The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is pleased to announce a competitive solicitation process to award USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds for projects that enhance the competitiveness and increase demand for Washington’s specialty crops.
Donor Name: Washington State Department of Agriculture
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/13/2023
Size of the Grant: $25,000 to $250,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
Definition of a specialty crop
A specialty crop is:
- fruits and vegetables
- tree nuts
- dried fruits
- horticulture
- nursery crops (including floriculture)
Eligible specialty crop plants are cultivated for food, medicinal purposes, or beautification. Processed goods should consist of more than 50% of the specialty crop by weight.
Acceptable Projects
- A non-profit requests funds to show the viability of organic small fruit production. They partner with University Extension to promote the working model to other regional growers.
- A state requests funding to contract with a university to conduct research on the feasibility of planting, cultivating, and growing a specialty crop in a specific area, the results of which will be shared with growers throughout the state
Funding Information
WSDA anticipates receiving approximately $4.7 million to award to projects enhancing the competitiveness of Washington’s specialty crops. Grant requests can range from $25,000 to $250,000. The maximum grant period for each award is three (3) years. The projects will start no earlier than September 30, 2023 and end no later than September 29, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible organizations include:
- industry associations
- producer groups
- commodity commissions
- non-profit organizations
- for-profit organizations
- local, state, and federal government entities
- educational institutions
- Projects cannot benefit a single commercial product. Projects cannot provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Recipients cannot use grant funds to compete with private companies.
For more information, visit WSDA.