USDA: Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is seeking applications for the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program.

Donor Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture

State: All States

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 04/05/2023

Size of the Grant: up to $50,000 and up to $150,000

Grant Duration: 3 years

Details:

Purpose and Priorities

The purpose of the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants (SPECA) program is to award grants to:

Enhance curricula in agricultural education
Increase faculty teaching competencies
Interest young people in pursuing higher education in order to prepare for scientific and professional careers in the food and agricultural sciences
Promote the incorporation of agriscience and agribusiness subject matter into other instructional programs, particularly classes in science, business, and consumer education
Facilitate joint initiatives by the grant recipient with other secondary schools, Institutions of higher education that award an associate degree, and institutions of higher education that award a bachelor’s degree to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve agriscience and agribusiness education
Support other initiatives designed to meet local, State, regional, or national needs related to promoting excellence in agriscience and agribusiness education
Support current agriculture in the classroom programs for grades K–12

Project Category

Each project must support academic instruction with a primary focus in at least one of the following three K-14 Grade Levels:

K-8 grade levels: Projects with a specific focus on any of the academic grades Kindergarten through eight.
Secondary School: Projects with a specific focus on any of the academic grades 9 through 12.
Junior or Community College: Projects with a specific focus on associate degree level (2- year postsecondary) activities.

Funding Information

The amount available for SPECA in FY 2023 is approximately $900,000. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

Project Types. Applicants must propose one of three types of projects: Regular, or Collaborative Type 1.
- Regular Project
  - Applicants may request up to $50,000 (total, not per year) for a Regular Grant.
  - Applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.
- Collaboration Project (Applicant + One or more Partners)
  - Applicants may request up to $150,000 (total, not per year) for a Collaboration Project.
  - Applicant executes the project with assistance from at least one additional partner.

Grant Duration: 24-36 month

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for the SPECA must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Applications may only be submitted by: