Mini-grants for the integration of agriculture into the classroom are available to area educators. The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) teacher supplement grants are made possible through a partnership with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and are designed to help Iowa teachers initiate new projects or expand on existing ones that promote agriculture literacy in students. Teachers can apply for $250 grants that can be used to fund innovative lessons, activities, classroom resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, field trips and more. Up to 175 grants will be made available to educators across the state. “The outcomes are so diverse and fantastic!” says Sara Lawrence, a 2019 grant recipient. “This project allows students to learn more about farming, technology, STEM and literacy.” Preschool through 12th grade teachers, librarians and afterschool program coordinators at Iowa schools are eligible to apply. Grants must relate to social studies, science, math, language arts or 21st century skills and integrate agriculture into the learning. The application deadline is Jan. 10, 2020 and the project must take place between Jan. 15 and June 5, 2020. More information and application forms are available at www.iowaagliteracy.org
