$145,000 IN COMPETITIVE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES (AFNR) EDUCATION
For Immediate Release
For more information:
Sarah Dornink
Executive Director, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council
tesm0010@umn.edu
Phone: (612) 624 - 6249
ST. PAUL, Minn. (March 15, 2024) - The Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) is now accepting grant applications for the improvement of agricultural education across Minnesota. Funds will be awarded in two competitive grant areas – Strategic Initiatives and Common Fund.
More than $145,000 is available between these two competitive grant programs. All grant applications must be completed online at www.mn.gov/maelc/grants.html before midnight on April 15, 2024.
"MAELC’s grant program allows us to reach our mission of promoting and expanding agriculture, food and natural resources (AFNR) education across the state. We look to support local and statewide organizations in expanding access to new and current AFNR programming to positively impact as many Minnesotans as possible,” said Sarah Dornink, Executive Director of MAELC.
Common Fund grants are awarded to applications having a statewide impact and are designed to meet specific goals related to the 2025 Minnesota Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource (AFNR) Education Blueprint. New and innovative ideas are encouraged to support increasing quality of instruction, increasing the numbers and types of students reached by programs, and projects that improve the understanding of AFNR education.
Strategic Initiative grants are based on the strategies outlined in the AFNR Blueprint and focus on promoting access to AFNR education, improving current programs, and providing teacher professional development. These grants support programming at the primary, secondary, and postsecondary levels in Minnesota.
Grant applications can be obtained online at www.mn.gov/maelc/grants.html Since its establishment, MAELC has provided almost $26.5 million in competitive grants, scholarships, sponsored projects and awards. These funds were made available to MAELC through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
About MAELC - MAELC is a 16-member legislative council that provides leadership to promote and expand agricultural education in Minnesota. The state legislature, agricultural educators, and agriculture industry leaders are all represented on the council.