Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a competitive grant program operated by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) in which funding from the United States Department of Agriculture is awarded to eligible applicants to support Utah’s specialty crop industry. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture — including nursery crops, and more. Complete list of eligible specialty crops.
This grant is open to producers, schools, trade associations, non-profits, farmers markets, farming and ranching co-ops, etc. headquartered in Utah. Potential projects may include a broad range of focus such as improving marketing, research, training, certifications, food safety, pest control, plant health and beyond for specialty crops. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to enhance the competitiveness of Utah grown specialty crops and benefit more than one producer or organization.
Applicants will apply through the Submittable platform using the link below and must have a Unique Entity Identifier to submit their application. Unique Entity Identifiers (UEI) can be acquired free-of-charge from the federal government at SAM.gov. This process can take some time, so applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the process quickly, and not to wait until the last week as it is unlikely the UEI will be assigned in time. A guide to getting a UEI is in the Helpful Links and Documents section. Please read all the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant information below before applying.
2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Information
Award Funding
UDAF is anticipating receiving between $300,000 and $350,000 to have available to be awarded. Individual project requests may not exceed $100,000. There is no request minimum.
Important Dates
- Application Review Period: March 2026
- Awards Provisionally Announced: April-May 2026
- Final USDA Award Approval: May-June 2026
- Contracts signed and completed: September 2026
- Project Start Date: September 30, 2026
Overview
- Selected projects must run no longer than September 30th, 2026 – to September 29th, 2029
- This year, priority will be placed on projects that focus on:
- Strengthening the supply chain (including aggregation, distribution, storage, processing, and developing food hubs)
- Improving market access (including marketing, consumer education, and developing local, international, and institutional markets)
- Research and development (including developing new seed or plant varieties, pest & disease management, and conservation practices)
- Producer education and workforce development
- Enhancing food safety and regulatory compliance
*For project proposals outside the scope of the categories above, pre-approval must be granted; email [email protected] for more information.
Eligibility
The grant is open to producers, private businesses, schools, trade associations, non-profits, farming and ranching co-ops, etc. headquartered in Utah.
Additional applicant types may be eligible, email [email protected] for more information.
- USDA guidelines, terms, and conditions requirements must be met.
- Ineligible grant costs include, but are not limited to:
- Acquisition of land or buildings
- Lease-to-own equipment
- Equipment for purchase (unless qualified as special-purpose equipment)
- Review USDA SCBGP Terms and Conditions for more information on allowable and unallowable costs.>
Review Process
The review process for this round of funding has two stages, an initial eligibility review followed by a selection committee review. Projects that only benefit one applicant, are centered on ineligible crops, or projects with incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Rating Criteria
Projects will be rating on the following:
- Objectives are measurable and aligned with overall goals of the project (5 points)
- Does the budget directly support the activities in the grant application? (10 points)
- Is the cost per beneficiary reasonable? (10 points)
- Is the data collection plan sufficient, realistic, and achievable? (15 points)
- Project includes a clearly identified issue, problem, or need, and sufficient details on how the project will address the stated issue, problem, or need. (20 points)
- Project demonstrates how it will increase the competitiveness of Utah grown specialty crops (20 points)
- Project strongly relates to the following funding priorities (additional weight will be given to projects addressing higher priority areas or multiple priority areas) (maximum 20 points):
- Strengthening the supply chain (including aggregation, distribution, storage, processing, and developing food hubs) (up to 18 points)
- Improving market access (including marketing, consumer education, and developing local, international, and institutional markets) (up to 16 points)
- Research and development (including developing new seed or plant varieties, pest & disease management, and conservation practices) (up to 14 points)
- Producer education and workforce development (up to 12 points)
- Enhancing food safety and regulatory compliance (up to 10 points)
Additional Information
- 2026 SCBG Scoring Sheet
- 2026 Request for Applications - Important Information About the Grant
- What is a specialty crop?
- SCBGP Performance Measure Quick Guide
- SCGBP Terms and Conditions, including allowable and unallowable costs
- USDA AMS Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Overview