Specialty Crop Research Initiative Grants $50K-$10M Closing June 15
Summary
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has posted the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) funding opportunity for fiscal year 2026. The program offers grants ranging from $50,000 to $10,000,000 to support research and extension addressing critical needs of specialty crop industries. Total program funding is $175,000,000 with applications closing June 15, 2026.
What changed
NIFA has published the FY2026 Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under Assistance Listing 10.309. The program supports research and extension projects addressing key challenges facing specialty crop industries, with emphasis on projects that integrate both research and extension activities using a systems approach.
Eligible applicants include federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions, private organizations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, and individuals or groups. Applicants must submit proposals through Grants.gov by June 15, 2026. Funding ranges from $50,000 minimum to $10,000,000 maximum per award, with a total program appropriation of $175 million. Cost sharing or matching is required.
What to do next
- Apply through Grants.gov before the June 15, 2026 deadline
- Contact grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov for application preparation questions
Archived snapshot
Apr 14, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Assistance Listings: 10.309 -- Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Last Updated: April 13, 2026 View version history on Grants.gov
Description
The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crops industries (as defined in Appendix III) by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. The program recognizes that for some specialty crops that are grown in a limited number of states, the multi-state nature of projects can be difficult to address. Except for Research and Extension Planning Projects, the SCRI program only considers projects that integrate research and extension activities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose a unique approach to solving problems facing the specialty crop industry using a systems approach.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Miscellaneous
- Other
Additional information
Pre-applications may only be submitted by federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.
Grantor contact information
Description
NIFA Support Email grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays
If you have questions about preparing application content, contact grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
Documents
Download all
| File name | Description | Last updated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FY26-SCRI-PA-NOFO.pdf | FY2026 - Specialty Crop Research Initiative - NOFO | Apr 13, 2026 03:56 PM UTC |
Link to additional information
Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Closing: June 15, 2026
Application process
This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates. View on Grants.gov
Award
$175,000,000
Program Funding
--
Expected awards
$50,000
Award Minimum
$10,000,000
Award Maximum
Funding opportunity number:
USDA-NIFA-SCRI-011676
Cost sharing or matching requirement:
Yes Funding instrument type:
Grant
Opportunity Category:
Mandatory
Opportunity Category Explanation:
-- Category of Funding Activity:
Agriculture
Category Explanation:
--
History
Version:
1
Posted date:
April 13, 2026
Archive date:
July 15, 2026
Named provisions
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