The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is pleased to announce a competitive grant process to award Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds for projects that enhance the competitiveness of U.S. grown specialty crops.
Donor Name: Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/06/2022
Size of the Grant: $15,000 – $140,000
Grant Duration: 2 years
Details:
The purpose of the Maryland Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to enhance the competitiveness of Maryland specialty crops including fruits and vegetables, culinary herbs and spices, honey, hops, grapes, maple syrup, Christmas trees and nursery crops. MDA awards SCBGP funds through a competitive review process guided by industry, nonprofit and government stakeholders.
Funding Information
Competitive grants will be awarded for projects with a minimum of $15,000. The Maryland SCBGP grants have ranged from $15,000 – $140,000.
Grant Duration
SCBGP grant funds will be awarded for projects up to 2 years.
Funding Priorities
Grant applications that focus on one of the areas below will be given priority based on the 2021 Maryland Specialty Crop Block Grant survey.
- Food Safety Compliance
- Proposed projects should meet specialty crop buyer requirements for mitigating food safety risks.
- Market Enhancement
- Proposed projects should increase sales product and market share of Maryland specialty crops by leveraging the Maryland’s Best brand through cooperative promotion and partnerships for restaurants, grocery stores, institutions, and other businesses.
- Research
- Proposed projects should improve the competitiveness of Maryland specialty crops through research projects such as pest control and disease, soil quality, water efficiency, cleaningsanitation, water quality for crops or prepost-harvest handling, manure or composting as it relates to Food Safety Modernization Act.
- Research applicants are encouraged to seek at least 5% of the total budget from Maryland specialty crop producers or industry. Research applicants must demonstrate an outreach component to the specified industry impacted by the project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must have the support of a specific specialty crop organization or group with at least three specialty crop producers.
- Proposals submitted by individual producers must demonstrate that the potential impact of the project will be for a broader group of similar producers or industry segment. Projects must also be identified as a priority of the industry.
- Proposals will be accepted from non-profit organizations, producer organizations, government agencies, universities, and other organizations involved in Maryland agriculture. Applicants must reside in Maryland or their business or educational affiliation must be in Maryland. Those applicants that are non-profit or for-profit, if awarded a grant, will be required to provide verification of their status. Applicants may cooperate with any public or private organization.
For more information, visit Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
