Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Who may apply? / How often may I apply? / How may funds be spent? / Priority Consideration / How do I apply? / How do you decide? / How will I know? / Project Report / Photo Requirements / Forms / Past Awards Grant Application / Grant Report Form / Sample Proposal Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom/Oklahoma Pork Council 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. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $300 each. Proposals are accepted on a perpetual basis and funded based upon project merit and the availability of funds. Please plan ahead, as funds run out early each semester. Project objectives must 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, grant proposals must include a list of Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons and activities that will be used. Who may apply for these grants? Grants are available to preK-8 educators in Oklahoma working in public or private schools and to educators who work with students, grades preK-8, in nonformal educational settings, e.g., after school programs, alternative education programs, home school groups, 4-H clubs, etc. How often may I apply for a grant? There is no limit to the number of grants for which one educator may apply, as long as a report for each grant is submitted in a timely fashion. Teachers within the same school are encouraged to work together on grant projects in order to get maximum benefit from the funding. What are some acceptable uses for grant funds? All activities must be linked to one or more specific Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons from the website. Activities from the "Food and Fun" section are also acceptable, as long as at least one full lesson is also included. The following is a list of some acceptable uses for the funding, but other requests will be considered so long as they meet the grant criteria. Teaching supplies for use in teaching Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons and other activities from the website. (Please note that 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 be used to enhance the teaching of particular Ag in the Classroom lessons.) Please keep in mind that the primary purpose of this grant program is to support the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom program. For that reason we will not fund requests to purchase curriculum from another program. Materials and equipment used primarily by students in hands-on activities as opposed to equipment which will be used primarily by the teacher. 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 OAITC lessons. Proposals from applicants who have attended an Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom training. Projects that are innovative and interdisciplinary, with a strong emphasis on hands-on and visual learning. Projects that include a partnership with 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, America Farmers and Ranchers, Oklahoma CattleWomen or other related group. For information about potential local partnerships, contact your local Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service office, listed under county government in the telephone directory. How do I apply? Simply download a current application. It is important that you use a current application because the form changes from time to time. For your convenience, the application is available as a pdf file or a MS Word file. Please read the guidelines carefully, and don't leave anything out. Since we have kept the form simple, everything is important. Completing the form properly helps insure your application will not be delayed. A sample proposal is provided for your convenience. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions. SENDING ELECTRONICALLY To speed up processing of your application (and to save mailing and printing costs), you may send the application electronically. Download the MS Word file, complete the application, save it to your computer. Attach the file to an email message, and send it to pat.thompson@okstate.edu. In the email subject line, type "OAITC" and your name. Print a copy of the SIGNATURE PAGE ONLY. Acquire the necessary signatures, and put that page in the mail (The mailing address is on the application.) The application will not be considered complete until we receive the signature page; however, we will go ahead and begin reviewing the application as soon as we receive it electronically. How do you decide which grants will be approved? A panel of judges reviews each application. The review team includes representatives from the funding agency and other commodity groups, the OAITC staff, and the educational community. Most proposals are 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 your proposal. Funding is limited, so get your applications in as early as possible.  Funding cycles correspond with school semesters. How will I know if my proposal has been accepted? Applicants will be notified of the judges' decision no more than 60 days after the date the notification letter is received. If there are problems, you will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit your proposal. Grant checks are delivered to recipients by a representative of the Oklahoma Pork Council. Please allow two weeks from the time you receive your notification letter before contacting us if you have not received your check. What are my responsibilities? The project must be concluded and a report submitted within nine months of the date the notification letter. 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. A report form is included with this application. Failure to submit a report within the required time period will disqualify the applicant from any further grant funding from this program. Please contact us if conditions arise that cause delays in reporting. Report Form (pdf) (MS Word) 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 may be used for reporting to the Oklahoma Pork Council and for promotional purposes, principally on the OAITC 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 OAITC website, DIGITAL PHOTOS MUST BE SENT ON A CD and NOT AS PRINTS. Digital photos printed to regular paper do not scan well and are not acceptable for use on the website. Photos processed through traditional processing methods are acceptable, as they can be scanned. The cost of photo processing for reporting purposes can be included in the total project budget. Please make sure photos include STUDENTS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES. Forms Application (pdf) (MS Word) Report Form (pdf) (MS Word) Email completed applications to Pat Thompson, or send completed applications by standard US mail to Pat Thompson, OAITC Grants, 205 4-H Youth Development, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078. Phone contact: Pat Thompson, 405-744-8885. Past awards Back to Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.