Idaho Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Specialty crop grant funding is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture and is allocated to the state to be awarded through a competitive grant process. Projects must solely enhance the competitiveness of U.S. grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets and must provide a benefit to more than just the applicant. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops 

• Pest and disease control 

• Sustainability 

• Enhancing food safety 

• Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops 

• Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems 

• Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act

• Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes 

Projects must enhance the competitiveness of Idaho grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets and must provide a benefit to more than a single organization, institution, or individual. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture. For a list of eligible and ineligible specialty crops, see Specialty Crop Definition.

Funds are available to interested local, state, and federal government agencies, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and universities.

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops 

• Pest and disease control 

• Sustainability 

• Enhancing food safety 

• Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops 

• Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems 

• Developing and enhancing domestic and international markets

• Expanding availability and access to specialty crops

• Enhancing local food systems

• Improving production practices through innovative technologies

• Improving agricultural workforce

• Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain in developing good agricultural, handling, or manufacturing practices.

• Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes.

Award size — no cap and no floor. ISDA's application guidelines state: "There are no minimum or maximum limits on the amount of funds that can be requested for one project, but the average grant amount in the past has been between $50,000-$100,000."

• How it pays: ISDA passes federal USDA-AMS block-grant funds through as competitive sub-awards. Each application is limited to a single project scope, and "Each applicant may submit up to SIX applications."

• Cost restrictions: "Indirect costs are not allowed for the State of Idaho's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program." Tuition and fellowships are also disallowed. "Capital expenditures for general purpose equipment, buildings, and land are unallowable." Special-purpose equipment is allowable as a direct cost, but "items with a unit cost of $10,000 or more have the prior approval of ISDA and USDA."

• Project period: multi-year. The 2026 timeline anticipates project starts in November–December 2026 and states "September 29, 2029 – Projects Conclude No Later Than."

• Not a direct-to-farm subsidy: projects "must provide a benefit to more than a single organization, institution, or individual," and "Grant funds will not be awarded for projects whose products or services promote or provide profit that solely benefits a single organization, institution, or individual."

Status: "The 2026 Farm Bill applications are CLOSED."

The links below provide detailed information on how to apply, as well as the complete set of application documents.

For additional details and to submit your application, please visit: https://www.gotomygrants.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/3ed1663f-8d32-45b7-b66e-e83a80f27079. 

• SCBG Euna/AmpliFund Training

  • All applications must be submitted through Euna/AmpliFund. For step-by-step guidance on completing your application, please view this recorded training.

• 2026 SCBG Application

  • When opening the template, you will receive a ‘Please wait…’ error message. Please download the document to your computer and open the file with Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to access the application pdf. USDA requires the use of a specific document format, known as XFA (XML Forms Architecture), for submitting the application.

• 2026 SCBG Application Webinar Video

• 2026 SCBG Application Webinar Presentation

• 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Application Guidelines

• Application Outcome Measures and Indicators

  • Sales is a MANDATORY measure for all marketing and promotion projects. Any projects using Outcome 1, MUST include Indicator 1.5

• Register with SAM.gov

• SCBG Application Example

• USDA Multi-State SCBGP Information

• SCBG Euna/AmpliFund Training

• 2026 SCBG Application

• 2026 SCBG Application Webinar Video

• 2026 SCBG Application Webinar Presentation

• 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Application Guidelines

• Application Outcome Measures and Indicators

• Register with SAM.gov

• SCBG Application Example

• USDA Multi-State SCBGP Information