The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is accepting applications for 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Donor Name: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
State: Iowa
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/10/2023
Size of the Grant: $30,000
Details:
Funding Source
USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) provides the funds to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state. IDALS has set the maximum amount of a sub award at $30,000. However, if it is determined there are not enough qualified projects to award all available funding from USDA, the Department reserves the right to re-evaluate the maximum amount to be awarded on a per project basis at its sole discretion in order to utilize all funding available.” This is an increase from the previous $24,000 cap.
Eligible Entities
- IDALS will accept proposals for consideration for specialty crop block grant funds from Iowa agencies, universities, institutions, and producer, industry, and community based organizations. To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) must solely enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to single organization, institution, or individual. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners. Applicants must be a legal entity and have the legal capacity to contract.
- Eligible applicants must reside, and/or conduct their business or organization in Iowa and must be in good standing. Awardees will be required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. The UEI is a 12- character alphanumeric Id assigned to an entity. This number is replacing the DUNS number. If you are registered in SAM.gov you already have a Unique Entity ID. It is viewable at SAM.gov.
Eligible Grant Projects
To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Additional points are awarded to projects that are within the identified priority areas.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) encourages projects pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry: increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; assisting all entities in the specialty crops distribution chain in developing Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices, and Good Manufacturing Practices, and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems for small farmers, packers, and processors; investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes: enhancing food safety; developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops; pest and disease control; and development of organic and sustainable production practices. Increasing competitiveness may include developing local and regional food systems, and improving food access in underserved communities.
Applicants should describe how the project potentially impacts and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual. Please refer to the Performance Measure Information Sheet.
Examples of Acceptable Projects
- A university requests grant funds to conduct research on the feasibility of planting, cultivating, and growing a specialty crop in a particular area, the results of which can be shared with many growers throughout the State.
- A single grower requests funds to demonstrate the viability of organic small fruit production and partners with Cooperative 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 the region, which currently does not have one.
- A single specialty crop organization requests funds to conduct an advertising campaign that will benefit their specialty crop members.
- A single farmer erects high tunnels on their 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 methods.
For more information, visit IDALS.
