The Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2013 Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) Program was issued November 1, 2012.
Concept proposals are due December 7, 2012.
The purpose of the program is to:
(1) Enhance
the marketability and competitiveness of specialty crops through the
development of markets (local, domestic, and international) for all
California producers to leverage the work and commitment of a diversity
of stakeholders;
(2) Expand access to healthy, safe California specialty crops at school, at work and in their neighborhoods
(3)
Expand stewardship practices, natural resource conservation and the
development of ecosystem services to improve the environmental and
financial performance of California specialty crop growers
(4) Ensure the viability of California specialty crops by investing in the next generation of operators
Specialty
crops are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture,
and nursery crops (including floriculture). Visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgp for a comprehensive list of specialty crops.
Funding
Grant
awards ranging from $50,000 to $400,000 for two years, nine months and
cannot be expended before October 1, 2013 or after June 30, 2016. Funding is contingent upon passage of the Farm Bill (Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012).
Solicitation Process
California
has a two-step process, which is not the case in every state.
Applicants first submit a concept proposal; CDFA will then invite
selected applicants to submit full proposals based on their review of
the concept proposals. Applicants typically have about 30 days to
complete a concept proposal and about 45 to complete a full proposal.
Although
Concept Proposals may address multiple Funding Categories, applicants
must select a single category that is the primary focus of their
proposal. There is no limit
to the number of concept proposals applicants may submit, however each
submission must represent a unique project.
Following are a list of Funding Categories areas identified by CDFA, detailed below.
(1) Market Enhancement
(2) Agricultural Education
(3) Nutrition
(4) Environmental Stewardship and Conservation
(5) Plant Health and Invasive Species Impact Mitigation
(6) Food Safety
(1) Market Enhancement
Projects
that promote the California Grown message and increase or develop
long-term sales and competitiveness of specialty crop products. Examples include:
- Support statewide market promotion and awareness of specialty crops
- Support specialty crop marketing concepts that target the unique characteristics of local and regional areas
- Increase customers and sales of California specialty crops at Certified Farmers’ Markets
(2) Agricultural Education
Projects
that improve the public’s knowledge and understanding of specialty crop
agriculture and its beneficial importance to the health and well-being
of all Californians. Examples include:
- Strengthen specialty crop agricultural job training skills for beginning farmers
- Educate consumers about California’s specialty crops
- Reconnect communities with specialty crop production
- Educate the public about the identity and threat of invasive species to California specialty crops
(3) Nutrition
Projects
that improve access and consumption of specialty crops and/or that
integrate human health and nutrition with specialty crops. Examples include:
- Increase participation in under-utilized federal nutrition assistance programs
- Develop community and school gardens, urban farms, and other innovative projects that support local and regional food systems
- Increase
consumption of specialty crops among all populations through vigorous
marketing, promotion and public/private partnerships
- Implement school initiatives that link cafeterias, classrooms, gardens, parents, worksites, and communities with local farmers
- Develop
farm-to-fork networks that include schools, worksites, retail, and
restaurant outlets to connect local agriculture with nearby communities
- Promote and/or demonstrate the health benefits of California specialty crops
(4) Environmental Stewardship and Conservation
Projects
that enhance soil health and the conservation of agricultural land,
water, habitat, and biodiversity as well as proposals that address
agriculture’s specialty crop contribution to adaptation and/or
mitigation of climate change. Examples include:
- Integrate resource base issues (i.e. improve both air and water resources)
- Address regulatory challenges for California’s specialty crop growers
- Assist communities and/or decision makers in planning for specialty crop agriculture
- Assist
growers “in adapting to” climate change by conducting research and
implementation of strategies where technologies are already available –
such as water use efficiency and invasive pest detection, control and
management
- Accelerate Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation for water conservation and efficiency
(5) Plant Health and Invasive Species Impact Mitigation
Projects that address pests and diseases that affect the production of California’s specialty crops. This
includes applied research related to the probability and impact of
invasive pest, disease and weed threats to specialty crops, and research
to develop tools to detect, eradicate and control pests and diseases. Examples include:
- Enhance the speed and reliability of detection
- Develop new tools for eradication
- Develop plants resistant to pests and diseases
- Develop secondary inspection and detection capacity
- Conduct pest surveys to ascertain threat and spread of threat
- Develop pest protocol programs for a subsector of specialty crops
(6) Food Safety
CDFA has a partnership agreement with the University of California, Davis’ Center for Produce Safety (CPS). CPS will release a separate food safety proposal solicitation. Please contact CPS at (530) 757-5777 or visit the CPS website at http://cps.ucdavis.edu for the solicitation timeline and proposal requirements.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
- Non Profit Organizations
- For Profit Organizations
- Local, State and Federal Governmental Entities
- Tribal Governments
- Public and Private Colleges and Universities
Proposals
must solely benefit the production of, and access to, California
specialty crops. Grant funds will not be awarded for proposals that
directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization,
institution, or individual. Cooperatives and for-profit organizations
may be awarded SCBG grants with sufficient evidence that the project
will benefit the industry.
MATCHING REQUIREMENTS
Match funds are not required, however they are strongly encouraged.
Contact Morrison & Company for more information on this grant and our grant writing services:
Morrison
& Company's historic success rate with grant proposals is
approximately 83%. Our capacity is limited and we always have more
requests to assist than we can accommodate. If you are interested,
please contact us as soon as possible.
About Morrison & Company
Morrison & Company provides business valuations, business
planning (including budgeting, cash flow forecasting, strategic
planning), feasibility studies, interim executive CFO services,
competitive grant writing and is routinely engaged to tackle special
projects that don't fit into any conventional category. Morrison &
Company specializes in agricultural grants, farm grants, environmental
grants and alternative energy grants.
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