USDA is offering the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant which was established to solve critical industry issues through research and extension activities. SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term; new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops. Applications are due January 31, 2012. Prospective applicants are asked to email a notification of intent to submit an application by close of business on November 25, 2011



Eligible Applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, and Small businesses.

More information is available here. 

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) offers a Matching Awards Program (MAP) to provide support to nonprofit organizations and Native American tribes throughout the U.S. to engage in on-the-ground conservation and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting National Forests and Grasslands. MAP funds can be used to support conservation and restoration projects enhancing wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed health, and community-based forestry.  A common thread connecting NFF program areas is an interest in action-oriented projects that enhance the viability of natural resources while benefiting and directly engaging surrounding communities. The NFF will accept applications from non-governmental, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and Native American tribes working on or adjacent to National Forests and Grasslands throughout the United States.

All grants require at least a one-to-one cash match through non-federal donations. The application deadline is January 17, 2012.

Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the application process. MAP projects are selected for funding through a two-stage process. Applicants must first complete an online questionnaire. Those that successfully complete the questionnaire are invited to submit a proposal to the NFF.
And a helpful webinar with more information regarding this program can be found here.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is offering a free interactive webinar for those interested in learning more about how to apply for Specialty Crop Block Grants in their state.  This webinar will share  information on how you can use these grant funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.  Many projects funded in the past by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program focus on marketing and promotion, education, production, research, food safety, and pest and plant health.

Specialty crop project applications must be submitted to your State Department of Agriculture for funding consideration. State Departments of Agriculture are encouraged to partner with specialty crop stakeholders, including socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers.

There will be a live question and answer session following the formal webinar presentation. Attendees of previous webinar sessions have included growers, processors, packers and distributors of all sized operations and others along the produce supply chain, as well as representatives from academia and government.

Details regarding the time and date of the webinar are below.

Date: Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011

Subject: USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Don’t miss this informative webinar. Visit http://bit.ly/v21Rfi to register before the Dec. 9, 2011 deadline.

Or, for more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program visit USDA's website at www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp

USDA is offering the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) as a grant program to fund specialty crop industry issues through research and extension activities. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term; new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops.

Elligible applicants include: national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.

Applications are due: January 31, 2012, but a letter of intent is requestd by November 25, 2011.  For more detailed information please visit: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/specialty_crop.html 

The National Gardening Association (NGA) and The Home Depot Garden Club are offering Youth Garden Grants (YGG).  Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and inter-generational groups throughout the United States are eligible to apply.  Gardens and programs should contain some of the following: educational focus or curricular/program integration, nutrition or plant-to-food connections, environmental awareness/education, entrepreneurship, social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.Five winners will receive gift cards valued at $1,000, and 95 winners will receive $500 gift cards, for the purchase of gardening materials and supplies specific to the needs of their program from their local Home Depot store.

Applicants must plan to garden with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years.


Applications must be submitted by November 28th, 2011and can be found here.  Award announcements will be made on March 1, 2012 and distributed later that month. 

Grant awardees will be required to submit a year-end impact report due in August of 2012.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is offering USDA's National Organic Certification Cost Share Program to Hoosier Organic Producers.  Any organic producer is the state of Indiana who has been certified through a qualifying agency is eligible to receive funding through this program.   


Producers may be reimbursed for their certification or recertification expenses between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2011. Producers can receive up to 75 percent of their organic certification costs, not to exceed $750. Applications can be found on ISDA's website. Producers will need to provide a copy of their certifiers paid receipt or a copy of the certifiers invoice and some sort of proof-of-payment (canceled check or bank statement) along with the Organic Cost Share Program application form and a new vendor form.  Applications and the necessary documentation need to be submitted to ISDA by November 1, 2011.

USDA has set aside $5 million dollars for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP).  This program is intended to develop connections between two or more sectors of the food system; Support the development of entrepreneurial projects; Develop innovative connections between the for-profit and nonprofit food sectors; or Encourage long-term planning activities, and multi-system, interagency approaches with collaborations from multiple stakeholders that build the long-term capacity of communities to address the food and agricultural problems of the communities, such as food policy councils and food planning associations.

Some examples of Community Food projects include, but are not limited to, community gardens with market stands, value chain projects, food hubs, farmers’ markets, farm-to-institutions projects, and marketing & consumer cooperatives. All projects must involve low-income participants, and should address the following issues; Meet the food needs of low-income individuals; Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; Promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues; and Meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs. 

In FY 2012 CFPCGP intends to solicit applications and fund three types of grants. The types are entitled (1) Community Food Projects (CFP), (2) Planning Projects (PP) and Training and Capacity Building (TCB) Projects.

Applications are due November 17th, 2011 and more information regarding this program can be found here.  Please note USDA is offering a pre-application submission webinar to discuss the matching requirement and what costs are allowable on the project on October 27, 2011 between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm Eastern Time. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the NIFA internet site for future reference.