NAAE: Grants

This is a matching-funds grant available to three categories of recipients: Ag in the K-12 Classroom, secondary schools (grades 9-12) and Junior or Community Colleges (2-year postsecondary programs). Single-institution awards may be up to $35,000 and joint project awards may be up to $50,000. Recipients are required to match awarded funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis (cash or in-kind).

The application submission due date is December 15, 2008. (This is one month earlier than last year’s date.)

Please note two substantial updates to the program for FY 2009, as follows:

1. Program Categories -- A third category has been added, which is Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom, defined as “teaching improvement projects specifically developed by or for the state Agriculture in the Classroom program.” The other two program categories are as they have been in the past: secondary school and junior or community college.

2. Eligible Applicants -- Applications may be submitted by: (1) public secondary schools, (2) public or private nonprofit junior and community colleges, (3) institutions of higher education, or (4) nonprofit organizations. (Institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations were added for FY 2009; however, note that all projects must address one of the three program categories as listed above.)

Please note that all applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. If you plan to submit an application, be sure your school, college, university, or nonprofit entity is registered with Grants.gov. If you are not already registered, get registered now. If you wait until the last minute to register with Grants.gov, you may not be able to submit your application on time. Late applications will not be accepted.

Important!!

Only electronic applications will be accepted. Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov

To submit though Grants.gov, submitters must have a DUNS number and be registered with the Central Contractor Registry. It can take
up to a month to become registered with CCR and obtain a DUNS number (if your organization does not already have one).

The Request for Applications provides specific information on how to become registered to submit your application.

The grant is designed to promote and strengthen teaching programs in agriscience and agribusiness by enhancing curricula, increasing faculty teaching competencies, promoting higher education to prepare students for scientific and professional careers, incorporating agriscience or agribusiness subject matter into other instructional programs, facilitating joint initiatives among other educational institutions, and by responding to identified state, regional, national or international educational needs.

Request for Applications
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/educationchallengesecondaryhep.cfm

Proposals must be received by December 15, 2008.

Please direct all inquiries regarding the FY 2009 USDA Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge (SPECA) Grants Program to the program manager, P. Gregory Smith, USDA CSREES Higher Education Programs, (202) 720-2067, gsmith@csrees.usda.gov.

Back to Grants page