The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a federal grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of Colorado specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).
Donor Name: Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)
State: Colorado
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/16/2024
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The SCBGP assists State departments of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by:
- Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;
- Assisting producers with research and development related to specialty crops;
- Expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and
- Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Project Priorities
Applicants are encouraged to develop projects pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:
- Enhancing food safety;
- Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes;
- Developing adaptation and mitigation strategies for farmers impacted by drought;
- Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops;
- Pest and disease control;
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems;
- Developing local and regional food systems;
- Improving food access in underserved communities and among veterans; and
- Sustainability.
CDA’s priorities include:
- Supporting the next generation of farmers and ranchers;
- Scaling-up high-value agriculture and diverse market opportunities;
- Investing in new agricultural technology; and
- Promoting and incentivizing soil, water, and climate stewardship.
Funding Information
Colorado will award approximately $700,000 to projects through the 2024 SCBGP application period. Grant funds are available only for projects that support specialty crops grown in the State of Colorado and are intended to supplement (not replace) private, state, or third party participant funding.
Grant Period
January 1, 2025 to November 15, 2026.
Project Eligibility
A project is a set of interrelated tasks with a cohesive, distinct, specified, and defined goal. It follows a planned, organized approach over a fixed period of time and within specific limitations (cost, performance/quality, etc.). Additionally, it uses resources that are specifically allocated to the work of the project and usually involves a team of people.
Projects are different from other ongoing operations in an organization because, unlike operations, projects have a definitive beginning and end – they have a limited duration. A project has an overarching goal that the applicant wants to accomplish through a series of individual activities or tasks.
Examples of acceptable projects:
- A university requests funding to conduct research on the feasibility of planting, cultivating, and growing a specialty crop in a particular area, the results of which will be shared with many growers throughout the State during the project.
- A single grower requests funds to demonstrate the viability of organic small fruit production and partners with Extension to publicize the working model of diversification to other regional growers.
- A single company requests funds to provide a viable pollination alternative to specialty crop stakeholders in a region that currently does not have one.
- A single non-profit organization requests funds to conduct an advertising campaign that will benefit their specialty crop members.
- A single farmer erects high tunnels on his/her property to extend the growing season of tomatoes and lettuce and conducts a field day and farm tour to encourage other small family farmers to adopt the production method.
Eligibility Criteria
Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and/or local organizations, academia, and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply.
For more information, visit CDA.
