Source: USDA, 2/9/18

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced support to enhance agricultural literacy through formal K-12 education. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture in The Classroom (AITC) program.

The AITC program helps students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society so they will become citizens who make wise decisions regarding agricultural challenges and opportunities in the 21st century. The program is implemented through a network of partners at the state and local levels, and encourages educators to integrate information about the food and agricultural system across curricula to ensure future generations are agriculturally literate.

Eligible applicants include all colleges and universities, state agricultural experiment stations, state cooperative extension services, research or educational institutions or organizations, Federal and private agencies, and organizations and individuals.

NIFA reviews all proposals accepted in NIFA’s competitive grant programs through an external peer review process in which a panel of experts from within the respective field in question takes part. Specific details on panel meetings, review formats, and evaluation criteria may vary among programs.

There is $500,000 available for a one year cooperative agreement with noncompetitive renewal for four years, provided satisfactory performance, and, the availability of funding.

The deadline for applications is May 1, 2018. Please see the funding opportunity for details.

NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural sciences, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/Impacts, sign up for email updates, or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.