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Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom

Grants

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is pleased to request grant proposals from educators to expand agricultural literacy in Oklahoma schools. Funding for these grants has been made available through the Oklahoma Pork Council.

Six Grants will be awarded in the amount of $500 each, and will be awarded in both the fall and the spring. Proposals are funded based upon project merit and the availability of funds. The application deadlines are September 15 and February 15.

NEW: Proposals with a focus on pigs or pork will receive 5 bonus points.

Project objectives must promote students' understanding of the food and fiber system and support the use of the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom program in the overall classroom curriculum. Because the primary purpose for this grant is to encourage use of the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom program, project proposals must be directly related to Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons and activities. A list of Ag in the Classroom lessons, and the activities to go with the lessons, are required. Proposals with a focus on pigs or pork will receive 5 bonus points.

Grant Recipients

Forms

When submitting online report, please email signed Photo/Video Release Form to Melody Aufill: melody.aufill@ag.ok.gov. This form is included in the Word version of the Report form and must be submitted for each student pictured.

Who may apply for these grants?

Grants are available to PreK-12 educators in Oklahoma working in public or private schools and to Oklahoma educators who work with students, grades PreK-12, in nonformal educational settings, e.g., after school programs, alternative education programs, 4-H clubs, etc. Applicants must have received AITC training through one of our many professional development opportunities. Contact one of our professional development coordinators to learn about opportunities in your area or to arrange for training in your school.

How often may I apply for grants?

All applications are considered based on content and merit. Educators may apply for one grant in the fall and/or spring; however, priority will be given to qualified proposals from applicants who have not previously received project funding. Teachers within the same school are encouraged to work together on grant projects in order to get maximum benefit from the funding. Applicants who fail to submit reports and who fail to spend funds according to the original grant proposal will be disqualified from future funding.  Funding is awarded in the spring and fall.vThe application deadlines are September 15 and February 15.

What are some acceptable uses for grant funds?

Note: All activities must be linked to specific Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons.

  • Teaching supplies for use in teaching Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons.
  • Food items for use with Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons activities, including recipes found in the "Food and Fun" section of the website, or in the "Fruits, Nuts, and Veggies, Oh My!" Booklet. Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom and the Oklahoma Pork Council support the promotion of healthy food choices for students. When requesting food items, please consider the health benefits of the foods you are offering your students.
  • Children's books about agriculture. (Include book titles and explain how the books will support teaching specific Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons.)
  • Equipment for use in teaching lessons from the AITC website, including incubators, sewing machines, hot plates, convection ovens, lab equipment, etc. Funding for purchase of equipment will be limited to applicants who partner with other teachers in the building and whose proposals include more than one lesson, reflecting a familiarity with lessons and resources available on the website and a committment to the AITC program. Please take time to look at the lessons and identify all that will support your proposal.

What kinds of proposals are most likely to be funded?

  • Projects whose aim is to incorporate Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom into the curriculum on a regular basis throughout the school term, e.g., purchasing materials to conduct AITC lessons. Proposals that include multiple lessons are more likely to be funded than those listing only one lesson. In addition, proposals that reflect familiarity with the lessons found on the website are more likely to be funded.
  • Proposals from applicants who have attended an Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom training. Training is required before an applicant will be considered. Please contact one of our professional development coordinators to learn about opportunities in your area or to arrange for training in your school.
  • Projects that are innovative and interdisciplinary, with a strong emphasis on hands-on and visual learning.
  • Projects that involve collaborations among teachers within the same school.
  • Projects that include a partnership within the agricultural community beyond the school classroom. Partners might include the local Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service educator, an agricultural agency such as Oklahoma Farm Bureau, American Farmers and Ranchers, Oklahoma CattleWomen or other related group. For information about potential local partnerships, contact your local Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service office.

NOTE

All applications will be considered based on content and merit. Applications will be ranked for each semester's funding according to compliance with the above criteria, with priority given to applicants who have not received funding previously.

How do I apply?

Complete the application, and submit it to the Oklahoma AITC Program. It is important that you use the most current application available on the website because the form changes from time to time. The application form must be completed as it appears in its most current form on the website. Changing the form, particularly the budget section, may cause your proposal to be disqualified. A sample proposal is available on the website.

How do you decide who gets a grant?

The review team includes representatives from the funding agency, the AITC staff, and the educational community. Up to six proposals will be funded, as long they fit the criteria outlined here and as long as funding is available. We want to fund your projects, so if we see problems, we may contact you and ask you to revise and resubmit in the next funding cycle. Funding cycles correspond with school semesters. The application deadline for the fall semester is September 15. Deadline for the spring semester is February 15. Checks for the fall semester will be delivered between October 15 and November 15. Checks for the spring semester will be delivered between March 15 and April 15.

How will I know if my proposal has been accepted?

Applicants who apply by the September 15 deadline will be notified of the review team's decision by October 15. Applicants who apply by the February 15 deadline will be notified of the review team's decision by March 15. If there are problems, you will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit your proposal in the next funding cycle. Grant checks will be delivered by a representative of the Oklahoma Pork Council between October 15 and November 15 and between March 15 and April 15. The OPC representative will contact you using the contact information you provide, so please make sure your contact information is correct and that you check your email for messages. Please notify us if your contact information has changed.

What are my responsibilities?

The project must be concluded and a report submitted by August 15 of the following year for fall semester grants and by December 15 of the same year for spring semester grants. At that time, the grant contact must submit a written report showing how the funds were used, the number of persons involved, and the impacts and outcomes of the project.

Failure to submit a report within the required time period and failure to spend funding as outlined in the original proposal will disqualify the applicant from any further grant funding from this program. Please contact us if conditions arise that cause delays in reporting or prevent spending funds as originally intended.

Photo Requirements

Three or more photographs showing youth involvement should be submitted with the report along with a photo release form for each minor shown in the photos. A photo release form is included with the report form. Photos become the property of Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom and the Oklahoma Pork Council and may be used for reporting to the Oklahoma Pork Council and for promotional purposes, principally on the AITC website. Photos posted on the website will be posted without identifying minors or specific locations.

Because photos will be used for promotional purposes on the AITC website, DIGITAL PHOTOS MUST BE SENT electronically or on digital media. Please do not send prints of digital photos as they do not scan well and are not acceptable for use on the website. Newspaper articles are welcome but cannot be substituted for photos because they do not scan well for use on the website. PHOTOS MUST INCLUDE STUDENTS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO OKLAHOMA AG IN THE CLASSROOM LESSONS. A photo release form is required for each student pictured.

Questions?

Contact Melody Aufill, 405-795-0121.


Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom and its partnering agencies, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational service