New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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Researcher Information

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The Research Committee of the NYWGF Board of Directors now welcomes new proposals for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.  Proposals are due by January 19th, 2024.

The priority research themes for this year are listed below.

In addition to the narrative requirements outlined in the Research RFP, please note that, if private sector funding is being sought or received to support the proposed project, a letter identifying the funder and statement of their support must be submitted with this proposal. Please use the Commitment Letter Template below and submit with your NYWGF proposal as outlined in the Proposal Template.

A detailed budget should also be provided. Please complete the Research Budget Template and submit with your NYWGF proposal.

See the RFP

Important Dates

November 29, 2023Request for Proposals Released
January 19, 2024Proposals Due
February 8, 2024Reporting Session
March 31, 2024Final Reports Due
  

Required Templates

Every year, research priorities are discussed and finalized by the Research Committee of the Board of the NYWGF in collaboration with additional stakeholder input, to help the researchers focus their research proposals to meet the current needs of the wine and grape industry.

The priority research themes for the 2024-25 fiscal year are as follows:

VITICULTURE:

    • Disease & Pest management, including Invasive species: Develop effective, efficient and
      sustainable disease and pest management materials and techniques that minimize development of resistance and provide resilience to climate change. Develop
      management approaches to combat impact of invasive species, including but not limited
      to spotted-wing drosophila and spotted lanternfly.
    • Floor and weed management: Develop and evaluate vineyard floor and weed
      management strategies to reduce energy and herbicide use.
    • Mechanization and precision agriculture: Identify opportunities for vineyard management
      mechanization and application of precision agriculture technology with a particular
      emphasis on development of labor saving and affordable canopy management
      equipment.
    • Sustainability: Develop and evaluate vineyard management strategies to efficiently utilize
      nutrient inputs and promote long term soil health and water quality.

ENOLOGY:

    • Grape varieties and clones: Develop and evaluate new grape varieties and/or clones of
      current varieties that are suitable for making quality wine in New York’s diverse wine
      growing regions and that are resilient to climate change.
    • Wine quality: Develop and evaluate techniques and materials to improve quality of wine made from cold hardy hybrid and native grape varieties..

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT:

    • Customer acceptance: Identify and test education and communication strategies to
      promote customer acceptance of wines made from cold hardy hybrid and native grape
      varieties.
    • Customer awareness: Identify and test education and communication strategies to
      increase customer awareness of the diversity and quality of New York wines