Grants to Michigan Nonprofits, For-Profits, Agencies, and

Grants to Michigan Nonprofits, For-Profits, Agencies, and Tribes to Promote Local Agriculture

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB)

GrantWatch ID# 136305

Agency: State

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Funding Source

Michigan Department of Agriculture-Ag Marketing Service (USDA-AMS)

Geographic Focus

USA: Michigan

Important Dates

Deadline: 02/28/23 3:00 PM EST Receipt Save

Grant Description

Grants to Michigan nonprofit organizations, for-profits, government agencies, and tribes to improve the market potential of local crops produced within the state. Funding is intended to support projects focusing on areas such as promotion and marketing, education and training, and research and development. Eligible plants are specialty crops, which include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture) which are used for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic purposes.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) Program awards funds to projects to enhance the competitiveness of Michigan specialty crops, which include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Eligible plants must be cultivated or managed and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops. Processed products shall consist of greater than 50% of the specialty crop by weight, exclusive of added water.

Funding Priorities:

Market Enhancement to promote specialty crops

Market Enhancement, Availability, and Access to Specialty Crops
Farm to Institution

Research and Development relevant to specialty crops

Plant Health and Pest Management
Farm Sustainability

Training & Education addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers

Enhancing Food Safety
Environmental Sustainability
Workforce/Labor

For examples of eligible projects, see the following link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/-/media/Project/Websites/mdard/documents/business-development/grants/scbg/2023-Specialty-Crop-Block-Grant-Overview.pdf?rev=e4b6018b64ef49619fa4499099f15149&hash=E59798C27D783261496EC5072DA0BE91#page=2

For information on allowable costs, see the allowable and unallowable costs document in Supporting Documents, below.

Full Grant Text RFP

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Recipient

Eligibility

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible entities include non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, local, state, and federal government entities, including tribal governments.

If you are a university applying for funding, your proposal must be submitted by the commodity group or other eligible organization for which the work is being performed. The budget should reflect that the work by the university is contractual with the commodity group.

Applicants must reside, and/or conduct their business or organization in Michigan and must be in good standing.

Ineligible

Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners.

Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that directly benefit a particular commercial product, as these projects do not enhance specialty crop industry competitiveness.

Proposals for ineligible or non-specialty crop commodities will not be funded.

For information on unallowable costs, see the allowable and unallowable costs document listed in Supporting Documents below.

Pre-Proposal Conference

Informational Webinar

January 11, 2023 at 9am EST

Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDExNDE1NTAtZjc3Zi00OTY5LWI0NjAtYjllYjFjMGZhN2Qy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22d5fb7087-3777-42ad-966a-892ef47225d1%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22283795f6-9ca8-43b6-ad7d-2eb68014a974%22%7d

Join by phone at: 1-248-509-0316 Conference ID: 989 645 21#

Pre-Application Information

SCBG proposals must be received by 3 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, and will not be accepted if received after the deadline.

Timeline:
- Release Request for Proposals: January 4, 2023
- Proposals Due: February 28, 2023, at 3 p.m. (EST)
- Evaluation Committee Review: April 12, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. (EST)
- MDARD Submits State Plan to USDA: May 2023
- USDA Reviews State Plan: June/July 2023

Recommendation of proposals to be awarded will be determined in approximately June 2023 and all applicants will be notified.

All applicants must register with the federal System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants must also have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

Organizations must be legal entities recognized by the IRS AND A Registered Vendor with the State of Michigan.

Organizations must be in good standing with the State of Michigan through The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

This is a cost reimbursement program.

Two proposals per entity are eligible for consideration.

Estimated Size of Grant

The maximum award amount is $100,000 for research proposals and $125,000 for marketing, training, and education proposals per proposal. Only proposals submitted in whole dollar amounts will be considered.

Term of Contract

Grant period will be approximately October 1, 2023, through September 1, 2025.

Projects must be completed within two years after project is given its initiation date. The MDARD must be notified at least 60 days prior to the end date of the project if for any reason the project cannot be completed within the two-year period established in the grant agreement.

Contact Information

Submit completed applications to mda-grants@michigan.gov

For more information about this funding opportunity, please contact Heather Throne, Grant and Commodity Program Manager, Agriculture Development Division, at 517-712-0841.

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