Illinois Specialty Crop Block Grant

Illinois Specialty Crop Block Grant is sponsored by Illinois Department of Agriculture. This program funds projects that aim to increase the competitiveness of the Illinois specialty crop industry, including fruits and vegetables. Grants support activities such as expanding the availability of fresh, locally grown produce.

Euna Grants - Department of Agriculture - FY27 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program FY27 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program FY27 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is a participating state in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) funded Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).

IDOA accepts applications for Illinois grant project proposals to be included in Illinois' annual State Plan.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) assists the Illinois Department of Agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by: (1) leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; (2) assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; (3) expanding availability and access to specialty crops; (4) addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers; and (5) for such other purposes determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with specialty crop stakeholders and relevant State departments of agriculture.

Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). The Illinois Department of Agriculture is the agency, commission, or department of the State government responsible for agriculture within Illinois. Additional information specialty crops may be found on the USDA-AMS website: https://www.

ams. usda. gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop.

Bureau of Marketing & Promotion Funding Opportunity Number Assistance Listings Number https://il. amplifund. com/Public/Opportunities/Details/7a9e3a6d-9f4d-4e86-899a-e62c203caf2d Federal Or Federal Pass Through Funding Source Description Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) requests applications for the 2026 fiscal year (FY) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).

The purpose of this program is to award grants to eligible State departments of agriculture to carry out projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The amount available for the SCBGP in 2026 is approximately $86. 6 million.

This announcement identifies the eligibility criteria for SCBGP projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a SCBGP award. Project funding is contingent on funding for the SCBGP being made available by USDA-AMS.

Indirect Cost Description Negotiated indirect cost rates above the 8 percent threshold, including the 15 percent de minimis indirect cost rate, cannot be used under this grant. Restrictions on Indirect Costs Citation Governing Indirect Cost Restriction Section 101(k)(2) of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C.

§ 1621 note), as amended Allow Multiple Applications Application Review Start Date / Pre-Qualification Deadline Other Submission Requirements - Have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN); - Be registered in SAM.

gov, the Government's primary registrant database; - Provide your UEI number and TIN on your application; and - Maintain an active SAM registration with current information throughout the application review period and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.

- Thoroughly review the AMS General Terms and Conditions to understand allowable and unallowable costs, the Proposal Submission Guide, and SCBGP Performance Measurers. Question Submission Information Question Submission Open Date Question Submission Close Date Question Submission Email Address Question Submission Additional Information Questions may be submitted via email at agr. iscbg@illinois.

gov. The question period opens on May 7, 2026. The deadline for submitting questions is 1:00 PM (CST) on June 1, 2026. Direct responses will not be provided for questions that are already addressed in the posted Questions and Answers in Euna Grants.

Questions may be paraphrased or edited to reduce duplication and to protect personal or private information. All answers to questions received by the submission deadline (June 1, 2026) will be posted no later than June 3, 2026. No updates to questions or answers will be made after June 3, 2026.

SC27 Notice of Funding Opportunity Supplement_Final ISCBG Question Responses 5-29-2026 Individuals, Small Businesses, Government Organizations, Education Organizations, Nonprofit Organizations, For-Profit Organizations Applicant Eligibility Information There are five grantee pre-award requirements 3) Grantee Pre-qualification 4) Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment (ICQ) 5) Programmatic Risk Assessment (Completed if grantee is awarded) These grantee pre-award requirements are mandated by Federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) and the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA).

Grantees must complete these requirements prior to receiving a grant award from the State of Illinois. For technical assistance or questions about pre-award requirements, contact AGR. ISCBG@illinois.

gov. All grantees must be registered with the State of Illinois. Grantee Registration is completed by browsing to https://grants. illinois.

gov/portal and associating your Illinois. gov account with your organization. New accounts must enter the organization’s information on the Registration screen.

Existing accounts must click the “Edit” button next to the organization name on the Main Menu. 3. Grantee Pre-qualification A) Be qualified to do business with the State of Illinois.

To be qualified for a grant award, an entity must be registered in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, https://grants. illinois. gov/portal/, at the time of grant application.

The portal will verify that the entity: • Has a valid FEIN number (https://www. irs. gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number) • Has a current SAM.

gov registration (https://sam. gov). SAM.

gov registrations must be marked as “public” to allow the GATA Grantee Portal to expedite the review of the federal information • Has a valid UEI number (https://sam. gov) • Is not on the Federal Excluded Parties List (verified at https://sam. gov) • Is in Good Standing with the Illinois Secretary of State, as applicable (https://www.

ilsos. gov/departments/business_services/corp.html) • Is not on the Illinois Stop Payment list (verified once entity is registered in GATA Grantee Portal); and • Is not on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list (https://www. illinois.

gov/hfs/oig/Pages/SanctionsList. aspx) Entities on the Illinois Stop Payment List and/or the Federal Excluded Parties List at time of application submission will not be considered for an award. An automated email notification to the entity alerts them of “qualified” status or informs how to remediate a negative verification (e.g., not in good standing with the Secretary of State).

A federal Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated. B) Register on IL. amplifund.

com. 4. Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment (ICQ) Entities must complete an Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ) as the Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment.

The ICQ is completed once, annually. All state agencies will utilize the results of the ICQ. The entity can access the ICQ from the grantee portal.

5. Programmatic Risk Assessment (Completed if awarded) A Programmatic Risk Assessment is completed by the awarding agency based on the program and entity information. Programmatic risk assessment inform specific conditions in the grant agreement as necessary.

Additional Eligibility Information Conflict of Interest Disclosure - must be signed by the authorized signatory before submission. Can be printed, signed (wet/digital), scanned, uploaded into Euna Grants. Mandatory Disclosure - must be signed by the authorized signatory before submission.

Can be printed, signed (wet/digital), scanned, uploaded into Euna Grants. Additional Information URL https://agr. illinois.

gov/assistance/illinoisfarmprograms/specialty-crop-grants. html Additional Information URL Description For more information about the Illinois Specialty Crop Block Grant Opportunity. Award Administration Information This notification will include the amount of funding for which the grant administrator has determined the project is eligible.

The Notice of State Award (NOSA) will specify the funding terms and specific conditions resulting from the pre-award risk assessments. The NOSA must be accepted in the GATA Portal/AmpliFund by an authorized representative of the grantee organization. The NOSA is not an authorization to begin performance or incur costs.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Grant Uniform Requirements: The Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (30 ILCS 708/1 et seq.) (and its related administrative rules, 44 Ill.

Admin. Code Part 7000), was enacted to increase the accountability and transparency in the use of grant funds from whatever source and to reduce administrative burdens on both State agencies and grantees by adopting federal guidance and regulations applicable to those grant funds; specifically, the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200).

Reporting Grantees funded through this NOFO are required to submit in the format required by the Grantor, at least on a quarterly basis, the Periodic Financial Report and Periodic Performance Report electronically. Pursuant to 2 CFR 200. 328, Periodic Financial Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200. 329, Periodic Performance Reports shall be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report. Any additional reporting requirements will be disclosed in the NOSA.

Grantees are required within 60 calendar days following the end of the period of performance to submit a final closeout report in the format required by the Grantor (See 2 CFR 200. 344; 44 Ill. Admin.

Code 7000. 440(b)). Monitoring and Access to Information.

Grantee must monitor its activities to assure compliance with applicable state and federal requirements and to assure its performance expectations are being achieved. Grantor will monitor the activities of Grantee to assure compliance with all requirements, including applicable programmatic rules, regulations, and guidelines that the Grantor promulgates or implements, and performance expectations of the Award.

Grantee must timely submit all financial and performance reports, and must supply, upon Grantor’s request, documents and information relevant to the Award. Grantor may make site visits as warranted by Program needs. 2 CFR 200.

329; 200. 332. Audits.

Grantee is subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507), Subpart F of 2 CFR Part 200, and the audit rules and policies set forth by the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. 30 ILCS 708/65(c); 44 Ill. Admin.

Code 7000. 90. Administrative and National Policy Requirements As part of the Notice of Award (NOA), all grant recipients must abide by the AMS General Terms and Conditions, which reference applicable Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

https://www. ams. usda.

gov/sites/default/files/media/FY26AMSGDGeneralTermsandConditions. pdf Quarterly Progress and Financial Reports, Annual Progress Reports, Final Progress Reports, and Close Out Reports. State Awarding Agency Contacts Illinois Department of Agriculture This is a reimbursement grant.

Grant funds will be paid to recipients for approved expenditures on a reimbursement basis after a contract is fully executed. Grant recipients must have the financial capability to pay project expenses up front and may request reimbursement monthly. All costs must be associated with project activities that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

Criteria 1: Project Partner and Summary The application provides a clear and concise description of the need for the proposed project. The applicant identifies and engages the intended beneficiaries of the proposed project, including the number of beneficiaries and how they will benefit. The proposed project will directly benefit specialty crops in the State.

Criteria 2: Project Purpose and Plan Extent to which the application presents a clear, well-conceived plan of work that addresses at least one identified Illinois funding priority. The project plan provides a clear, viable, and well-conceived overall methodology for fulfilling the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Performance measures are appropriate for the scale and scope of the proposed project.

Criteria 3: Beneficiaries Include Specialty Crop Industry The project is a research project that will benefit specialty crop farmers/producers. The project aims to make specialty crop more competitive in the market. Criteria 4: External Support The application demonstrates local support for the proposed project.

The project demonstrates support from external stakeholders. The project includes letters of support. The budget narrative and justification give a sufficient description of each category.

The overall budget is sufficiently detailed and consistent with the size and scope of the project. Criteria 6: Overall Application The application adhered to the application instructions. The overall application presents a clear, focused, and viable plan to increase the competitiveness of Illinois specialty crops in a well written manner.

The project focuses on the Illinois specialty crop industry and how to better the industry. The Illinois specialty crop industry is not an accidental beneficiary of the project. Review and Selection Process Grant projects will be scored by an independent external review panel comprised of agriculture, agribusiness development, and economic development experts.

The review panel will use a scoring rubric to assign points to application content.

Final decisions by IDOA may include other factors, such as how projects address Illinois funding priorities; total amount of funding each applicant, crop and/or industry is receiving; geographic location of project and project beneficiaries; rural and urban location of project and project beneficiaries; and past recipient performance on previous Specialty Crop Block Grants.

IDOA reserves the right to offer partial awards based on an assessment of the proposal, the pool of applicants, funding availability, and/or overall objectives of the grant program. Anticipated Announcement Dates