Organizations with ideas to help Washington’s fruit, vegetable, nursery or other specialty-crop industries have until noon Monday, Nov. 2, to submit a concept proposal for state-administered grants.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program accepts proposals from producer groups, industry associations, nonprofits, businesses, government entities and educational institutions. Its current request excludes individual applicants.
The key test is who benefits. Projects need to help the wider specialty-crop industry. The program excludes projects serving only one commercial product or providing profit to a single organization or person, and funds cannot be used to start or expand an individual farm or business.
What the grants can support
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including flowers. WSDA gives research and demonstration projects that share their results with other growers as examples of acceptable work.
Requests can range from $25,000 to $250,000, according to the 2027 funding request. Projects would begin no earlier than Sept. 30, 2027, and finish by Sept. 29, 2030. Funding remains contingent on federal approval.
Check the budget before applying
The current request calls for nonfederal cash or in-kind contributions equal to 25% of the federal grant amount requested. It also says final federal terms for the 2027 program were pending when the request was issued. Applicants should check for supplements before finalizing a budget.
Successful applicants also need the capacity to cover approved project costs upfront: WSDA’s reimbursement terms provide payment after approved goods and services have been received.
How to submit an idea
The Nov. 2 deadline is for the first-stage concept proposal, submitted online through OpenWater using the instructions linked on WSDA’s program page. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Information checked Oct. 29, 2026. The posted deadline is Nov. 2 at noon Pacific Standard Time.
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