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    Apply for the PA Speciality Crop Grant

    Apply for the Pennsylvania Specialty Crop Grant through the Electronic Single Application ("ESA") website. The grant aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

    Apply now

    Overview

    The Commonwealth Specialty Crop program won't take the place of the Federal Specialty Crop Block Grant Program but will add to it.

    The grant will help crops that are not currently eligible for the federal grant or are considered very important by the Secretary. The important crops include:

    • Hemp
    • Honey
    • Hardwood
    • Hops
    • Flax for fiber

    The funding will help these crops grow, get certified seeds, and be marketed.

     

    Additional resources:

    How to apply

    1. Submission Process:

      • Complete the Full Proposal application using the Department of Community and Economic Development's Electronic Single Application ("ESA") website at ESA website.
      • Full Proposals must be submitted on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 19, 2024.

    2. Phase I: Full Proposal:

      • A request for Full Proposals will be released in March 2024.
      • Full Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. on April 19, 2024.

    3. Phase II: Final Grant Proposal:

      • The invitation to submit Final Proposals for consideration for funding will be sent out in May 2024.
      • Final Proposals are due to PDA in May 2024.

    4. Award:

      • The announcement of Award Funding will take place in June 2024.

    The competitive solicitation and review process includes two phases: Phase I, Full Proposal, and Phase II, Final Grant Proposal for review. Projects with the highest combined scores will be invited to complete a Final Grant Proposal for consideration for funding.

    Program guidelines

    The projects should help certain crops compete better and be good for the whole crop industry. They can include things like:

    • Teaching kids and grown-ups about eating healthy crops 
    • Having industry people go to meetings where they talk about setting rules for crops 
    • Making it easier and cheaper to get crops to the stores 
    • Helping everyone involved in growing and selling crops do it in a good way, like using special plants to help grow the crops, handling the crops well, and making the crops safely 
    • Putting money into studying and making new kinds of crops
    • Keeping bugs and diseases away from the crops 
    • Taking care of the environment and making sure the crops can keep growing well

    A total of $460,000 will be given out for projects that help Pennsylvania specialty crops, like:

    • hemp
    • Hardwoods
    • Honey
    • Hops
    • Certain grains
    • Flax. 

    This is a reimbursement grant. There's no smallest or biggest amount you can get. The money you get back is based on the costs you had for an approved project during the year when the grant is given.

    Grants will be given when there's money available. The grant money can't be spent on things bought or done before the grant starts. If you give something instead of money, it won't count as part of your share. The PDA can give less money than you asked for.

    Reporting requirements

    If you are awarded a grant, there are reporting requirements you are required to meet. 

    • You need to send an Annual Performance Report report 30 days after the end of the first year of the grant.
    • You need to send a Federal Financial Report with each performance report. The report will detail the money you spent during that time period. 
    • The Final Performance Report is due 90 days after the end of the grant period.
    • People may visit your project.
    • If you want to make changes to the project, you need to get prior written approval. These include changes such as:
      • Changes in key personnel
      • Changes in key personnel's time committed to the project
      • Changes in scope or objectives
      • Budget changes
      • Changes to recipient name or address
      • Changes to amount of cost share or match
      • Contracting or subawarding for activities that are important to the purpose of the grant    

     

    Eligible & ineligible costs

    There are specific costs that are eligible and ineligible to be refunded through the grant. 

    • Rental costs of land and building space. However, lease agreements to own (i.e., lease-to-own or rent-to-own) are not allowable. The lease or rental agreement must terminate at the end of the grant cycle.
    • Conference that fulfills the purpose of a grant program's legislated purpose.
    • Rent a building or room for training.
    • Contractual/Consultant Costs (Professional Services)
    • Rental costs of general-purpose equipment when provided in the approved budget or with prior written approval. Vehicles may be leased but not purchased.  Acquisition costs and rental costs of special purpose equipment provided the criteria are met.
    • Website development, mobile apps, etc., that are not considered to be information technology systems but rather social media applications.
    • Insurance and Indemnification
    • Lunch or dinner meals if the costs are reasonable, and a justification is provided that such activity maintains the continuity of the meeting and to do otherwise will impose arduous conditions on the meeting participants. As well as meals consumed while in official travel status.
    • Costs of membership in business, technical, and professional organizations when provided in the approved budget or with prior written approval.
    • Participant Support Costs
    • Pre-Award Costs
    • Printing and Publications
    • Rearrangement and Reconversion Costs
    • Salaries and Wages - salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for project staff who devote time and effort to activities and that meet the legislated purpose of the grant program.
    • Costs associated with printing, distribution, or promotion of coupons/tokens or price discounts as long as they benefit more than a single program or organization.
    • Selling and Marketing Costs- Costs designed to promote products that align with the purpose of the grant program.
    • Supplies and Materials, Including Costs of Computing Devices
    • Training Costs
    • Travel-Domestic and Foreign

    • Advisory Councils
    • Alcoholic Beverages
    • Building and Land acquisition or construction
    • Contingency Provisions
    • Contributions or Donations
    • Electronic Benefit Transfer Machines
    • Entertainment Costs including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any costs directly associated with such costs
    • Acquisition costs of general-purpose equipment or lease agreements to own
    • Farm, gardening, and production activities, materials, supplies, and other related costs including but not limited to soil, seeds, shovels, gardening tools, greenhouses, and hoop houses.
    • Fines, Penalties, Damages and Other Settlements
    • Fundraising and Investment Management Costs
    • Good or services for personal use
    • Lobbying
    • Business meals when individuals go to lunch or dine together although no need exists for continuity of a meeting.
    • Membership costs for any civic or community organization
    • Political Activities
    • Costs designed solely to promote the image of an organization, a general logo, or a general brand.
    • Costs for promotion of specific venues, tradeshows, events, meetings, programs, conventions, symposia, seminars, etc. that do not align with the legislated purpose of the grant program.
    • Promotional items, swag, gifts, prizes, memorabilia, and souvenirs
    • Costs of the value of coupon/incentive redemptions or price discounts
    • Purchasing food for displays, tastings, and cooking demonstrations
    • Costs associated with sponsorships
    • Costs associated with trade show attendance/displays, meeting room reservations, and/or any other displays, demonstrations, exhibits, or rental of space where activities do not specifically align with the purpose of the grant program.

    Contact us

    For any questions regarding this grant and/or the competitive solicitation process, applicants should contact PDA at 717-614-5730 or email at lastackhou@pa.gov.