73:I[245983,["$2","$3","$1a","$1b","$1c","$1d","$1e","$1f","$20","$9","$21","$22","$23","$a","$24","$25","$26","$27","$28","$29","$49","$4a","$4b","$4c","$4d","$4e","$4f","$50","$51","$52","$53","$54"],"default"] 74:T427,The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, offered through the Office of Agricultural Marketing, supports projects that strengthen the competitiveness of Kentucky-grown specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture administers the state’s share of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service program through an annual competitive process, with its Plant Division managing the grant funds. Projects are intended to produce measurable benefits for the specialty crop industry or the public beyond a single applicant. The program covers cultivated fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, tree nuts, Christmas trees, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Kentucky’s 2026 priorities focused on pest and disease control; specialty crop research, including conservation and environmental outcomes; more efficient, lower-cost distribution; and food safety. Together, these areas support work that addresses challenges facing growers while helping Kentucky specialty crops compete in the marketplace.75:T15f5,

[Office of Agricultural Marketing](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/index.html)

May 2027 (Kentucky concept proposal) | June 2027 (state application to USDA)

Kentucky’s 2026 allocation was $413,908.66; the 2026 federal award period was three years

Supports projects that measurably strengthen the competitiveness of Kentucky specialty crops.

Beginning in FY2027, subawards require a 25% non-federal cost share.

--- ## Description The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) administers Kentucky’s share of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through an annual competitive process. It seeks projects that enhance the competitiveness of Kentucky-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets and produce measurable benefits for the specialty crop industry or the public, beyond a single applicant. Specialty crops include cultivated fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, tree nuts, Christmas trees, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Kentucky’s 2026 priorities were pest and disease control; specialty crop research, including conservation and environmental outcomes; more efficient, lower-cost distribution; and food safety. KDA’s Plant Division administers the state’s grant funds. --- ## Due Dates The anticipated Kentucky concept-proposal deadline and subsequent state application deadline are: - May 2027 — Kentucky Project Concept Proposal deadline (anticipated). - June 2027 — State Department of Agriculture application deadline to USDA (anticipated). *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount Kentucky’s 2026 federal allocation was $413,908.66, from approximately $86.6 million available nationally. The 2026 federal award period ran from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2029. Beginning in FY2027, each subaward requires a non-federal cash and/or in-kind cost share equal to 25% of the federal funds requested. States will also be required to provide up to 10% cost share beginning in 2027. Kentucky’s 2026 concept-proposal form did not permit projects to charge indirect costs. --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants must: - Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, government or quasi-government entity, university, small business owner, or privately owned company. - Propose work that enhances the competitiveness of Kentucky specialty crops. - Benefit the specialty crop industry or public beyond one organization, institution, individual, or commercial product. - Identify measurable project outcomes and indicators. Additional requirements: - Crops must be cultivated or managed; wild plants and hemp are not eligible specialty crops. - Processed products must contain more than 50% specialty crop by weight, excluding added water. - Projects solely providing profit to one organization, institution, or individual will not be funded. Only State departments of agriculture apply directly to USDA for the federal block grant; the applicant types above participate through Kentucky’s competitive process. --- ## Application Process - **Kentucky submission:** Email the [Project Concept Proposal form](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/SC_Concept_Proposal.pdf) to [Anne.Harney@ky.gov](mailto:Anne.Harney@ky.gov). - **Stages:** KDA uses a two-tier process; qualifying concept applicants are invited to complete a full application. - **Concept proposal:** Include organizational and coordinator information, project purpose and beneficiaries, outcomes, indicators, data collection plan, and budget. - **Supporting material:** Up to three letters of support from project partners are encouraged, not required. - **Evaluation:** KDA considers competitiveness, plan soundness, measurable outcomes, and return on investment. - **Federal submission:** KDA submits its State Plan to USDA; [federal application requirements](https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/SCBGP_NOFO_FY26_Final.pdf) apply to the state department. --- ## Additional Information Kentucky’s concept-proposal form asks applicants to select at least one program outcome and an indicator for each selected outcome. The [USDA specialty crop list](https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop) provides crop eligibility examples. KDA’s 2026 timeline placed evaluation in May, State Plan submission in June, and USDA award announcements in September. --- ## External Links - [Kentucky program page](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/crop-block-grant.html) - [Kentucky Project Concept Proposal form](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/SC_Concept_Proposal.pdf) - [Kentucky Outcomes & Indicators](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/documents/SC_Outcomes_Indicators.pdf) - [USDA FY2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity](https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/SCBGP_NOFO_FY26_Final.pdf) - [USDA specialty crop eligibility list](https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | Webpage | |---|---|---|---| | Anne Harney, Kentucky Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Coordinator | [Anne.Harney@ky.gov](mailto:Anne.Harney@ky.gov) | 502-782-4102 | [Program page](https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/crop-block-grant.html) | | Office of Agricultural Marketing | | (502) 573-0282 | [Contact page](https://www.kyagr.com/contact/) |76:T70c,## Grant Eligibility Requirements ### Organization Type - Eligible applicants are limited to: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government or quasi-government entities (including public universities), universities, small business owners, and privately owned companies. - Note: State departments of agriculture are the only entities that apply directly to USDA for the federal block grant; the applicant types above participate through Kentucky's competitive sub-grant process (they are the sub-applicants, not the USDA applicant). ### Geographic/Institutional - The project must enhance the competitiveness of Kentucky specialty crops (in domestic or foreign markets) — i.e., the work must be tied to Kentucky-grown specialty crops. ### Other Eligibility Requirements - The project must produce measurable benefit for the specialty crop industry and/or the public beyond a single organization, institution, individual, or commercial product. Projects that solely benefit or provide profit to one organization, institution, or individual are not funded. - Applicants must identify measurable project outcomes and indicators (at least one of the seven national SCBGP outcomes, plus at least one indicator per selected outcome). - Only cultivated or managed crops qualify as specialty crops; wild plants are not eligible, and hemp is explicitly not considered a specialty crop. - Processed products must consist of more than 50% specialty crop by weight, excluding added water, to qualify. - Cost share (effective FY2027): each subaward requires a non-federal cost share (cash and/or in-kind) equal to 25% of the federal funds requested. (Separately, states must provide up to 10% cost share beginning in 2027 — this applies to the state department of agriculture, not to individual sub-applicants.)77:Ta07,Funder: Office of Agricultural Marketing Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2027 (Kentucky concept proposal) | June 2027 (state application to USDA) Funding Amounts: Kentucky’s 2026 allocation was $413,908.66; the 2026 federal award period was three years Summary: Supports projects that measurably strengthen the competitiveness of Kentucky specialty crops. Key Information: Beginning in FY2027, subawards require a 25% non-federal cost share. --- ## Description The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) administers Kentucky’s share of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through an annual competitive process. It seeks projects that enhance the competitiveness of Kentucky-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets and produce measurable benefits for the specialty crop industry or the public, beyond a single applicant. Specialty crops include cultivated fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, tree nuts, Christmas trees, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Kentucky’s 2026 priorities were pest and disease control; specialty crop research, including conservation and environmental outcomes; more efficient, lower-cost distribution; and food safety. KDA’s Plant Division administers the state’s grant funds. --- --- ## Funding Amount Kentucky’s 2026 federal allocation was $413,908.66, from approximately $86.6 million available nationally. The 2026 federal award period ran from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2029. Beginning in FY2027, each subaward requires a non-federal cash and/or in-kind cost share equal to 25% of the federal funds requested. States will also be required to provide up to 10% cost share beginning in 2027. Kentucky’s 2026 concept-proposal form did not permit projects to charge indirect costs. ## Eligibility - Propose work that enhances the competitiveness of Kentucky specialty crops. - Benefit the specialty crop industry or public beyond one organization, institution, individual, or commercial product. - Identify measurable project outcomes and indicators. Additional requirements: - Crops must be cultivated or managed; wild plants and hemp are not eligible specialty crops. - Processed products must contain more than 50% specialty crop by weight, excluding added water. - Projects solely providing profit to one organization, institution, or individual will not be funded. ## Application Process - **Evaluation:** KDA considers competitiveness, plan soundness, measurable outcomes, and return on investment.45:[null,["$","$L73",null,{"grant":{"id":"aa94d6c1-88a9-4e12-afc8-885f0f0964aa","created_at":"2026-09-27T10:39:50.033657+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-12T03:40:55.601349+00:00","title":"Specialty Crop Block Grant Program","description":"$74","summary":"The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program supports Kentucky specialty crop growers and the wider industry by funding research and other projects that improve competitiveness and deliver measurable public benefits.","funder_id":"3d599471-b0d6-4ced-82d0-6a8d7cc81993","url":"https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/crop-block-grant.html","slug":"specialty-crop-block-grant-program-office-of-agricultural-marketing","legacy_opportunity_id":null,"primary_sources_id":null,"questions":["Can my organization apply directly, or must Kentucky’s Department of Agriculture submit the state application on its behalf?","What were the Kentucky concept proposal and federal application deadlines, and how were proposals required to be submitted?","How much funding is available for Kentucky projects, and what is the maximum award for an individual project?","What materials, measurable outcomes, and registrations are required to submit a complete proposal?","Does my research align with Kentucky’s priorities, and must it benefit specialty crop stakeholders beyond one organization?"],"opportunity_number":null,"grants3_pages":[{"id":"49ac9a61-25cb-48e5-97dc-8297f3c6a236","markdown":"$75","created_at":"2026-09-27T10:40:22.04272+00:00","grants3_id":"aa94d6c1-88a9-4e12-afc8-885f0f0964aa","updated_at":"2026-09-27T10:40:39.822982+00:00","eligibility":"$76","fit_summary":"$77","update_summary":null}],"funders":{"id":"3d599471-b0d6-4ced-82d0-6a8d7cc81993","fts":"'ag':5 'agricultur':3 'market':4,6 'offic':1","name":"Office of Agricultural Marketing","slug":"office-of-agricultural-marketing","address":"105 Corporate Drive, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601","country":"United States","group_id":null,"home_url":"https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/index.html","name_code":"Ag Marketing","created_at":"2024-12-10T23:34:58.073245+00:00","other_urls":["https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/index.html/about"],"updated_at":"2026-10-12T03:41:02.779879+00:00","contact_url":"https://www.kyagr.com/contact/","description":"The Office of Agricultural Marketing is a division within the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) focused on supporting and promoting agricultural businesses, farmers, and local food systems. 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Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

This grant is no longer accepting proposals

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

This grant is no longer accepting proposals