The Maryland Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a reimbursable grant program to enhance the competitiveness of Maryland’s specialty crops.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement
Deadline: 03/31/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) administers the program with funding made available from the Farm Bill through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service.
Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs and spices, honey, hops, grapes, maple syrup, Christmas trees, and nursery crops.
Priorities
- Increasing Consumption and Consumer Purchasing of Specialty Crops
- Improving Efficiency and Reducing Costs of Distribution Systems of Specialty Crops
- Improve Pest and Disease Control Processes
- Expand Specialty Crop Research and Development
- Improve Environmental Sustainability of Specialty Crops
- Increase Food Safety Knowledge and Processes
- Develop New Seed Varieties and Specialty Crops
Funding Information
MDA anticipates approximately $400,000 will be available in SCBGP funds. Competitive grants will be awarded for projects with a minimum of $15,000. The Maryland SCBGP grants have ranged from $15,000 – $140,000. SCBGP grant funds will be awarded for projects up to 2 years in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
- 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.
- More than one project application per applicant may be submitted. Projects may be submitted by a single organization or combined entities. Multi-state projects to address a growing need for solutions to problems that cross state boundaries are also eligible.
- Applicants must have the support of a specific specialty crop organization or group with at least three specialty crop producers. Letters of support need to be submitted. 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.
For more information, visit MDA.
