MAELC will award grants to support programming for agriculture, food and natural resources education (AFNR) education at the K-12 and post-secondary levels. Priority will be given to school-based agricultural education and post-secondary programs, or for projects connected to school districts or colleges/universities. The Minnesota Legislature provides this funding through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to be administered by MAELC.
Applying
Applications are due April 15, 2026. Carefully read the MAELC Education Grant - Reuest for Proposal (2025-2026) for eligibility and requirements.
To submit your application, apply online.
Grant Priorities
Grant projects should address at least one of the strategies within the following MAELC goal areas:
MAELC Goal #1: Increase STUDENT access, awareness and participation
- Implement new or expand current AFNR education programs that attract new and/or underserved groups
- Provide experiences that improve student engagement and broaden opportunities for applied learning in AFNR content, including middle school grades (5-8)
- Promote and offer AFNR career exploration programs that recruit and retain students for the future workforce
MAELC Goal #2: Improve PROGRAMMING content, meeting facilities and equipment needs, and provide the best method of instruction to meet the needs of the AFNR industry
- Develop AFNR courses that provide opportunities for credit equivalency for high school graduation credit or concurrent enrollment for post-secondary credit
- Provide equipment and improve facilities to enhance student experience and instruction
- Develop and/or enhance AFNR curriculum and course delivery methods to provide students with opportunities to acquire leadership, career readiness and technical skills
MAELC Goal #3: Recruit, retain, and support highly qualified INSTRUCTORS
- Implement recruitment strategies to encourage individuals to join the AFNR education profession
- Support career lifecycles of agricultural educators (e.g., pre-service, early, mid or late career), which can include programming for professional development, mentorship, and cohort opportunities
- Provide programming that retains and transitions instructors at the secondary, post-secondary and farm business management levels
Amount Available
$250,000 is available over two grant periods. Applicants may request between $1,500-$25,000 per project. The average award amount for the past three years is $8,900. A cash match is not required. MAELC prefers not to sustain repeat projects.
Questions
For general grant questions or help with the online application system, contact maelc@umn.edu or call (612) 624-6256.
Previous Grant Winners
FY 2026 - Round 1
| Institution | Amount | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aitkin Public Schools | $6,714 | Enhancing Agricultural Mechanics Learning Through Updated Tools and Supplies |
| Albany Area Schools | $5,895 | Two Schools, One Trailer: Expanding Meat Science Education |
| Benson Public Schools | $5,712 | Advancing the Benson AFNR Program |
| Caledonia Area Public Schools | $7,500 | Acquisition of a hydraulically powered Iron Worker for the Welding and Metal Fabrication AFNR program |
| Cedar Mountain High School | $7,000 | Shop Improvements |
| Cleveland Public School | $5,021 | Cutting Edge Students |
| Dassel-Cokato High School | $3,019 | Greenhouse Propagation Experience |
| Goodhue High School | $8,000 | Models and Curriculum for Additional Animal Science Pathway Courses |
| Granada Huntley East Chain High School | $5,000 | Horticulture CASE Curriculum and Implementation |
| Hendricks Public School | $12,500 | Virtual Sparks, Real Skills: Welding Pathways for Hendricks Students |
| Holdingford Schools | $9,055 | Meat and Agricultural Processing |
| Kasson Mantorville High School | $7,095 | Wild Game Meat Processing |
| Minnesota FFA Association | $4,000 | MN FFA Technology Empowered Careers Conference |
| Montevideo High School | $6,690 | Star Lab CNC Plasma Table |
| Northern Lights Community School | $3,367 | Hook, Line, & Sinker: Building Natural Resources Skills |
| RTR High School | $4,500 | RTR PST Department Expansion |
| Sleepy Eye High School | $1,561 | Materials for Ag. Engineering Class |
| Swanville Public School | $2,864 | Hands-On Growing Systems |
| Tri City United Public Schools | $5,500 | Addition of Hydroponic Education to AgExplore and AFNR |
| University of MN - College of Food, Agricultural & Natural Resource Sciences | $10,000 | AFNR ROCs: Connecting Teachers to AFNR Resources & Opportunities in their Backyards |
| University of Minnesota - Dept. of Soil, Water & Climate | $5,136 | Expanding Soil Education Access Statewide |
| TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED | $126,129 |
FY 2025 - Round 2
| Institution | Amount | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Area High School | $10,000 | Greenhouse Grow Lights |
| Barnesville High School | $6,900 | Floriculture - Blooming Talents |
| Dover-Eyota High School | $7,317 | Small Animal Vet Science CASE Implementation |
| Eden Prairie Schools | $13,500 | AFNR in the Suburbs |
| Farmamerica - MN Ag Interpretive Center | $5,000 | Water Pathways: An Interactive Look at Farm Drainage |
| Friends of Frog Tree Farm | $9,000 | Rooted Futures: Culturally Grounded AFNR Pathways for Youth |
| Heron Lake Okabena High School | $1,986 | Crop Production Revitalization |
| ISD 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools) | $10,000 | Cultivating our Future: Natural Resources, Sustainability, and Food Systems |
| Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School | $2,285 | Providing Hands-On Taxidermy Experience |
| Kasson Mantorville High School | $1,195 | Hands-On Learning for All Students |
| Metro Food Justice Network | $5,000 | Youth Ambassadors Career Exploration Year |
| Monticello High School | $7,337 | AFNR Experiential Learning Opportunities |
| Mountain Lake High School | $3,734 | Foods Demonstration Table |
| Nicollet Public School | $6,550 | Meat Science/Food Chemistry Lab Update |
| Northfield High School | $3,121 | Engaging Natural Resources in the Community |
| STRIDE Academy | $4,597 | Integrated Sustainability & Learning Initiative |
| United South Central High School | $3,550 | Wood Shop Improvements |
| University of Minnesota-Student Organic Farm | $8,647 | UMN Student Organic Farm Promotion & CFANS Outreach |
| Wadena-Deer Creek High School | $5,000 | Cultivating Change |
| TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED | $114,719 |
FY 2025 - Round 1
| Institution | Amount | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea Area Schools | $5,600 | Albert Lea Ag Plot |
| Bertha-Hewitt High School | $3,700 | Food Preservation in the Kitchen |
| Blooming Prairie High School | $7,000 | Small Engines Implementation |
| Climax-Shelly Public School | $5,044 | Climax-Shelly Agricultural Education Department Overhaul |
| Farmamerica - MN Ag Interpretive Center | $4,460 | Expanding Access to Ag Education and Experiences at Farmamerica |
| Hendricks Public School | $4,995 | Growing Minds, Growing Greens: Hydroponics for Hendricks |
| Lac qui Parle Valley High School | $7,000 | Woodshop Improvement |
| Lake Park-Audubon High School | $1,965 | Fishing for More: Updating Fish and Wildlife Curriculum |
| Lanesboro Public Schools | $12,500 | Plasma Cutter |
| MN State Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence | $10,000 | Empowering AFNR Educators: Food Science and Safety in Action |
| New London-Spicer High School | $4,000 | Welding for all students with a welding simulator |
| Osakis High School | $6,732 | Small Gas Engine Reimplementation Program |
| Westbrook Walnut Grove High School | $7,000 | WWG Tech Campus Shop Updates |
| TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED | $79,996 |
FY 2024 - Round 2
| Institution | Amount | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Braham Area High School | $10,734 | Braham Metals Shop Upgrade |
| Caledonia Area Public Schools | $9,572 | Renewal of Arc Welding and Gas Welding Equipment |
| Holdingford High School | $5,000 | Greenhouse Climate Control System Upgrade |
| Little Falls Community Schools | $6,968 | CASE Implementation |
| Nicollet Public School | $9,274 | Welding Shop Upgrade |
| Sibley East High School | $1,500 | Plant System Pathway Expansion |
| South Central College | $11,036 | Automation in Agriculture |
| Tri-City United - Le Center & Montgomery K-8 | $3,911 | Implementation of AFNR and Ag Explore |
| United South Central High School | $3,400 | Metal Fabrication Equipment Update |
| University of Minnesota-Agricultural Education | $16,893 | UMN Agricultural Mechanics Enhancement |
| West Central Area Schools | $8,583 | Meeting Community Needs Through Hydroponic Education |
| Willmar High School | $12,597 | Welding the Future: Expanding Access and Skills in AFNR Education |
| TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED | $99,468.00 |