Agriculture in the Classroom Program

Agriculture in the Classroom Program is sponsored by Suffolk County, New York. Provides funding for programs increasing K-12 student awareness and exposure to agricultural systems. Aimed at educational initiatives in agriculture for classroom settings.

Grow with Us Grant | New York Agriculture in the Classroom Agricultural Literacy Week NYC Metro Teacher Outreach Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix NY Specific Lesson Plans & Resources Themes for Learning Grades K-5 Course Topics Grades 6-12 Next Generation Beef Toolkits Agricultural Literacy Grant Students who grow food, try new foods. Students who grow food, eat healthier foods.

Students who grow food, increase their physical activity. Students who grow food, understand and can communicate the source and value of agriculture. Listing the reasons why we should grow food with our students can go on and on – but teachers don't need another list, teachers need tools and resources.

New York Agriculture in the Classroom is offering an unprecedented grant for schools to earn plant grow systems for their schools and classrooms to engage students in learning through food and eating healthy food year-round. New York Agriculture in the Classroom wants to make the integration of food, agriculture, and nutrition easy, relevant, and successful for teachers across our state.

About the Grow with Us Grant The Grow with Us Grant is returning for the 2025-2026 school year and will provide schools an opportunity to apply for a bundle of three Tower Gardens. Schools should apply for the system that best meets their educational goals and available classroom or outdoor space.

New York Agriculture in the Classroom aspires to provide teachers the tools to facilitate experiential learning opportunities using agriculture as the context for learning. Applications for the 2025-2026 Grow with Us Grant are now open. Applications for the 2025-2026 grant cycle are now closed.

Please check back in the fall of 2026 for the 2026-2027 grant cycle application. Eligibility and Application Guidelines Applications will be accepted from New York State certified PreK-12 teachers currently teaching in New York State. Teachers must be interested in and committed to enhancing their students' understanding of agriculture, food systems, and natural resources.

Public, private, charter, and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Applications from multiple school buildings in the same district are eligible. Schools must be willing to submit two progress reports each year, for two years.

The grow systems must be housed for two years on the school property, not at an off-site location. Certified agriculture teachers and agriculture programs are not eligible to apply for this grant. (Please see the Agriculture Education Incentive Grant .)

Teachers who have received a Grow with Us Grant previously are not eligible to apply. Required Documents for Application When applying for this grant, please note Tower Gardens are a vertical, aeroponic growing system which allows you to grow up to 20 vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers in less than three square feet—indoors or out. Tower Gardens grow plants with only water and nutrients rather than soil.

If selected, your school will receive a bundle of three Tower Gardens delivered to your school. Tower Gardens will be delivered with all of the materials necessary to easily assemble and start growing. Dimensions of each tower: 62" h X 30" w X 30" d Required Documents for Application Please review our Grow with Us Grant Application Guidance for additional insight to the short-answer questions of the grant.

Lead Teacher Agreement (Must be signed and uploaded with every grant application.) Letter of Support: Attach a short letter of support on letterhead from a member of your school administration indicating their support for the grow system and integration of the system in the formal classroom environment and the curriculum.

When applying for this grant, please note To be considered for judging, your application must be complete (including all required uploads). Grow systems cannot be located at an offsite location such as a Cornell Cooperative Extension office or farm partner. Awardees will be awarded basic supplies to start their grow system, but there must be a plan in place to sustain or support the project in future years.

Teachers must be the primary users of the grow system for classroom instruction. Cooperative efforts are encouraged. We help educators, students, and communities explore how agriculture shapes what we eat, how we live, and the world around us.