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Nursery Research Grant Program

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 2025, ten projects were supported.


Grants are awarded for research projects and investigations directed toward:

  • Prevention and elimination of plant diseases and insect pests, both common and emergent.
  • Development and improvement of cultural methods, technologies, or cultivars that are beneficial to the Oregon nursery industry.

Request for proposals (RFP) Submission deadline: September 12th, 2025 at 5:00 pm

Click the link below for information on the upcoming grant cycle:
2025-2026 Grant Cycle Timeline

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.

Format to apply

Proposals should be emailed as a .pdf to nursery@oda.oregon.gov

Proposals should succinctly outline the project and describe how the work directly benefits the Oregon nursery industry. Please keep proposals to 2 pages or less. The workplan for projects must be for activities spanning one-calendar year. Proposals must include the following information to be considered in full:

  • Contacts: Name of principal investigator and collaborators, name of institution, contact information (address, telephone and email). Please identify the point of contact for the project. This is person whom the ODA will be in contact with about grant administration.
  • Background: Please clearly connect how this research benefits the entire 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. Please note that projects from outside of Oregon may not funded if an interstate contract cannot be established to meet the interests of ODA. 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

Deliverables

Authors of projects approved for funding will be expected to do produce 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 grant calendar posted here: 

2025-26 Grant Cycle Timeline

Funding

Final award letters will be delivered via e-mail by the ODA. Funding for all approved projects is provided in the following allotments:

  1. 50% paid upon project approval and full execution of the award agreement with the ODA
  2. 25% paid upon receipt and approval of mid-year report
  3. 25% payment paid upon receipt and approval of a final report

Questions

If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please email nursery@oda.oregon.gov

Versión en español

Detalles de la solicitud vinculados aquí


2024 Grants

Institute
ProjectPrincipal investigator
OSUOregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center plant pathology internshipLuisa Santamaria
OSUAsymptomatic boxwood blightMana Ohkura
USDA-ARSIdentification of bioactive peptides as potential targets for thrips control in nursery cropsMan-Yeon Choi
OSUNew cultivars of nursery plants with novel ornamental traits and disease resistanceRyan Contreras
OSUDeveloping sterile forms of economically important nursery cropsRyan Contreras
OSUDeveloping pulse electricity as a fumigant alternative in nursery seedling bedsMarcelo L Moretti
HRIHorticultural Research Institute Endowment FundJennifer Gray

  • ​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