Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The California Department of Food and Agriculture administers the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops. The program is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service under Federal Assistance Listing 10.170. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Projects must benefit the California specialty crop industry and may address market enhancement, access, education and training, or research. Across these areas, applicants are expected to identify an existing industry problem or need, demonstrate industry support and likelihood of success, and communicate project efforts and results to specialty crop stakeholders. CDFA expects to award up to $28 million through the competitive program, subject to funding availability from USDA. Individual grants must request at least $100,000 and no more than $600,000. CDFA may offer an award amount different from the amount requested. The maximum project duration is two years and eight months, and grant funds may not be expended before November 1, 2027 or after June 30, 2030. Separately from the competitive process, CDFA may award up to $4 million for proposals addressing urgent or critical issues affecting California specialty crop agriculture. Allowable project costs may include project-specific salaries and wages, fringe benefits, travel, special purpose equipment, supplies, contractual expenses, other necessary project costs, and eligible indirect costs. Indirect costs are limited to 8.0 percent of total personnel costs, calculated from salary and wages plus fringe benefits. General purpose equipment, operational business costs, donations, giveaways, activities that primarily benefit individual organizations or persons, and other identified unallowable costs or activities may result in disqualification. Eligible applicants include non-profit and for-profit organizations; local, state, and federal government entities; federally and non-federally recognized tribal governments; and public or private colleges and universities. Individuals are not eligible. Applicants may submit more than one Concept Proposal, but every proposal must represent a unique project, and the same project may not be submitted to multiple funding categories. Projects cannot directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual, cannot be used to start, expand, or improve a farm, business venture, nonprofit organization, or cooperative association, and cannot unfairly compete with private companies providing equivalent products or services. Projects must benefit California specialty crops rather than non-specialty crops and must address at least one applicable CDFA program priority. As of publication of the RFCP, cost share is not required. USDA previously stated an intent to require non-federal cash or in-kind cost share equal to 25 percent of requested federal funds, but CDFA had not yet received the 2027 USDA NOFO or Terms and Conditions and may issue a supplement if requirements change. The application uses a two-phase competitive process through CDFA's Grant Opportunity and Administration and Tracking System, or GOATS. In Phase I, applicants must create a GOATS account, create a Concept Proposal, complete all required questions in the required format, and submit the proposal electronically. Proposals submitted outside GOATS will not be considered. Successful Phase I applicants will be invited to Phase II and will receive detailed Grant Proposal requirements and instructions. Concept Proposal components include organization and contact information, prior SCBGP project information, disclosure of submissions to other state or federal grant programs, Unique Entity Identifier information if known, project partners, project title and description, funding area and category, selected program priorities, project purpose, sustainability, beneficiaries, outcome measures, project duration, budget narrative, and a work plan with outreach. Applicants should not upload additional attachments beyond those required in GOATS. Concept Proposals are scored on program priorities, project purpose, project sustainability, project beneficiaries, outcome measures, budget, and work plan and outreach, for a total of 50 available points. CDFA first conducts an administrative review to determine whether requirements are satisfied and, when applicable, to review past CDFA grant performance. A Technical Review Committee composed of growers and experts from industry, universities, public agencies, and nonprofits then evaluates proposal merit. CDFA seeks projects producing the highest degree of measurable benefit to California specialty crop producers relative to each dollar spent. Proposals may be disqualified for incomplete or minimally answered questions, improper award amounts, unallowable costs or activities, excessive indirect costs, submission outside GOATS, failure to benefit the broader California specialty crop industry, or other listed grounds. Marketing and promotion proposals are also required to select Outcome 1, Indicator 1.5 and an associated sub-indicator. The RFCP was released August 24, 2026 and revised August 25, 2026. Concept Proposals are due by 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 21, 2026, and late submissions will not be accepted. Webinars and office hours are scheduled between August 31 and September 10, 2026. General solicitation questions may be submitted to grants@cdfa.ca.gov, with the final Concept Proposal Q&A deadline at noon Pacific Time on September 15, 2026. Successful Concept Proposal applicants are expected to receive invitations to submit Grant Proposals in December 2026, with Phase II Grant Proposals due in January 2027 and proposals forwarded to USDA for approval in May 2027. Award announcements and funding are anticipated in Fall 2027. Program assistance is available from the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Grants Administration at grants@cdfa.ca.gov or (916) 657-3231.

Begin preparation early and draft responses outside GOATS for grammar, spelling, and clarity; keep answers clear and concise; verify all costs against allowable and unallowable cost guidance; select the funding category matching the project's primary focus because it cannot be changed after submission; ensure budget totals agree; fully answer all required questions; demonstrate measurable benefits to California specialty crop producers relative to dollars spent; clearly identify the existing need and industry support; include outreach of results to specialty crop stakeholders; select only achievable Outcome Measures and generally no more than three indicators; marketing and promotion projects must include Outcome 1 Indicator 1.5; avoid unallowable costs and activities that can cause disqualification