2024 Department of Pesticide Regulation Research Grants Program

To promote safer, more sustainable pest management practices in California, the Department of Pesticide Regulation's (DPR) Research Grants Program provides funding to develop integrated pest management (IPM) practices in agricultural, urban, or wildland settings that reduce the risks from pesticides which are high-risk, of regulatory concern, or are of human health or environmental concern in California.

DPR's Research Grants Program has up to $800,000 in funding available for research projects that seek to further IPM in agricultural, urban, or wildland settings. Developed practices should aim to reduce the use of high-risk pesticides or pesticides that are of regulatory concern and seek to mitigate the impacts of pesticides on human health and the environment. DPR’s Research Grants Program funds diverse projects in varied settings; a list of current and past projects can be found here.

The 2024 Research Grants Program is particularly seeking applications that address one or more of the following topic areas:

• IPM for underserved or disadvantaged communities;

• Decreasing the use of high-risk/high-volume pesticides (such as fumigants like 1,3-dichloropropene or sulfuryl fluoride);

• Advancement of urban IPM and safer, more sustainable pest management tools and strategies in urban settings;

• Advancement of IPM and safer, more sustainable pest management tools and strategies in agricultural settings adjacent to or near a school(s);

• Meeting the IPM needs of small growers; and/or

• TWO or more of the three sustainability pillars noted below and referenced in the Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap:

1. Human Health and Social Equity,

2. Environmental Protections,

3. Economic Vitality

The 2024 Research Grants application package can be found on DPR’s website. Following the deadline, applications are concurrently reviewed by DPR staff and the Pest Management Advisory Committee (PMAC). Both groups evaluate the proposal application according to scoring criteria that can be found here.

This year, DPR has up to $800,000 available for projects with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligible grantees include nonprofits agencies, tribal governments, individuals, businesses, and public agencies, including those from outside of California; however, project work must primarily benefit the people of California.

There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted, including multiple applications from the same person or entity. PMAC members may apply, but they must follow the rules regarding conflict of interest in the PMAC Charter. All applicants and associated project personnel must meet DPR’s eligibility requirements that can be found here.

Keywords: Agriculture, Agricultural Commodity, Agricultural Crops, Agronomy, Air Quality, Automation, Bacteria, Bactericide, Climate Change, Community Health, Cover Crops, Cropping System, Crops, Ecology, Ecosystem, Emissions, Fauna, Fertility, Field Sanitation, Flora, Fruits, Fumigant, Fungi, Fungicide, Herbicide, Horticulture, Housing, Insect Pests, Insecticide, Integrated Pest Management, Irrigation, Lakes, Land Management, Laws and Regulations, Machinery, Mating Disruption, Miticide, Natural Enemies, Nuts, Oceans, Pathogens, Personal Protective Equipment, Pest, Pest Management, Pesticide, Plant Disease, Plant Protection, Pollinator, Pollution, Reduced-Risk, Rivers, Rodenticide, Soil Health, Streams, Sustainable, Training, Urban Pest Management, Vegetables, Vertebrate Pests, Virus, Volatile Organic Compounds, Water, Water Quality, Watershed, Weeds, Wildlands, Worker Health and Safety

Applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements in the 2024 Research Grants Solicitation.

Work may be conducted outside of California, but justification must be provided and projects must primarily benefit the people of California.

Matched funding is not allowed. Projects must not depend on other sources of funding for the completion of any task or deliverable. However, in-kind contributions of personnel time, equipment, facilities, and materials are allowed.

Funding is from the DPR fund and the general fund.

10% of funds are held until grant close. Once final invoices are approved by DPR this 10% retention is released.

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying.