# Specialty Crop Research Initiative (10.309)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/10-309-specialty-crop-research-initiative/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

Specialty Crop Research Initiative is run by Department of Agriculture. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $383 million in 134 grants, about $2.9 million per award.

## Objectives

The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and Extension/outreach that address key challenges of national, regional, and multistate importance in sustaining all components of
food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. The program recognizes that for some specialty crops which are grown in a limited number of States, the multistate nature of projects can be difficult to address. Except for Research and Extension/outreach Planning Projects, the SCRI program only considers projects that integrate research and Extension/outreach activities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose a unique approach to solving problems facing the specialty crop industry using a systems approach.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $98.8 million | 30 |
| 2022 | $91.7 million | 39 |
| 2023 | $93.9 million | 35 |
| 2024 | $71.0 million | 22 |
| 2025 | $27.3 million | 17 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Florida | Florida | $56.4 million |
| Washington State University | Washington | $37.5 million |
| North Carolina State University | North Carolina | $27.5 million |
| Texas A&m Agrilife Research | Texas | $26.2 million |
| University of California, Davis | California | $19.6 million |
| The Regents of the University of California | California | $17.3 million |
| Regents of the University of Minnesota | Minnesota | $15.8 million |
| Agricultural Research Service | Illinois | $15.0 million |
| Michigan State University Foundation | Michigan | $13.3 million |
| New Mexico State University | New Mexico | $12.0 million |
| Oregon State University | Oregon | $11.9 million |
| Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas | Arkansas | $10.7 million |
| Agricultural Research Service | Mississippi | $8.6 million |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | Virginia | $8.4 million |
| The Ohio State University | Ohio | $7.7 million |
| The Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania | $7.3 million |
| Rutgers, the State University | New Jersey | $7.2 million |
| Regents of the University of Idaho | Idaho | $6.8 million |
| University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland | $6.5 million |
| Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council | Hawaii | $6.0 million |