IDALS Specialty Crop Block Grant

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) administers the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). This grant program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Iowa by supporting a wide range of initiatives that serve the industry as a whole. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. The SCBGP emphasizes projects that deliver measurable impacts across the specialty crop supply chain and meet statewide agricultural priorities. For the 2026 grant cycle, IDALS has set a maximum subaward amount of $30,000 per project. Funding is intended to support efforts such as research, education, market development, infrastructure, production innovation, and food safety initiatives that benefit multiple producers or sectors. Projects benefiting individual businesses or promoting specific commercial products for profit are not eligible. The program does not require cost-share or matching funds and explicitly requests that applicants refrain from including any such information in their proposals. However, documentation of other funding support may be included in letters of support submitted to the review committee. Eligible applicants include Iowa-based agencies, universities, institutions, community-based organizations, producers, and industry groups. Proposals must enhance the competitiveness of Iowa-grown specialty crops without directly benefiting a single entity. Applicants must be legal entities in good standing and registered in SAM.gov with a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The program is open statewide without regional restrictions, but projects aligning with IDALS’s 2026 priority areas—such as expanding markets, increasing yields, providing technical assistance, or improving nutrition education—will receive higher scoring consideration during review. Applicants must submit their proposals by 4:00 PM on March 6, 2026. Submissions can be sent via email, mail, or hand delivery, with electronic submission strongly preferred. Each submission must include three components: a USDA-provided Project Profile Template, materials for the review committee (including the signed cover sheet, work plan, bios of key personnel, three letters of support, and documentation of matching funds if applicable), and administrative documents (SAM.gov registration, W-9, and the grantee self-assessment). The use of the official Project Profile Template and adherence to the USDA Performance Measure Guidance is mandatory. Evaluation will be conducted by a review committee appointed by the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. Proposals will be scored based on criteria including impact to the specialty crop industry, sustainability, clarity and measurability of outcomes, reasonableness of expenditures, and applicant collaboration with growers or grower groups. Projects may not begin before September 30, 2026 unless otherwise approved. Notification of preliminary acceptance is expected by April 30, 2026, with final approval from USDA anticipated in September or October. Grantees must comply with all federal, state, and local regulations. Annual performance reports are due within 60 days after the end of each grant year, and a final performance report is required within 60 days of project completion. The program does not permit indirect charges or reimbursement of pre-award expenses. All grant-funded activities must solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, and all expenditures must align with federal cost principles and guidelines outlined in 2 CFR Part 200.

Clearly define measurable outcomes; collaborate with growers; avoid funding proposals that benefit a single entity.