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

The Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the United States Department of Agriculture. The program is authorized under federal legislation to strengthen the educational pipeline that prepares students for careers in food and agricultural sciences. It is designed to build connections between secondary schools, community colleges, and higher education institutions while supporting national priorities such as agricultural productivity, food security, and workforce development. The program emphasizes merit-based funding and alignment with national agricultural priorities, including improving farmer profitability, expanding markets, and promoting innovation. The primary purpose of this grant program is to enhance educational capacity in agriscience and agribusiness across K-14 systems. Projects are expected to improve curriculum quality, strengthen teaching competencies, and increase student interest in agricultural careers. The program also promotes integration of agricultural topics into broader subject areas such as science, business, and consumer education. Additionally, it supports collaborative initiatives that link educational institutions to maximize shared resources and improve outcomes. Eligible projects must align with defined educational need areas such as curriculum development, experiential learning opportunities, and institutional collaboration. Funding under this opportunity is intended for education-focused projects that serve K-8, secondary school, or community college audiences. Projects must go beyond a single course and involve broader institutional engagement. Allowable activities include development of innovative curriculum materials, hands-on learning experiences such as internships or apprenticeships, and establishment of articulation agreements between institutions. Projects must also include leadership development components to prepare students with skills such as critical thinking, communication, and teamwork. Funding cannot be used for construction or facility renovation, and indirect costs are capped at thirty percent of total federal funds awarded. There is no mandatory cost sharing or matching requirement for this program, although applicants are encouraged to leverage additional resources where possible. Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov and must complete required federal registrations including SAM and eRA Commons prior to submission. The application package requires detailed components such as a project summary, narrative, budget justification, evaluation plan, dissemination strategy, and documentation of partnerships. Strict formatting and page limits apply, and incomplete or noncompliant applications may be excluded from review. Applications are evaluated through a two-step process that includes administrative screening followed by a scientific peer review. Evaluation criteria focus on the potential to improve educational quality, the strength of the proposed methodology and partnerships, institutional capacity, qualifications of personnel, and overall cost effectiveness. Projects must clearly demonstrate measurable outcomes and provide plans for evaluation and dissemination of results. Collaboration and alignment with workforce development goals are heavily emphasized in the scoring process. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is July 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. No letter of intent is required. Awards are expected to support projects with a duration of twenty-four to thirty-six months. Funding decisions are made following peer review, and applicants receive feedback summaries after the process concludes. For inquiries, applicants may contact the program via the official email inbox provided by the administering agency. The program is issued annually, indicating a recurring funding opportunity with future cycles expected.

Focus on measurable educational outcomes and strong institutional partnerships; align project with workforce development goals and clearly demonstrate impact on agricultural education