U.S. Department of Agriculture; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)

The Secondary and Two-Year Postsecondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grants (SPEC) program seeks to:

1. 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.
2. 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.

Online, visit
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/sec_challenge.html

President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities

The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and support outstanding community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America's young people, provide them learning opportunities and chances to contribute to their communities. These awards focus national attention on exemplary programs currently fostering the creative and intellectual development of America's children and youth through education and practical experience in the arts and the humanities.

Online, visit
http://www.cominguptaller.org/

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)

CSREES announces the availability of grant funds to stimulate and enable colleges and universities to provide the quality of education necessary to produce baccalaureate or higher degree level graduates capable of strengthening the nation’s food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce. Projects supported by this program will:

1. Address a state, regional, national or international educational need.
2. Involve a creative or non-traditional approach toward addressing that need that can serve as a model to others.
3. Encourage and facilitate better working relationships in the university science and education community, as well as between universities and the private sector, to enhance program quality and supplement available resources.
4. Result in benefits that will likely transcend the project duration and USDA support.

Online, visit
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/hep_challenge.html

Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (private foundation)

Applicants must be not-for-profit organizations located in the Southeastern United States. The foundation supports:

1. Grassroots groups and networks in low-wealth communities that are poised to expand their scale of impact.
2. Statewide or regional organizations and networks that are achieving large-scale impact.
3. Both new approaches and proven strategies that link together grassroots and larger organizations.

Online, visit
http://fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=94605;if=search

Agricultural Marketing Service

This program provides matching funds on a competitive basis to State departments of agriculture, State Experiment Stations and other similar State agencies for applied research projects that address barriers, challenges and opportunities in the marketing, transportation and distribution of U.S. food and agricultural products. Proposals may deal with any stage of the marketing chain including direct, wholesale and retail. Proposals may involve small, medium or large-scale agricultural entities but should potentially benefit multiple producers or agribusinesses. Of particular interest are proposals that reflect a collaborative approach between the States, academia, the farm sector and other appropriate entities and stakeholders. The average award is $50,000.

Online, visit
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=11358&mode=VIEW

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), U.S. Department of Agriculture

The purpose of this program is to foster interdisciplinary studies to improve our understanding of the interactions between the economic and environmental components important to the long-term viability, competitiveness and efficiency of small and medium-sized farms (including social, biological and other components, if necessary). Grants for this program will not exceed $500,000.

Online, visit
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1200

Corporation for National and Community Service

The Corporation’s mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Special consideration will be given to projects that address one or a combination of four strategic initiatives that meet critical needs of our nation, achieve national service goals and address community problems.

1. Mobilizing more volunteers
2. Ensuring a brighter future for all of America’s youth
3. Engaging students in communities
4. Harnessing baby boomers’ experience

Online, visit
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=10590&mode=VIEW

General Mills, Hamburger Helper

Individuals from communities and organizations across America are asked to submit a written essay describing how the grant would help improve their community project. Applicants can request a one-time award of between $500 and $15,000 during any single month. All requests must be sponsored by a municipal or civic organization or public school. Examples of possible community projects include computers for the local library, clean-up projects and training for volunteer firefighters. Funds will be awarded based on the merit of the project, including its impact on and support within the community.

Online, visit
http://www.myhometownhelper.com/

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES); U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP)

The success of agricultural and rural economies is increasingly dependent on maintaining and expanding domestic and international markets. It is also dependent on the development of new products, production practices, and business and marketing tools and information that enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the producer. The Agricultural Markets and Trade program is designed to maintain and expand domestic and international markets and to identify public policies and private strategies that may be employed to enhance marketing efficiency and the competitiveness of agricultural producers. This program accepts a wide range of applications.

Online, visit
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1106