Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS SCBGP 2014
Apply for USDA AMS SCBGP 2014
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.170 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 17, 2014 and posted on Apr 17, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 9, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill opportunity is a mandatory federal grant program administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) that set aside roughly 67 million dollars nationwide (minus AMS administrative costs) to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops. In this program, "specialty crops" has a specific meaning and includes fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, and a broad set of horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. The central purpose is not general agriculture support, but targeted investments that improve how these specialty crop sectors perform in the marketplace and across the supply chain, often through activities like marketing, innovation, food safety, research, education, and other capacity-building work that helps the specialty crop industry compete more effectively.
Unlike many federal grants where private organizations apply directly to the federal agency, this program is structured as a pass-through block grant: AMS awards funds to state-level agriculture agencies, and those state departments of agriculture then run their own processes to distribute funding within the state. Eligible applicants at the federal level are state governments, specifically the official agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture in each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories and commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Organizations or individuals who are not a state department of agriculture are not eligible to apply directly to AMS for this funding, and are instead directed to work through their local state department of agriculture.
States are encouraged to be proactive in how they manage these funds. The announcement emphasizes outreach to specialty crop stakeholders and explicitly calls out socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers as groups that states should consider when publicizing the opportunity and shaping their state-level competition. In practice, this means states are expected to run a competitive grant proposal process at the state level, solicit project ideas from eligible in-state applicants (which can vary by state rules), and then submit a consolidated application to AMS describing the projects and how they will collectively enhance specialty crop competitiveness.
Key administrative details from the posting include the funding opportunity number USDA AMS SCBGP 2014, CFDA number 10.170, and a grant funding instrument type under the agriculture activity category. The opportunity anticipated 56 awards, reflecting awards across states and eligible territories. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement listed, which generally lowers the barrier to participation at the state and sub-award level (though individual states may still impose their own program expectations). The announcement was posted on April 17, 2014, and applications from state departments of agriculture to AMS were due by July 9, 2014, with the opportunity later archived on August 8, 2014. For practical next steps, the program directs interested parties to find state contacts and state requests for proposals on the AMS SCBGP website (www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp), since that is where non-state entities would typically find instructions for applying to their state-run competition rather than to AMS directly.
For assistance with the federal announcement itself, the listed point of contact was Trista Etzig, Project Manager, reachable at 202-690-4942, identified as the contact for questions and for help accessing the full announcement electronically.
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill (USDA AMS) - FAQs
1) What is the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill opportunity?
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a mandatory federal grant program administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It sets aside roughly $67 million nationwide (minus AMS administrative costs) to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops through targeted investments.
2) What is the main purpose of SCBGP funding?
The central purpose is to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of specialty crops, including improvements across the marketplace and supply chain. It is intended for targeted sector investments rather than general agriculture support.
3) What does “specialty crops†mean under this program?
In SCBGP, “specialty crops†has a specific meaning and includes fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, and a broad range of horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.
4) What kinds of projects does SCBGP typically support?
The announcement describes activities such as marketing, innovation, food safety, research, education, and other capacity-building work designed to help the specialty crop industry compete more effectively.
5) Is SCBGP a direct federal grant to private organizations?
No. SCBGP is structured as a pass-through block grant program. AMS awards funds to state-level agriculture agencies, and those state departments of agriculture run their own processes to distribute funding within the state.
6) Who is eligible to apply to USDA AMS for SCBGP funds at the federal level?
Eligible applicants at the federal level are state governments, specifically the official agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture in each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories and commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
7) Can individuals, farms, nonprofits, universities, or businesses apply directly to AMS for this opportunity?
No. Organizations or individuals that are not a state department of agriculture are not eligible to apply directly to AMS for this funding. They are directed to work through their local state department of agriculture.
8) How do non-state applicants pursue SCBGP funding if they cannot apply to AMS?
They would typically look for their state’s SCBGP request for proposals and state contact information via the AMS SCBGP website (www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp), since states run the competitive process and then submit a consolidated application to AMS.
9) How does the state-level process work in general?
States are expected to conduct outreach to specialty crop stakeholders, run a competitive grant proposal process at the state level, solicit project ideas from eligible in-state applicants (subject to each state’s rules), and submit a consolidated application to AMS describing the projects and how they enhance specialty crop competitiveness.
10) Are states encouraged to target outreach to any specific groups?
Yes. The announcement emphasizes outreach to specialty crop stakeholders and explicitly calls out socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers as groups states should consider when publicizing the opportunity and shaping their state-level competition.
11) How much funding is available under this program nationwide?
The posting indicates roughly $67 million nationwide, minus AMS administrative costs.
12) How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated 56 awards, reflecting awards across states and eligible territories.
13) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed in the posting, which generally lowers barriers to participation at the state and sub-award level. However, individual states may still set their own expectations.
14) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA AMS SCBGP 2014, and the CFDA number is 10.170.
15) What is the grant instrument type and activity category?
The posting lists a grant funding instrument type under the agriculture activity category.
16) When was the opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted on April 17, 2014.
17) When were applications due to USDA AMS?
Applications from state departments of agriculture to AMS were due by July 9, 2014.
18) Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was later archived on August 8, 2014.
19) Where should applicants look for current state contacts and state requests for proposals?
The program directs interested parties to the AMS SCBGP website (www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp) to find state contacts and state requests for proposals, since state agencies administer the in-state competitions.
20) Who is the federal point of contact for questions about the announcement?
The listed point of contact was Trista Etzig, Project Manager, reachable at 202-690-4942, identified as the contact for questions and help accessing the full announcement electronically.
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