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"USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative FY2026 with a Dedicated Set-Aside for Mechanization, Automation, Robotics and AI-Driven Decision Tools in Specialty Crops" is currently closed and not accepting applications.
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative is USDA's flagship integrated research-and-extension program for fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, and the FY2026 cycle is the largest in the program's history at $175,000,000 - more than double the previous $80,000,000 annual level.
The change that matters most for AI and robotics groups is that this NOFO sets aside at least $20,000,000 specifically for research and development into mechanization and automation technologies, the first time SCRI has reserved a fixed share for that work.
Specialty crops are the hardest agricultural sector to automate: harvest is selective, plants are irregular, damage tolerance is low, and the labour the technology would displace is the industry's single largest cost line. That combination is why computer vision, robotic manipulation, sensor fusion and AI-based decision support have concentrated in this sector, and why the set-aside is significant rather than symbolic.
The defining structural requirement of SCRI is integration: except for Research and Extension Planning Projects, the program only funds proposals that combine research and extension activities. A purely technical robotics proposal will not be funded no matter how strong the engineering - there must be a genuine extension pathway that puts the technology in front of growers.
Applicants are also encouraged to use systems-based approaches rather than single-discipline framing. The FY2026 NOFO (USDA-NIFA-SCRI-011676, Assistance Listing 10. 309) posted 13 April 2026 with an application deadline of 15 June 2026 at 5:00pm Eastern.
That cycle has closed; SCRI runs annually and the expanded funding level is expected to persist.
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Or search similar grants →According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Eligible applicants are broad: federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions, private organizations, foundations, corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, and groups of two or more eligible entities. Awards range from $50,000 to $10,000,000 against a total FY2026 program budget of $175,000,000, with at least $20,000,000 reserved for mechanization and automation R&D. Cost sharing or matching requirements apply and applicants should read the NOFO carefully before committing - the match has historically been substantial and must be secured in advance. All projects except Research and Extension Planning Projects must integrate research and extension activities; this is a hard eligibility condition, not a scoring preference, and proposals without a credible extension component are non-responsive. Applicants are encouraged to employ systems-based approaches spanning the production chain. Applications are submitted through Grants.gov under funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-SCRI-011676. The FY2026 NOFO posted 13 April 2026 with a deadline of 15 June 2026 at 5:00pm ET and has now closed. The program contact is Thomas Bewick. SCRI sits alongside two other FY2026 specialty crop vehicles announced at the same time - the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program, together totalling over $275,000,000 - which are administered separately and have their own eligibility rules. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows the FY2026 NOFO carries a program-level budget of $175,000,000, roughly double the historic $80,000,000 per year, and individual awards run from $50,000 to $10,000,000 - so amount_min is 50,000 and amount_max is 10,000,000. That range is enormous because SCRI funds three very different things under one NOFO: small Research and Extension Planning Projects at the bottom end, standard integrated projects in the low millions, and Coordinated Agricultural Projects that can reach eight figures over multiple years. The structurally important number for AI and robotics applicants is not the ceiling but the set-aside: for the first time, at least $20,000,000 of the FY2026 pool is reserved specifically for research and development into mechanization and automation technologies. That carve-out means an automation or computer-vision proposal is competing against a much smaller field than the headline $175,000,000 would suggest. Cost sharing or matching applies and is a real constraint - SCRI has historically required a match equal to the federal funds requested, which for a multi-million dollar project means finding an equivalent commitment from industry or the host institution before submission. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
The published deadline was June 15, 2026, which has passed. Check the official notice for any future application windows before investing time in a proposal.
USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative FY2026 with a Dedicated Set-Aside for Mechanization, Automation, Robotics and AI-Driven Decision Tools in Specialty Crops is funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
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The ONR Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (N00014-25-S-B001) is the Office of Naval Research's primary mechanism for soliciting research proposals across all naval science and technology priority areas. The BAA accepts proposals on a rolling basis through September 30, 2026 and covers ONR's full spectrum of research interests with particular emphasis on AI-related topics including autonomous maritime systems, human-machine teaming, machine learning for sensor fusion, cooperative autonomous swarm technology, undersea autonomy, and AI-enabled decision superiority. Proposals can be funded through multiple mechanisms including individual investigator grants, the Young Investigator Program (~$510K over 3 years for early-career faculty), and Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) awards ($1.5M/year for 3-5 years for research teams). ONR recommends contacting relevant program officers before submitting to discuss alignment with current research priorities. The BAA supports basic research (6.1), applied research (6.2), and advanced technology development (6.3) across the full range of naval-relevant science and engineering disciplines.
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