Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Education Grants

Apply

MAELC will award grants to support programming for agriculture, food and natural resources education (AFNR) education at the K-12 and post-secondary levels. Priority will be given to school-based agricultural education and post-secondary programs, or for projects connected to school districts or colleges/universities. The Minnesota Legislature provides this funding through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to be administered by MAELC.


Applying

Applications are due November 15, 2025. A second round of applications will be due April 15, 2026. Carefully read the MAELC Education Grant - Reuest for Proposal (2025-2026) for eligibility and requirements.

To submit your application, apply online.


Grant Priorities

Grant projects should address at least one of the strategies within the following MAELC goal areas:

MAELC Goal #1: Increase STUDENT access, awareness and participation

  • Implement new or expand current AFNR education programs that attract new and/or underserved groups
  • Provide experiences that improve student engagement and broaden opportunities for applied learning in AFNR content, including middle school grades (5-8)
  • Promote and offer AFNR career exploration programs that recruit and retain students for the future workforce

MAELC Goal #2: Improve PROGRAMMING content, meeting facilities and equipment needs, and provide the best method of instruction to meet the needs of the AFNR industry

  • Develop AFNR courses that provide opportunities for credit equivalency for high school graduation credit or concurrent enrollment for post-secondary credit
  • Provide equipment and improve facilities to enhance student experience and instruction
  • Develop and/or enhance AFNR curriculum and course delivery methods to provide students with opportunities to acquire leadership, career readiness and technical skills

MAELC Goal #3: Recruit, retain, and support highly qualified INSTRUCTORS

  • Implement recruitment strategies to encourage individuals to join the AFNR education profession
  • Support career lifecycles of agricultural educators (e.g., pre-service, early, mid or late career), which can include programming for professional development, mentorship, and cohort opportunities
  • Provide programming that retains and transitions instructors at the secondary, post-secondary and farm business management levels


Amount Available

$250,000 is available over two grant periods. Applicants may request between $1,500-$25,000 per project. The average award amount for the past three years is $8,900. A cash match is not required. MAELC prefers not to sustain repeat projects.


Questions

For general grant questions or help with the online application system, contact maelc@umn.edu or call (612) 624-6256.


Previous Grant Winners

FY 2025 - Round 2

Institution Amount Project Description
Alexandria Area High School $10,000 Greenhouse Grow Lights
Barnesville High School $6,900 Floriculture - Blooming Talents
Dover-Eyota High School $7,317 Small Animal Vet Science CASE Implementation
Eden Prairie Schools $13,500 AFNR in the Suburbs
Farmamerica - MN Ag Interpretive Center $5,000 Water Pathways: An Interactive Look at Farm Drainage
Friends of Frog Tree Farm $9,000 Rooted Futures: Culturally Grounded AFNR Pathways for Youth
Heron Lake Okabena High School $1,986 Crop Production Revitalization
ISD 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools) $10,000 Cultivating our Future: Natural Resources, Sustainability, and Food Systems
Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School $2,285 Providing Hands-On Taxidermy Experience
Kasson Mantorville High School $1,195 Hands-On Learning for All Students
Metro Food Justice Network $5,000 Youth Ambassadors Career Exploration Year
Monticello High School $7,337 AFNR Experiential Learning Opportunities
Mountain Lake High School $3,734 Foods Demonstration Table
Nicollet Public School $6,550 Meat Science/Food Chemistry Lab Update
Northfield High School $3,121 Engaging Natural Resources in the Community
STRIDE Academy $4,597 Integrated Sustainability & Learning Initiative
United South Central High School $3,550 Wood Shop Improvements
University of Minnesota-Student Organic Farm $8,647 UMN Student Organic Farm Promotion & CFANS Outreach
Wadena-Deer Creek High School $5,000 Cultivating Change
TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED $114,719  

FY 2025 - Round 1

Institution Amount Project Description
Albert Lea Area Schools $5,600 Albert Lea Ag Plot
Bertha-Hewitt High School $3,700 Food Preservation in the Kitchen
Blooming Prairie High School $7,000 Small Engines Implementation
Climax-Shelly Public School $5,044 Climax-Shelly Agricultural Education Department Overhaul
Farmamerica - MN Ag Interpretive Center $4,460 Expanding Access to Ag Education and Experiences at Farmamerica
Hendricks Public School $4,995 Growing Minds, Growing Greens: Hydroponics for Hendricks
Lac qui Parle Valley High School $7,000 Woodshop Improvement
Lake Park-Audubon High School $1,965 Fishing for More: Updating Fish and Wildlife Curriculum
Lanesboro Public Schools $12,500 Plasma Cutter
MN State Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence $10,000 Empowering AFNR Educators: Food Science and Safety in Action
New London-Spicer High School $4,000 Welding for all students with a welding simulator
Osakis High School $6,732 Small Gas Engine Reimplementation Program
Westbrook Walnut Grove High School $7,000 WWG Tech Campus Shop Updates
TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED $79,996  

FY 2024 - Round 2

Institution Amount Project Description
Braham Area High School $10,734 Braham Metals Shop Upgrade
Caledonia Area Public Schools $9,572 Renewal of Arc Welding and Gas Welding Equipment
Holdingford High School $5,000 Greenhouse Climate Control System Upgrade
Little Falls Community Schools $6,968 CASE Implementation
Nicollet Public School $9,274 Welding Shop Upgrade
Sibley East High School $1,500 Plant System Pathway Expansion
South Central College $11,036 Automation in Agriculture
Tri-City United - Le Center & Montgomery K-8 $3,911 Implementation of AFNR and Ag Explore
United South Central High School $3,400 Metal Fabrication Equipment Update
University of Minnesota-Agricultural Education $16,893 UMN Agricultural Mechanics Enhancement
West Central Area Schools $8,583 Meeting Community Needs Through Hydroponic Education
Willmar High School $12,597 Welding the Future: Expanding Access and Skills in AFNR Education
TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED $99,468.00