Dear Colleagues,

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is accepting proposals for the 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds projects that enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops. The SCBGP is designed to support all sectors of California's specialty crop industry and improve the performance of California specialty crops within local, domestic, national, and international markets. Specialty crops are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

CDFA anticipates that up to $22 million will be awarded to projects enhancing the competitiveness of California specialty crops. Grant awards will range from $100,000 to $500,000 per project and projects may last for up to two years and six months (projects submitted to the Additional Assistance for Historically Underrepresented Organizations will range from $50,000 to $100,000 and may last up to two years). Grant funds cannot be expended before November 1, 2022, or after April 30, 2025.

CDFA has developed three funding areas, with one to three categories within each area.

Funding Area I: Market Enhancement

Proposals in this funding area will focus on increasing sales of California specialty crops through promotion of the unique qualities of specialty crops grown in California, developing new markets, increasing opportunities in existing markets, improving availability, and increasing demand.

Funding Area II: Access, Education, and Training

Proposals in this funding area will focus on improving the competitiveness of California specialty crops through improving access to and consumption of California specialty crops, providing nutritional education for consumers in order to increase consumption, and providing training for producers and growers to equip them for current and future challenges in specialty crop agriculture.

Funding Area III: Research

Proposals in this funding area will focus on improving the competitiveness of California specialty crops through projects that invest in specialty crop research, including research that focuses on conservation and environmental outcomes, pest and disease control, and organic and environmentally sustainable production practices. While research may be the primary objective of proposals in this funding area, all SCBGP projects are required to include an outreach component that communicates project efforts to specialty crop stakeholders. In developing the outreach component, applicants are strongly encouraged to include outreach to historically underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers.

Concept Proposals are due October 8, 2021 at 5:00 PM PT.  To apply, please review the full application requirements:  2022 Request for Concept Proposals.

If you do not plan to apply to the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program this funding cycle, please consider serving on the CDFA SCBGP Technical Review Committee (TRC). 

CDFA will conduct two levels of review during the concept proposal process. The first level is an administrative review to determine whether concept proposal requirements are met and, if applicable, assess an applicant's past CDFA grant performance. The second level is a technical review to evaluate the merits of the concept proposals. The Technical Review Committee will perform the technical review. The TRC is comprised of volunteers with knowledge and expertise regarding California's specialty crop industry, including growers and representatives from industry, universities, public agencies, and non-profits with an interest and expertise in specialty crops and agricultural systems. The committee reviews, evaluates, and makes recommendations to CDFA on proposals submitted for funding to California's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Individuals interested in serving on the TRC must submit a completed application form and a copy of their résumé to grants@cdfa.ca.gov before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 4, 2021. Please reference the first page of the application form for requirements and restrictions. For more information and to download the application please visit the program's website, www.cdfa.ca.gov/grants or contact CDFA's Office of Grants Administration at grants@cdfa.ca.gov or leave a message at (916) 657-3231 for additional information.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)