Deadline:
August 31st, 2024 (5 pm, PST)
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), in cooperation with the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), annually award financial grants to support research that would benefit the Oregon nursery industry. These grants are funded primarily through the Nursery Research Assessment Fee, paid to the ODA through Oregon nursery license fees. In 2024, ten projects were supported with a total allocation of approximately $248,333.
Grants are awarded for research projects that result in:
- CROP IMPROVEMENT \ YIELD INCREASES
- MICROBIAL PATHOGEN \ ENTOMOLOGICAL PEST SOLUTIONS
- WEED CONTROL
- LABOR SAVING TECHNIQUES
- SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS
Request for proposals (RFP)
We are currently accepting proposals for the 2025 funding cycle. For more guidelines, please refer to this document: 2025 Nursery Research Grant RFP.pdf
Format to apply
Proposals should succinctly outline the project and describe how the work directly benefits the Oregon nursery industry and is applicable to at least one of the five categories listed above. Please keep proposals to 2 pages or less. Industry collaboration is vital to conducting research that will have a practical impact.
Proposals who have an Oregon industry collaborator in place should list them
accordingly. If you do not have an industry collaborator, please indicate if you would
be willing to partner with one. Proposals must include the following information to be
considered in full:
Contacts: Name of principal investigator and collaborators, name of
institution, contact information (address, phone and email). Please identify
the point of contact for the project. This is the person whom the ODA will be
in contact with about grant administration.
Background: Please clearly state how this research benefits the
Oregon nursery industry.
Project objectives and outcomes: What are the expected deliverables?
Methods: How will the project achieve the stated objectives?
Timeline: Outline how the project will be carried out over the course of
the calendar year to meet proposed objectives.
Budget: Include personnel hours/rates, cost of travel, supplies, and any
other costs associated with the work.
(* Indirect costs are unallowable under the Nursery Research Grant Program. Indirect costs, also known as Facilities and Administrative Costs, are those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one (1) cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objective specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved.)
Evaluation
Submissions are reviewed and prioritized by representatives from the nursery industry. A
submitter may be asked to modify & re-submit a proposal if the committee decides it warrants further review. The committee makes the final selection of awardees. Grant awards are issued by the ODA. The workplan for projects must be for activities spanning one-calendar year. However, if multiple years of funding will be required for the successful completion of your project, please indicate this in your proposal. Please note that projects from outside of Oregon may not be funded if an interstate contract cannot be established to meet the interests of ODA.
Proposals will be evaluated considering:
- Clear, realistic objectives and outcomes of the proposed project
- Relevance of the project to the objectives of Oregon nursery growers
- Active collaboration with a partner in Oregon
- Transparent, concise, and appropriate use of funds
For questions about the funding process, please contact the ODA
(nursery@oda.oregon.gov). For additional information about the grant program, visit the research page hosted by the Oregon Association of Nurseries:
link here
Deliverables
A brief written mid-year progress report and a final report, detailing the research results are
required as part of the grant process. Reports must be submitted to the ODA for
invoices/awards to be approved. Please refer to the Nursery Reseach Grant Program 2025 Timeline at the top of this page. In addition, awardees will be required to present their findings at the annual Farwest Show, either in-person or remotely, and will be contacted by the OAN to coordinate a time to present your research. More information on the Farwest Show can be found
here.
Awards
Final award letters will be delivered via e-mail by the ODA. Funding for all approved projects is provided in the following allotments:
- 50% paid upon project approval and full execution of the award agreement with the ODA
- 25% paid upon receipt and approval of mid-year report
- 25% payment paid upon receipt and approval of a
final report
To be added to our contact list
If you would like to receive program announcements, please contact the Nursery Main Office at Email (503-986-4644) to be added to our contact list.
QuestionsIf you have any questions about the program or the application process, please email: nursery@oda.oregon.gov
Current projects - 2024 Grant Cycle
INSTITUTE
| PROJECT
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
|
OSU
| New cultivars of nursery plants with novel ornamental traits and disease resistance
| Ryan Contreras
|
OSU
| Developing sterile forms of economically important nursery crops
| Ryan Contreras
|
OSU
| Developing a Natural Antifungal Foliar Spray with Synergistic UV-A Light Enhancement
| Qingyang Wang
|
OSU
| Developing a Pulse Electricity as a Fumigant Alternative in Nursery Seedling Beds
| Marcelo L Moretti
|
OSU
| Illuminating Light and Water Needs of High Value Houseplant Varieties
| Lloyd Nackley
|
OSU
| North Willamette Research and Extension Center nursery production intership
| Lloyd Nackley
|
OSU
| Evaluating the growth response, outplant success and economics of root pruning containers in ornamental tree production
| Lloyd Nackley
|
USDA ARS
| Identification of thrips volatiles for pheromone components for nursery crops
| Man-Yeon Choi
|
OSU
| Developing precision irrigation practices for container production of blueberry rootstock
| Wei Yang
|
- Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center Nursery Production Internship—Investigators: Santamaria, Nackley, Landgren
- Development of biologically based thrips management for nursery crops—Investigator: Man-Yeon Choi
- Micropropagation of apple rootstock Geneva 214—Investigators: Wada, Reed
- Survey for boxwood blight in Oregon nurseries—Investigator: Weiland
- New cultivars of nursery plants with novel ornamental traits and disease resistance—Investigator: Conterras
- Developing sterile forms of economically important nursery crops—Investigator: Conteras
- The weight of water. Investigating gravimetric based irrigation control to improve water use efficiency in container production systems—Investigator: Nackley
- Liverwort control in greenhouses with mustard seed meal and mulches—Investigator: Moretti
- Investigating substrates to inform irrigation management—Investigator: Nackley
- Liverwort control in greenhouses with pre-emergence herbicides and mustard seed meal—Investigator: Moretti
- Essential oils as novel tools for controlling amber snails in Oregon nurseries—Investigator: McDonnell
- Post-harvest physiology of woody species—Investigator: Nackley
- Low-cost retrofit options for automating greenhouse environmental sensing—Investigators: Nackley, et al
- New cultivars of nursery plants with novel ornamental traits and disease resistance—Investigator: Contreras
- OSU North Willamette Research and Extension Center Nursery Production Internship—Investigators: Nackley, et al
- Thrips damage and pupation habits—Investigator: Lee
- Improved micropropagation of ornamental trees and apple rootstock—Investigator: Kandelous
- Developing sterile forms of economically important nursery crops—Investigator: Contreras
Final reports