Oregon Fertilizer Research Grant

The Oregon Department of Agriculture's Fertilizer Research Program funds field-level research into how fertilizers, agricultural minerals, and agricultural amendments interact with ground or surface water. The program awards grants annually through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) that is circulated on the first Monday of March and stays open for a 90-day window; ODA expects to distribute up to $70,000 per year. Since 1990 the program has funded more than $1.9 million across 90-plus projects statewide. Funding comes from inspection fees on fertilizer, agricultural mineral, and agricultural amendment product sales (ORS 633.465), not from general tax revenue.

Persons, public and private organizations, educational institutions, governmental agencies, political subdivisions of the state, tribes, conservation districts, and local Groundwater Management Area committees are encouraged to apply. Projects must be conducted within Oregon (with a limited exception for hydrologically connected adjoining areas) and must further the understanding of how fertilizers, agricultural amendments, agricultural minerals, or lime products interact with the protection of ground or surface water quality; results must be transferable to industry advisors, consultants, and end users of these products.

ODA expects to distribute up to $70,000 per year (single- or multi-year projects may be proposed, but cash awards are made annually subject to availability of fertilizer research funds). Administrative/indirect costs may not exceed 10% of the grant. Non-expendable equipment or other capital assets generally are not funded without significant justification. Funding is not allocated until a contract is fully executed; multi-year projects must meet benchmarks before funds are released for successive years.

There is no RFP open at this time. A new RFP is circulated each year on the first Monday of March and stays open for a 90-day proposal window; a notice is posted to ODA's website and social media and sent to an email list of interested parties. For the 2026 cycle (now closed): RFP circulated March 2, 2026; applications closed May 31, 2026; Fertilizer Research Committee review by June 30, 2026; approval letters by August 15, 2026; contracts sent by October 31, 2026. Applications must include project title, personnel, contact information, amount requested, abstract, problem statement, hypothesis/objectives, procedures, implementation plan, literature review, CVs, budget, and a data management plan (max 5 single-spaced pages for the core narrative). Submit by mail or email to: Oregon Department of Agriculture, Fertilizer Program, ATTN: Tasha Schworak, 635 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97301; phone 503-986-4637; email tasha.schworak@oda.oregon.gov.