Description
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is a program that addresses the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture. The program has five focus areas: research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics; efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases; efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability; new innovations and technology; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards. Some key points to note:
* The program is reauthorized and has a new funding opportunity each year.
* The program has a two-phase review process, with the first phase being an Industry Relevance Review.
* The program encourages international partnerships or engagement in proposals, as long as they support the domestic objectives of SCRI.
* The program has a cost-sharing requirement, where recipients must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through the grant, in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded by NIFA.
* The program has a maximum indirect cost rate of 30% of Total Federal Funds Awarded.
Some of the key benefits of this program include:
* Supporting research and extension activities that address key challenges in the specialty crop industry
* Encouraging collaboration and open communication among stakeholders
* Promoting the development of resources that accelerate the application of scientific discovery and technology to address the needs of various specialty crop industries
* Providing funding for projects that integrate research and extension activities
* Supporting the development of strategic research and extension plans for specialty crop industries
The program has several eligibility requirements, including:
* Pre-applications may only be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.
* Applicants must provide a Stakeholder Relevance Statement (SRS) as part of their pre-application, which must include information such as the problem being addressed, the project team, and the expected outcomes.
* Applicants must also provide a detailed budget and budget narrative as part of their full application.
Overall, the SCRI program is a valuable resource for supporting research and extension activities in the specialty crop industry, and can provide significant benefits to stakeholders and the industry as a whole.