$250,000 in Grant Funding Available to Boost Agriculture, Food
and Natural Resources Education in Minnesota
For Immediate Release
For more information:
Sarah Dornink
Executive Director, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council
tesm0010@umn.edu
Phone: (612) 624 - 6249
ST. PAUL, Minn. (October 24, 2025) - The Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) is now accepting grant applications for projects that support programming for agriculture, food and natural resources education (AFNR) education at the K-12 and post-secondary levels.
New Focus to Advance AFNR Education
New this year, MAELC is merging its two grant categories into one program. The updated application guidelines directly reflect the goals of the 2030 Minnesota Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource (AFNR) Education Blueprint. This creates a clear, strategic focus to advance AFNR education across all levels: School-Based AFNR Education, Agriculture Teacher Preparation, Post-Secondary AFNR Education and Farm Business Management (FBM).
$250,000 is available between two grant periods, with applications due November 15, 2025 and April 15, 2026. Applicants may request between $1,500-$25,000 per project. The average award amount for the past three years is $8,900. 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.
Grant Priorities: Investing in Students, Programs and Instructors
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
Application Details
Apply online at mn.gov/maelc/grants.html to submit your project proposal. There are two opportunities to apply for funding during this cycle:
- Round 1 Deadline: November 15, 2025
- Round 2 Deadline: April 15, 2026
More information can be found in the MAELC Education Grant - Request for Proposal (2025-2026). MAELC will host a grant office hour over zoom on November 4 from 3:30-4:30 pm to answer questions about project ideas and the application.
MAELC Education Grant Office Hour
November 4, 2025
3:30 PM Central Time
Join Zoom Meeting - https://umn.zoom.us/j/97782769332
Meeting ID: 977 8276 9332
About MAELC - MAELC is a 16-member legislative council that provides leadership to promote and expand agricultural education in Minnesota. The state legislature, agricultural educators, and agriculture industry leaders are all represented on the council. Since its establishment, MAELC has provided over $32 million in competitive grants, scholarships, and sponsored projects.