Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) — Alabama

The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) administers USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds through an annual competitive process to enhance the competitiveness of Alabama specialty crops. Eligible crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, Christmas trees, turf-type grasses, and nursery crops (floriculture/horticulture). Projects must solely enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets. Funds may not be used for projects benefiting a single organization/individual, for fixed assets or personal property, for pre-award expenses, or for administrative/indirect costs. [Institutional: grants awarded to organizations/producer groups, not direct payments to individual farms.]

Non-profit organizations, government entities, for-profit organizations, industry trade associations, producer groups, commodity commissions, and public/private colleges and universities that submit projects to enhance the production and competitiveness of Alabama's specialty crop industries.

Award range (from the Specialty Crop Grant Guidelines linked on the program page): "This is a competitive grant process. The minimum amount awarded is $5,000.00. The maximum award to commodity groups, agriculture organizations, municipalities and agriculture nonprofits applicants is $25,000; the maximum amount for colleges and universities is $40,000.00."

So the ceiling depends on who you are: $25,000 for commodity groups, ag organizations, municipalities and ag nonprofits; $40,000 for public and private colleges and universities. The floor is $5,000 for everyone.

How you are paid: "[A]wardees will be funded on a reimbursement basis."

Project length: "A project can last up to 34 months, but the proposal must justify its timeline. Projects with shorter time frames are encouraged and will be ranked with higher priority. No extensions of any kind are allowed." Projects scored higher at 12–24 months. Work cannot begin until USDA announces the award.

Match: No cash or in-kind match requirement is published.

What the money cannot cover: projects that directly benefit or profit only a single organization, institution or individual; fixed assets or personal property; capital expenditures for general purpose equipment, buildings and land; expenditures incurred before the award; and administration or indirect costs. Special purpose equipment is allowable as a direct cost, but items with a unit cost of $5,000 or more require prior approval.

Note: total state funding is a USDA formula allocation based on Alabama specialty crop sales, so the pool — and the number of grants — varies year to year.

Annual cycle. FY2026 timeline (per site): February 2026 — ADAI invitation to submit proposals; March 26, 2026 — full grant proposals due to ADAI; May 2026 — ADAI state application submitted to USDA; September 2026 — USDA award announcements. Apply using the Alabama Specialty Crop Application/Project Profile template (requires Adobe). The 2026 proposal deadline has passed; the program reopens annually.