Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program 2026
This USDA grant funds collaborative projects between multiple states or territories to improve the competitiveness of specialty crops through research, marketing, food safety, and pest management initiatives.
Funder: Agricultural Marketing Service
Due Dates: August 31, 2026: Application deadline for Multi-State Partners to Participating States (5:00 PM Eastern Time) | October 16, 2026: Application deadline for Participating States and Entities in Nonparticipating States to AMS (11:59 PM Eastern Time)
Funding Amounts: $250,000–$1,000,000 per project for up to 3 years; ~$14.3 million total program funding; 20 awards expected
Summary: Supports collaborative, multi-state projects to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops through research, food safety, pest management, and marketing initiatives.
Key Information: 25% non-federal cost share required; indirect costs capped at 8% of federal funds.
Description
This program, administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), funds multi-state partnerships to address regional or national issues affecting specialty crops. Projects must involve partners in at least two U.S. states or territories and result in measurable outcomes benefiting the specialty crop industry beyond a single organization or state. Focus areas include food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific issues, and marketing/promotion. The goal is to enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets.
