Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 009502
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications opportunity is a grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its central goal is to strengthen the specialty crop sector by funding research and extension work that tackles major, real-world challenges facing the industry. The program is designed to support projects that matter beyond a single local area, with an emphasis on efforts that have national, regional, or multi-state relevance. In practical terms, SCRI aims to generate usable knowledge and tools that help specialty crop producers, supply chain partners, and related stakeholders sustain and improve the full range of food and agricultural systems tied to specialty crops, including both conventional and organic production.
This particular listing is for pre-applications, meaning it is an initial submission stage used to outline a proposed project before a full application is invited or required. The intent of the pre-application step is typically to help the agency screen concepts for alignment with program priorities and to focus full proposals on the highest-impact ideas. Projects supported through SCRI generally blend research with extension, reflecting the program's emphasis not just on discovery, but also on getting results into the hands of growers, advisors, and industry decision-makers. The opportunity is categorized as mandatory and uses a grant funding instrument, with the activity area listed as agriculture and the CFDA number identified as 10.309.
Eligibility for submitting SCRI pre-applications is broad but still specifically defined. Eligible applicants include Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, individuals, and groups made up of two or more of these types of entities. This structure supports both single-organization submissions and collaborative, multi-partner teams, which is often important for projects that need expertise across disciplines, regions, or supply chain segments.
Key administrative details from the source information include the funding opportunity title, "Specialty Crop Research Initiative Pre-Applications," and the funding opportunity number, USDA NIFA SCRI 009502. The agency administering the program is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The opportunity was created on October 5, 2022, and the original closing date for the pre-application stage is May 12, 2023. The listed award ceiling is $10,000,000, indicating that very large project budgets may be considered under this program, depending on the specific project scope and the program's structure for awards in that cycle. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided data, which often means the final number may depend on available appropriations, the quality and fit of submissions, and agency decisions for that funding year.
Overall, this opportunity is geared toward high-impact, problem-solving work for the specialty crop industry, especially efforts that can demonstrate broad relevance and meaningful outcomes through research paired with extension so that results translate into practice in the field and across the specialty crop sector.Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 009502
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialty Crop Research Initiative Pre-Applications" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.309.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-05.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications: FAQs
What is the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications opportunity?
It is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) grant opportunity that supports research and extension work intended to strengthen the U.S. specialty crop sector by addressing major, real-world industry challenges. This specific listing is for the pre-application stage.
Who runs and administers this grant program?
The program is run and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the main goal of SCRI?
SCRI aims to strengthen the specialty crop sector by funding projects that tackle significant challenges and generate practical, usable knowledge and tools for specialty crop stakeholders.
What kinds of work does SCRI fund?
Based on the information provided, SCRI supports projects that blend research with extension. The emphasis is not only on discovery, but also on delivering results to growers, advisors, supply chain partners, and other industry decision-makers so the work can be applied in practice.
What does it mean that this opportunity is for "pre-applications"?
A pre-application is an initial submission step used to outline a proposed project concept before a full application is invited or required. The intent is typically to allow the agency to screen concepts for alignment with program priorities and focus full proposals on the highest-impact ideas.
Is this opportunity focused on local projects or broader efforts?
The program is designed to support work that matters beyond a single local area. It emphasizes national, regional, or multi-state relevance.
Who is expected to benefit from SCRI-funded projects?
Projects are intended to help specialty crop producers, supply chain partners, and related stakeholders sustain and improve food and agricultural systems tied to specialty crops.
Does SCRI support both conventional and organic production?
Yes. The opportunity description indicates the program supports specialty crop systems that include both conventional and organic production.
What is the funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is "Specialty Crop Research Initiative Pre-Applications."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SCRI 009502.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 10.309.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity uses a grant funding instrument.
What is the activity area for this opportunity?
The activity area is listed as agriculture.
What does it mean that the opportunity is categorized as "mandatory"?
The listing categorizes the opportunity as mandatory. No additional interpretation is provided in the source information beyond that classification.
Who is eligible to submit a SCRI pre-application?
Eligible applicants include Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, individuals, and groups made up of two or more of these types of entities.
Are collaborative applications allowed or encouraged?
Collaborative submissions are allowed. Eligibility includes groups made up of two or more eligible entity types, which supports multi-partner teams. The description also notes that collaboration is often important for projects requiring expertise across disciplines, regions, or supply chain segments.
Can a single organization apply, or do you have to apply as a group?
Both are possible based on the eligibility language. Eligible applicants include individual entity types (such as universities, private organizations, and others) as well as groups consisting of two or more eligible entities.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on October 5, 2022.
What is the closing date for the pre-application stage?
The original closing date listed for the pre-application stage is May 12, 2023.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $10,000,000. This indicates that very large project budgets may be considered, depending on project scope and how awards are structured for that cycle.
How many awards will be made?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided information. This can mean the final number may depend on available appropriations, submission quality and fit, and agency decisions for the funding year.
What makes a project a strong fit for SCRI based on this description?
Projects are described as high-impact and problem-solving, with outcomes that are relevant at national, regional, or multi-state scales. The description also emphasizes pairing research with extension so results translate into practice across the specialty crop sector.
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