SAECP � Secondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grant Program | USDA NIFA SAECP 006187

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SAECP 006187

The SAECP - Secondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grant Program (listed under USDA NIFA SAECP 006187) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.226. The program sits within NIFA's broader SPECA effort (Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants) and is designed to build stronger education and training pathways in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH). At its core, the opportunity is workforce-driven: it aims to improve the quality and reach of agriculture-related instruction at the secondary and two-year postsecondary levels so the U.S. can maintain a well-prepared pipeline of students entering FANH careers and further study.

A major emphasis of the program is not just improving individual classrooms or stand-alone programs, but creating "complementary and synergistic linkages" across the education continuum. In practical terms, this means proposals are expected to encourage coordination between public secondary schools, community and junior colleges, and four-year colleges and universities, so that students can move more smoothly from early exposure in K-12, into technical or associate-level preparation, and onward into baccalaureate and graduate education. The overall intent is to raise educational excellence while also motivating more young Americans to choose FANH fields, persist in them, and complete higher degrees that support national needs in agriculture and related sciences.

Eligibility is restricted and is treated as a strict threshold requirement. Only four applicant types may submit: public secondary schools; public or private nonprofit junior and community colleges; institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations. For nonprofits, the announcement highlights a documentation requirement: applicants must attach proof of IRS 501(c)(3) status in the application package (specifically under the "Other Project Information" section, Field 12, as an attachment). The notice also makes clear that if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline, the application can be ruled out entirely, and even if it is reviewed, NIFA will not make an award to an ineligible applicant.

The opportunity was posted with a creation date of January 13, 2017, and an original closing date of March 10, 2017. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is agriculture. While the source data does not list an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the focus and structure indicate a competitive challenge-grant format where applications are judged on how well they strengthen FANH education and build effective partnerships across secondary, two-year, and higher education systems.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SAECP � Secondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.226.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-01-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-03-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA SAECP 006187

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