Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program 2026
🏛 Agricultural Marketing Service
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations developing specialty crop marketing and production initiatives across multiple states. Nonprofits, universities, tribal organizations, and state agricultural agencies can apply. The program funds projects that address regional specialty crop challenges like pest management, food safety, and market expansion. Projects must involve at least two states and have measurable outcomes within the funding period.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
Program description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program (SCMP). The SCMP supports collaborative multi-state partnerships to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through competitively funded projects. A multi-state partnership is a project that implements activities with measurable outcomes that benefit two or more U.S. States and/or Territories along with non-profit entities. The focus is to address regional or national level specialty crop issues, including, but not limited to, food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative and Work Plan
- Detailed Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of Support from Multi-State Partners
- Organizational Capacity Statement
- Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Agricultural Marketing Service
- 📧 sagpgrants@usda.gov
- 📞 202-260-8449
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 10.170 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$24,168,824
-
$23,934,874
-
$23,333,022
-
$4,913,038
-
$4,846,025
-
$4,269,534
-
$3,934,131
-
$3,844,129
-
$3,835,064
-
$3,380,166
Top States by Funding
- CA 3 awards $71.4M
- WA 3 awards $14.0M
- FL 3 awards $11.6M
- ND 3 awards $9.2M
- MT 3 awards $8.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 10.170). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $72,900,310 | |
| 2025 | $72,900,350 | |
| 2026 est. | $89,300,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Universities, nonprofits, state/tribal agencies, and commodity groups can apply. Your organization should have expertise in specialty crops or agricultural marketing.
What kinds of projects are funded?
Projects that improve marketing, production efficiency, or address shared challenges across specialty crop industries. Regional collaboration is required.
Is there a minimum funding amount?
Typical multi-state agricultural grants range from $50,000 to $200,000. Check the current FOA for exact limits.
How competitive is this program?
Very competitive. Strong applications demonstrate regional partnerships and measurable impact on specialty crop competitiveness.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is October 16, 2026. Applications open April 13, 2026.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Show clear collaboration between at least two states. Multi-state partnerships are essential to competitiveness.
- Include letters of support from commodity groups, extension offices, or farm organizations in your region.
- Frame your project as addressing a real market or production challenge specialty crop farmers face.
- Develop a realistic budget with clear metrics for success tied to specialty crop industry outcomes.
- Start early. Multi-state coordination requires time to align partners and build a strong narrative.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack genuine multi-state coordination or include only token partnerships. Projects focus on a single commodity or state despite program requirements for broader regional scope. Budgets fail to show measurable outcomes or impact on specialty crop competitiveness.
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