The Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants (SPECA) program seeks to: (a) promote and strengthen secondary education and two-year postsecondary education in agriscience and agribusiness in order to help ensure the existence in the United States of a qualified workforce to serve the food and agricultural sciences system; and (b) promote complementary and synergistic linkages among secondary, two-year postsecondary, and higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences in order to advance excellence in education and encourage more young Americans to pursue and complete a baccalaureate or higher degree in the food and agricultural sciences.

Who Is Eligible to Apply

Independent School Districts
Other or Additional Information (See below)
State Controlled Institutions of Higher Ed
More Information on Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by eligible public secondary schools, public or private, nonprofit junior or community colleges, and nonprofit organizations. IMPORTANT! See RFA for specific eligibility requirements.

Request for Application (RFA) | Apply: Electronic | Abstracts of Funded Projects

Solicitation Date (Opening)     September 24, 2008
Letter of Intent Due Date     None
Due Date (Closing) December 15, 2008
Anticipated Award Date None
Estimated Total Program Funding    $1,000,000.00
Range of Awards     $35,000.00 to $50,000.00
Percent of Applications Funded Last Fiscal Year    53%
Cost Sharing Requirements    Required to match USDA funds awarded on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources
For More Information Contact     Gregory Smith
Funding Opportunity Number     USDA-CSREES-SAECP-001826
CFDA Number    10.226 Secondary And Two-Year Postsecondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grants
Contact for Electronic Access Problems    webcomments@csrees.usda.gov