Grants Office
Director: Kimberly Gray
Grants Coordinator: Rita Patel

Volume 6, Issue 13
October 2009

Grant Writing Tips

* Read the criteria thoroughly, and address the criteria in the order presented. Your Reviewer Panel will be using the criteria as a guide when they read your proposal, so make it easy for them to give you full points.

* Have someone read your proposal as a reviewer would, with a copy of the criteria as their guide. Ask them to note inconsistencies and ambiguities.

* Even if the odds seem great against your proposal being funded, remember that you will receive Reader Comments to aid you in your next submission.

* Follow submission instructions exactly.

Department Of Agriculture

Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, And Agriculture In The K-12 Classroom Challenge (SPECA) Grants Program

DUE: JAN 15

WEB: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/sec_challenge.html

The purpose of the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge (SPECA) Grants Program is to: enhance curricula in agricultural education; increase faculty teaching competencies; and interest young people in pursuing higher education in order to prepare for scientific and professional careers in the food and agricultural sciences.

SPECA promotes the incorporation of agriscience and agribusiness subject matter into the general instructional program, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classes, in order for society to gain a better understanding of food, health and environmental issues. Projects that facilitate joint initiatives with the grant recipient and other secondary schools, institutions of higher education (associate’s and bachelor’s degrees), or nonprofit organizations supporting agriscience and agribusiness education, are also encouraged.

All funded projects should maximize resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve agriscience and agribusiness education; support other initiatives designed to meet local, State, regional, or national needs related to promoting excellence in agriscience and agribusiness education; and/or support current Agriculture in the Classroom programs for grades K-12.

ELIGIBILITY: Applications may be submitted by: (1) public secondary schools, (2) public or private nonprofit junior and community colleges, (3) institutions of higher education, or (4) nonprofit organizations.

FUNDING: CSREES anticipates approximately $1 million will be available to fund applications in FY 2010.

Additional News:

Writing A Grant Proposal | Schalkenbach Foundation | Paraprofessional Programs | Suicide Prevention | Financial Education Program | Japanese Performing Arts | Generosity Research | SPECA Grants Program | Disaster Resilience | Plant Genome | Whitehall Foundation | General Mills Foundation | Student Achievement Grants | Georgia Teacher Quality