Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 003562
Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 003562
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture employment, labor and training environment food and nutrition health natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialty Crop Research Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.309 Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2011 and posted on Oct 27, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2012 Prospective applicants are asked to email a notification of intent to submit an application by close of business on November 25, 2011 (500 p.m. Eastern Time).. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $47,300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Private institutions of higher education Individuals Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- For the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, applications may be submitted by Federal agencies, 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and is designed to tackle major, high-priority problems facing the specialty crop sector through coordinated research and extension work. The program is aimed at producing practical, real-world outcomes for growers and the broader supply chain, not just academic findings. A key expectation is that funded projects will include clear, deliberate plans for getting results into the hands of producers and communicating benefits to the public, which reflects SCRI's emphasis on on-the-ground impact and public value.
SCRI places strong priority on projects that bring together partners across state lines, multiple institutions, and different disciplines. In other words, proposals are expected to look bigger than a single lab or a single state, and they should integrate expertise such as plant science, engineering, economics, food safety, entomology, plant pathology, and extension education as needed. The intent is to support teams that can address complex industry challenges at a scale and depth that matches the problems specialty crop producers face.
To be competitive, a project must address at least one of five core focus areas. The first area is plant breeding, genetics, and genomics, with the goal of improving crop traits and characteristics that matter to growers, markets, and consumers. The second area targets pests and diseases, including work that protects specialty crops and also addresses threats to pollinators that are essential to specialty crop production. The third area centers on improving production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term, which can include management systems, decision tools, or approaches that reduce costs and increase resilience. The fourth area supports innovations and new technologies, including improved mechanization as well as technologies that delay or inhibit ripening, which can help with post-harvest handling, storage, quality, and supply chain performance. The fifth area is food safety, supporting methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential hazards during production and processing of specialty crops.
This opportunity was listed as a discretionary grant program under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA SCRI 003562, with the CFDA number 10.309 (Specialty Crop Research Initiative). It included a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources or matching funds as specified by program rules. The posting date was October 27, 2011, with an original and current closing date of January 31, 2012, and it also requested that prospective applicants email a notification of intent to submit by November 25, 2011 (5:00 p.m. Eastern). The award ceiling shown for the opportunity was $47,300,000, with no stated award floor.
Eligibility was broad and designed to encourage participation from many parts of the research and production ecosystem. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, individuals, and additional entities as described in the full announcement. The eligibility description also indicates that applications could be submitted by federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions, private organizations or corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups made up of two or more of these types of entities, reinforcing the program's preference for collaborative, multi-entity teams.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the announcement or dealing with electronic submission issues, NIFA provided help desk support by phone during standard business hours. The full program details, including specific requirements for matching, allowable costs, application components, and evaluation criteria, were referenced through the additional information link provided in the announcement.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) - FAQs
What is the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)?
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to address major, high-priority problems in the specialty crop sector through coordinated research and extension efforts.
What is the main purpose of SCRI funding?
SCRI funding is intended to produce practical, real-world outcomes for specialty crop growers and the broader supply chain. The program emphasizes on-the-ground impact and public value, rather than research that is primarily academic in nature.
What does SCRI mean by "coordinated research and extension"?
Based on the opportunity description, SCRI expects projects to combine research activities with extension-focused efforts so that results are actively translated into usable practices, tools, or guidance for producers and stakeholders.
Is there an expectation to communicate results beyond researchers?
Yes. A key expectation is that funded projects include clear and deliberate plans for getting results into the hands of producers and communicating benefits to the public. This reflects SCRI's emphasis on measurable, practical impact and public value.
Does SCRI prefer single-organization projects or collaborations?
SCRI places strong priority on collaborative projects that bring together partners across state lines, multiple institutions, and different disciplines. Proposals are expected to be bigger than a single lab or single state when the industry problem requires broader scale and depth.
What kinds of partners and disciplines are encouraged in SCRI proposals?
The program encourages multi-disciplinary teams that may include expertise such as plant science, engineering, economics, food safety, entomology, plant pathology, and extension education, as appropriate for the problem being addressed.
What are the required topic areas (focus areas) for SCRI projects?
To be competitive, a project must address at least one of five core SCRI focus areas. These are: (1) plant breeding, genetics, and genomics; (2) pests and diseases (including pollinator threats); (3) production efficiency, productivity, and profitability; (4) innovations and new technologies (including mechanization and ripening delay/inhibition); and (5) food safety.
What is included in the plant breeding, genetics, and genomics focus area?
This focus area supports work to improve crop traits and characteristics that matter to growers, markets, and consumers, using approaches tied to breeding, genetics, and genomics.
What does the pests and diseases focus area cover?
This focus area covers projects that protect specialty crops from pests and diseases and also includes efforts that address threats to pollinators that are essential to specialty crop production.
What does the production efficiency, productivity, and profitability focus area involve?
This focus area centers on improving long-term production efficiency, productivity, and profitability. It can include management systems, decision tools, or approaches intended to reduce costs and increase resilience.
What types of innovations are supported under the innovations and new technologies focus area?
This focus area supports innovations and new technologies, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening. These technologies may help improve post-harvest handling, storage, quality, and overall supply chain performance.
What does SCRI mean by the food safety focus area?
The food safety focus area supports methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential hazards during the production and processing of specialty crops.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this SCRI listing?
The Funding Opportunity Number shown in the listing is USDA NIFA SCRI 003562.
What is the CFDA number for SCRI?
The opportunity lists CFDA number 10.309, identified as the Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
Was this a discretionary or mandatory grant program?
This listing identifies the opportunity as a discretionary grant program.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity states there is a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were required to contribute non-federal resources or matching funds as specified by program rules.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date shown in the listing is October 27, 2011.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date shown is January 31, 2012.
Was there a notification of intent to submit, and when was it due?
Yes. Prospective applicants were requested to email a notification of intent to submit by November 25, 2011 (5:00 p.m. Eastern).
What was the maximum total funding shown (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling displayed for the opportunity was $47,300,000.
Was an award floor listed?
No award floor was stated in the listing.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. The listing includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, individuals, and additional entities as described in the full announcement.
Could federal agencies or national laboratories apply?
Yes. The eligibility description indicates that applications could be submitted by federal agencies and national laboratories, among other types of organizations.
Are multi-entity or group applications allowed?
Yes. The eligibility language indicates that applications could be submitted by groups made up of two or more eligible entity types, aligning with SCRI's preference for collaborative, multi-entity teams.
What types of institutions are specifically mentioned as potential applicants?
The listing mentions colleges and universities, research institutions, private organizations or corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, and groups composed of multiple eligible entity types.
Where can applicants find details like allowable costs, application components, and evaluation criteria?
The opportunity states that full program details (including matching requirements, allowable costs, application components, and evaluation criteria) were available via the additional information link provided in the announcement.
Was help available for accessing the announcement or electronic submission issues?
Yes. NIFA provided help desk support by phone during standard business hours for applicants needing assistance accessing the announcement or dealing with electronic submission issues.
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