Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** heirs' property is considered the…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** heirs' property is considered the biggest problem most have never heard of. IT is simply property (LAND) that has been passed down to heirs without a will. IT has been the largest cause of black LAND loss but is an issue that extends to all communities across america. This project is designed to address inequities that are occurring among underserved farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and operators in being aware, understanding and accessing US department of agriculture (USDA) programs. In addition, a major barrier to accessing USDA programs and a major cause of LAND loss among these landowners – heirs' property – will be addressed. The center for heirs' property preservation™ (or chpp™), established in 2005, has a mission of protecting heirs' property (HP) and promoting the sustainable use of LAND to provide increased economic benefit to historically underserved families across a 22-county area in the lowcountry of south carolina (SC). Chpp™ employsthree key strategies to accomplish this mission – all of which generate and root local wealth: a) prevention of LAND loss through landowner engagement, education, and organizing; B) legal resolution of heirs' property title issues; and C) promoting sustainable LAND use by technically assisting landowners in restoring the ecological health and productivity of their forest and farmland. Chpp™ implements these strategies in 22 of the state's 46 counties. With the assistance of this cooperative agreement, chpp™ will expand to serve all 46 counties across the state of south carolina. These goals will be accomplished through conducting workshops, seminars, informational packets, presentations, landowner symposia and clinics and the provision of education, technical assistance and direct legal services for these landowners. The provision of these services will result in: increased knowledge of forestry/agriculture techniques, increased number of hulos applying for cost-share funds, increased awareness and knowledge of heirs' property resolution, titles resolved, estate plans drafted, increased chpp™ and its partners have started an economic and conservation movement that creates wealth among landowners. Chpp™ protects family LAND by equipping families with the tools they need to build wealth and grow healthy working landscapes. All these efforts are critical to building local economies, enhancing rural business development, and fostering agricultural enterprises that are climate-smart, resilient and can ultimately produce global benefits (emission reduction, food security, poverty reduction).