Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets administers the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program as part of a federally funded initiative supported through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. The program is designed to strengthen the competitiveness of Vermont specialty crops and support industries connected to fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, herbs and spices, medicinal plants, honey, hops, maple syrup, mushrooms, nursery crops including Christmas trees, and floriculture. The Fiscal Year 2026 Request for Applications emphasizes projects that provide direct support to specialty crop businesses and organizations through technical assistance, training programs, and development of practical tools and resources. The program seeks to improve economic viability, market access, sustainability, and operational resilience across Vermont specialty crop sectors. The funding opportunity supports projects that benefit more than one specialty crop producer, business, or organization and specifically excludes projects focused solely on the needs of a single commercial entity. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, universities and colleges including extension programs, producer associations, conservation districts, municipalities, service providers, and state agencies. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed project responds to a documented need among Vermont specialty crop stakeholders and must show measurable outcomes tied to competitiveness improvements. The program encourages projects that support innovative production practices, pest and disease management, food safety improvements, workforce development, market access expansion, producer collaboration, and value chain coordination. Research projects are eligible only when paired with implementation activities such as training, technical assistance, or tool development. Grant awards for the 2026 cycle range from $15,000 to $35,000, and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture anticipates funding approximately one to four projects. Projects may extend up to thirty months in duration. Matching funds are required at a minimum of fifty percent of the grant request and may consist of cash or in-kind contributions. Examples of allowable matching contributions include labor, volunteer services, donated equipment or supplies, consultant time, and unrecovered indirect costs. Under limited circumstances, applicants may request a reduced match requirement or waiver if they can justify special circumstances and demonstrate strong public impact. Funds may support personnel, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, contractual services, equipment, and other direct project costs, provided all expenses align with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service allowable cost standards. Applications must be submitted electronically through Vermont's WebGrants system. Applicants who are not already registered in WebGrants are advised to complete registration early because approval may take approximately two business days. The application process includes completion of online forms and upload of a USDA Project Profile document. Required application elements include organizational information, project title and duration, project summary, project purpose, measurable objectives, outreach plans, evaluation methodology, stakeholder support descriptions, partner organization details, and detailed budget information. Applicants must identify at least one USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant outcome measure and associated performance indicators from the program guidance. Most applicants must also submit at least one letter of support. Producer associations and cooperatives must additionally provide membership and board information. The Request for Applications was released on February 23, 2026. Applications opened in WebGrants on March 2, 2026, and the final submission deadline was March 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. An informational webinar for applicants was held on March 5, 2026. Vermont expects to notify applicants of state-level funding decisions in April 2026 before submitting the State Plan to USDA during May and June 2026. USDA-level decisions are expected in July 2026, with final federal award announcements anticipated in October 2026. The program is recurring and operates annually as part of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant framework. Because the 2026 cycle has already closed, future applicants should anticipate a similar release schedule in early 2027. Applications are evaluated competitively using criteria focused on project purpose, measurable impact, stakeholder support, outreach strategy, evaluation planning, efficient use of resources, organizational capacity, and alignment with the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030. Applicants are expected to provide evidence of specialty crop industry engagement and demonstrate that proposed services or tools will be accessible through fair and open processes. Successful grantees must enter into a formal grant agreement with the State of Vermont and comply with insurance, reporting, and federal compliance requirements. Grantees are required to submit annual or interim performance reports and a final performance report documenting expenditures, outcomes, beneficiary impacts, and performance metrics. Program administration and applicant support are coordinated by Madison Berry of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. Program questions may be directed to Madison.Berry@vermont.gov or 802-622-4626. Technical support for the WebGrants platform is available through Melissa Moon at Melissa.Moon@vermont.gov or 802-828-3828. The official Request for Applications document and supporting materials are hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets and contain detailed eligibility rules, allowable costs, reporting requirements, scoring criteria, and USDA outcome measurement guidance.

Demonstrate measurable benefit to multiple specialty crop businesses rather than a single entity. Clearly align the proposal with one or more Vermont SCBGP funding priorities and the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030. Provide evidence of stakeholder demand and include realistic outreach and evaluation plans. Projects that provide direct services, practical tools, or broad-access training opportunities are more competitive.