the applicant's location, and the program partners with local nurseries to cultivate native species that are often difficult to source elsewhere.

Eligible applicants in Summit County and statewide include Utah residents, nonprofits, land trusts, government agencies, municipalities, tribes, academic institutions, commercial entities, and wildlife preserves. Projects must be on land owned or managed by the applicant, with a minimum footprint of 900 square feet. Applicants must also commit to a three-year follow-up period and provide irrigation for plant establishment as a condition of any award.

The program launched as a pilot after the Utah Legislature passed HB 224 in 2021. Last year's HB 251 made it permanent and, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, raised the cost-share ceiling to up to 75% of eligible planting expenses. Awarded applicants receive additional details in August, with plants available for distribution in early fall.

Program numbers from the 2025 impact report show 382 of 502 applicants received awards that year, yielding 87,000 plants grown, 37 acres converted, and an estimated 29.2 million gallons of water saved annually. Across the full 2022 to 2025 period, 1,062 of 1,654 applicants were awarded, producing 218,000 plants, 78 converted acres, and 56.3 million gallons in projected annual water savings.

All applications must be submitted through the online form on the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food's Utah Pollinator Habitat Program page. No alternative submission methods are accepted. Questions can be directed to UDAF-pollinatorhabitat@utah.gov.