Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 002672
Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 002672
- 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 Nov 4, 2009 and posted on Nov 3, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 14, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $47,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Nonprofits having 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.
- Applications may be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, individuals, or groups consisting of 2 or more of these entities.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that funds research and extension work aimed at solving major, real-world problems facing the specialty crop industry. In this program, "specialty crops" specifically means fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). The core idea is not just to generate academic findings, but to produce practical outcomes that help growers, supply chains, and consumers, with a clear expectation that projects will include extension and other outreach approaches that move results into the hands of producers and also communicate benefits to the broader public.
A major emphasis of SCRI is collaboration and scope. The program gives priority to proposals that are multistate, multi-institutional, or transdisciplinary, meaning NIFA is looking for teams that cross state lines, bring together multiple organizations (such as universities, labs, companies, and grower groups), and blend expertise across fields like plant science, entomology, engineering, economics, food safety, and extension education. In addition, applicants are expected to build in explicit mechanisms for communication and technology transfer, such as extension programming, field demonstrations, decision-support tools, training materials, and other concrete methods for getting findings adopted in production and processing settings.
To be competitive, a project must address at least one of five broad focus areas. First, SCRI supports plant breeding, genetics, and genomics research intended to improve crop characteristics, which can include traits tied to quality, yield, resilience, or marketability. Second, it funds efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, explicitly including threats to specialty crop pollinators, so projects can involve detection, management, and integrated approaches that protect both crops and the ecological services they rely on. Third, SCRI encourages work that improves production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term, which can cover management systems, input optimization, labor considerations, and economically grounded strategies that make operations more sustainable and competitive. Fourth, it supports new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and postharvest technologies that delay or inhibit ripening, reflecting an interest in reducing losses, improving handling, and modernizing operations where labor or timing constraints are critical. Fifth, the program funds research and applied work on food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops, including methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to risks, which aligns the program with public health protections and regulatory needs.
From the published opportunity details, this is a mandatory grant program (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA SCRI 002672; CFDA 10.309) with an estimated total funding amount of $47.3 million and an award ceiling of $10 million, with no stated award floor. Cost sharing or matching is required, so applicants need to plan for non-federal contributions as part of the budget structure. Eligible applicants are broad and include federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities (public and private), state agricultural experiment stations, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations (including for-profit entities), nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, individuals, and collaborative groups of two or more eligible entities. The opportunity was posted on November 3, 2009, created November 4, 2009, and had a closing date of January 14, 2010, with an archive date of February 15, 2010, indicating this specific listing is historical, even though the SCRI program itself continues in later funding cycles.
For support, NIFA provided a help desk contact for issues accessing the announcement (202-401-5048, business hours weekdays 7:00 am to 5:00 pm ET, excluding federal holidays) and noted that applicants could also seek guidance related to preparing application content. Overall, SCRI is designed for high-impact, applied research paired with strong extension and stakeholder engagement, with a clear preference for large, collaborative projects that can move measurable improvements into specialty crop production, protection, technology adoption, postharvest handling, and food safety.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) - FAQs
What is the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)?
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant program that funds research and extension work focused on solving major, real-world problems facing the specialty crop industry. The program emphasizes practical, usable outcomes, not just academic findings.
What does SCRI mean by "specialty crops"?
In SCRI, "specialty crops" specifically includes fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).
What kinds of outcomes does SCRI expect from funded projects?
SCRI expects projects to produce practical outcomes that help growers, supply chains, and consumers. A clear expectation is that projects will include extension and outreach approaches that get results into the hands of producers and also communicate benefits to the broader public.
Is extension or outreach required as part of an SCRI project?
Yes. SCRI is designed around applied research paired with extension and stakeholder engagement. Applicants are expected to build explicit mechanisms for communication and technology transfer, such as extension programming, field demonstrations, decision-support tools, training materials, and other concrete approaches to support adoption in production and processing settings.
Does SCRI prioritize collaborative or multi-organization projects?
Yes. A major emphasis of SCRI is collaboration and scope. The program gives priority to proposals that are multistate, multi-institutional, or transdisciplinary, meaning teams that cross state lines, involve multiple organizations, and blend expertise across multiple fields.
What does "transdisciplinary" mean in the context of SCRI?
In this program, transdisciplinary refers to teams that combine expertise across fields such as plant science, entomology, engineering, economics, food safety, and extension education, with the goal of addressing complex, real-world specialty crop challenges.
What focus areas can an SCRI project address?
To be competitive, a project must address at least one of five broad focus areas: (1) plant breeding, genetics, and genomics; (2) pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; (3) production efficiency, productivity, and profitability; (4) innovations and technology such as mechanization and postharvest technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and (5) food safety hazards in production and processing.
Do projects have to fit more than one focus area?
The opportunity states that a competitive project must address at least one of the five focus areas. It does not state that multiple focus areas are required.
What types of topics fit under plant breeding, genetics, and genomics?
This focus area supports research intended to improve crop characteristics, including traits tied to quality, yield, resilience, or marketability.
What types of topics fit under pests, diseases, and pollinator threats?
This focus area includes identifying and addressing threats from pests and diseases, explicitly including threats to specialty crop pollinators. Projects can involve detection, management, and integrated approaches that protect crops and the ecological services they rely on.
What types of topics fit under production efficiency and profitability?
This focus area covers work that improves production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term. Examples mentioned include management systems, input optimization, labor considerations, and economically grounded strategies to improve sustainability and competitiveness.
What types of topics fit under innovations and technology?
This focus area includes improved mechanization and postharvest technologies that delay or inhibit ripening, reflecting an interest in reducing losses, improving handling, and modernizing operations where labor or timing constraints are critical.
What types of topics fit under food safety?
This focus area supports research and applied work on food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops, including methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to risks. It aligns with public health protections and regulatory needs.
Who is eligible to apply for SCRI funding?
Eligible applicants include federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities (public and private), state agricultural experiment stations, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations (including for-profit entities), nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, individuals, and collaborative groups of two or more eligible entities.
Are for-profit companies allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes private organizations or corporations, including for-profit entities.
Can nonprofits apply if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status.
Can individuals apply to SCRI?
Yes. Individuals are included in the list of eligible applicants.
Can multiple organizations apply together as a team?
Yes. Collaborative groups of two or more eligible entities are listed as eligible, and the program also prioritizes multistate, multi-institutional, and transdisciplinary proposals.
Is this a mandatory grant program?
Yes. The published opportunity details describe SCRI as a mandatory grant program.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this listing?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA SCRI 002672, and the CFDA number is 10.309.
How much total funding is estimated for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount listed is $47.3 million.
What is the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $10 million.
Is there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor is stated in the published opportunity details.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, so applicants need to plan for non-federal contributions as part of the project budget structure.
What kinds of communication and technology transfer activities does SCRI expect?
The opportunity describes mechanisms such as extension programming, field demonstrations, decision-support tools, training materials, and other concrete methods for getting findings adopted in production and processing settings, along with communication of benefits to the broader public.
When was this specific opportunity posted and when did it close?
This listing was posted on November 3, 2009, created on November 4, 2009, and closed on January 14, 2010.
Is this specific grant listing current?
No. The listing includes an archive date of February 15, 2010, which indicates this specific posting is historical, even though the SCRI program continues in later funding cycles.
Who can be contacted for help with accessing the announcement or application guidance?
NIFA provided a help desk for issues accessing the announcement at 202-401-5048 (weekdays 7:00 am to 5:00 pm ET, excluding federal holidays). The opportunity also notes that applicants could seek guidance related to preparing application content.
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