Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Call for Proposals

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · State of California

At a glance

Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Call for Proposals is a closed California state grant opportunity from CA Department of Food and Agriculture (State of California). The application deadline was April 27, 2026. Individual awards are listed as $225K – $300K, with $700K in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include business, individual, nonprofit, other legal entity, public agency and 1 more. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing is not required.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Apr 16, 2026Posted
Apr 27, 2026Application deadline

Opened: Apr 16, 2026
Close date: Apr 27, 2026
Award floor: $225,000
Award ceiling: $300,000
Est. total funding: $700,000
Expected awards: Not specified
Matching funds: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant

Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)

Type: Grant
Funding source: Other — Through a mill assessment ($0.001 per dollar) on fertilizers sale, FREP has funded basic and applied research as well as education and outreach on understanding, developing, and improving best nutrient management practices for California agriculture.
Matching funds: Not Required
Funding method: Reimbursement(s)
Estimated number of awards: Between 3 and 4
Award period: Closes April 27 2026
Expected award announcement: October 2026
Letter of intent: Not required
Geography: Projects must be related to irrigation and nutrient management practices in California.
How to submit: By email: cdfa.frepgrants@cdfa.ca.gov

Who can apply

Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.

Business
Individual
Nonprofit
Other Legal Entity
Public Agency
Tribal Government

Additional information on eligibility (from the listing)

Pre-proposals must focus on at least one of the priority areas listed in the Request for Proposals call available on FREP grant page. Applicants are required to utilize the pre-proposal template (docx). Pre-proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, April 27, 2026. FREP does not support proprietary product development, testing or promotions.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.

Purpose

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) funds and facilitates projects to advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials.

Description

FREP is now accepting pre-proposals for projects that will begin in January 2027. Pre-proposals must focus on at least one of the priority areas listed below. Applicants are required to utilize the pre-proposal template (docx). Pre-proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, April 27, 2026. Grant funding of up to $75,000 per year is available for outreach, education and training projects and up to $100,000 per year for research and demonstration projects. The maximum grant duration is three years. Requests for projects longer than three years or higher than the award ceiling will be considered on a case-by-case basis contingent on project needs. Projects leveraging other sources of funding are strongly encouraged. FREP does not support proprietary product development, testing or promotions.CDFA encourages projects that include demonstrable benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and farm workers. Socially disadvantaged groups include those whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination. Socially disadvantaged groups are defined in the Farmer Equity Act of 2017. This solicitation, as well as information about FREP activities and projects, is available by contacting FREP at FREP@cdfa.ca.gov or by visiting www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/FREP.

Program page on the agency site ↗

Program contact (as published)

frep@cdfa.ca.gov
1-916-900-5022

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for “Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Call for Proposals”?

The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Business, Individual, Nonprofit, Other Legal Entity, Public Agency and Tribal Government. It adds: “Pre-proposals must focus on at least one of the priority areas listed in the Request for Proposals call available on FREP grant page. Applicants are required to utilize the pre-proposal template (docx). Pre-proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on Monday, April 27, 2026. FREP does…” Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.

How much funding is available through “Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Call for Proposals”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $225k – $300k and total estimated program funding is $700,000.

How do I apply for “Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Call for Proposals”?

Applications go directly to CA Department of Food and Agriculture, not through GrantsJunction. Submission: by email to cdfa.frepgrants@cdfa.ca.gov. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.

Other open California state opportunities, matched on agency, categories and wording.

OpenState of California