Vermont Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is a USDA-funded initiative which aims to strengthen Vermont's specialty crop industries and producer associations. In Vermont, the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) administers these USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) funds to enhance the competitiveness of Vermont and regionally grown specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, maple syrup and mushrooms), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and floriculture). For FY2026, projects must increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in Vermont by supporting businesses and organizations through direct technical assistance, training, or tool development. Project applications can request $15,000 to $35,000 in federal funds, and VAAFM anticipates awarding 1-4 grants.

Any entity may apply, provided they are equipped to provide support to producers or processors of a specialty crop product in Vermont, including but not limited to non-profit organizations, universities/colleges (including extension), producer associations, conservation districts, state agencies, local municipalities, and service providers. NEW FOR FY2026: projects must support businesses and organizations through direct technical assistance, training, or tool development. Eligible project activities include direct technical assistance (consulting, planning, or development services), program coordination, in-person trainings and workshops, development of online training programs or materials, and development of tools such as online market portals, templates, calculators, or dashboards.

In 2026, project requests must fall between $15,000 and $35,000, and 1-4 projects will be funded through a competitive review process. Grants are awarded for projects up to 2 years, 6 months in length. All SCBGP costs must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and align with the USDA AMS General Terms and Conditions. Multi-state partnership projects are encouraged.

Applications are submitted through the Agency's WebGrants system. For the FY2026 cycle, the Request for Applications was released February 23, 2026, the application opened March 2, 2026, and the deadline to submit was March 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Review the FY2026 Request for Applications and the WebGrants Application Guide before applying.