FY18New County Agricultural Literacy Coalition Grant

Request for Proposals

Three Copies Due by July 19, 2017

Issued By: Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC)

Deadline: Proposals must be postmarked by July 19, 2017

No Faxed copies will be accepted

Contact:Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

1701 Towanda Avenue

Bloomington, IL 61701

309/557-3334

Purpose: To improve and expand agricultural literacy programs at all levels of education, Pre-Kindergarten through Adult

Project Timeline: July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018

Background: Agriculture is the most fundamental and essential industry in the world. It is agriculture that provides society with food, clothing, and shelter. However, through the advancement and diversification of the industry, many inaccuracies about agriculture exist in the minds of a large majority of the population.

Agriculture is the science and art of providing food and fiber products to consumers. Agriculture includes input industries necessary for production, manufacturing and processing, and marketing and distribution. Less than 2% of the United States population is directly involved in the production of food, yet 24.4% of the civilian workforce in Illinois is employed in an agriculturally related job.

Each generation of individuals born in this country is becoming farther and farther removed from any meaningful agricultural connection. By teaching our youth about the science of agriculture, they will be better able to make informed decisions when confronted with agriculture-related issues and concerns.

American agriculture is in the midst of a biotechnology and information technology explosion. Even with agriculture’s obvious connection to a high level of technological information, people unfamiliar with agriculture have not recognized changes which have occurred. In reality, agriculture is big business. It is an industry heavily involved in science, economics, marketing, mathematics, and much more. People involved in the agricultural industry are very concerned about issues such as food safety, animal rights, environmental concerns, and water quality.

The perception of the farmer as an unskilled laborer must change. Our youth must be informed about the importance of agriculture, how it affects each of their lives, how it is really a complex business dependent on science and economics, and also just how broad a scope the agricultural industry spans. Otherwise, it will be difficult to attract top students into agriculture related careers.

Proposed Outcomes of Local Agricultural Literacy Coalitions:

Outcomes - Long-term (Systemic Change)

  1. Society understands the impact that agriculture has on their lives.
  1. Members of society possess a positive image of the agriculture industry.
  1. The number of qualified agricultural employees is increasing.
  1. Members of society view agriculture as environmentally friendly/agriculturalists as good stewards of the land.
  1. Consumers are better able to make well-informed decisions about their food and fiber.
  1. Legislators make better-informed decisions and know both sides of an agriculture issue.

Outcomes - Intermediate (Changes in Behaviors and Practices)

  1. More educators are accessing and using educational resources offered by the agriculture industry.
  1. The agriculture industry is utilizing and communicating a unified agriculture message.
  1. Local agricultural communities are working cooperatively to form true partnerships to educate their community about the total agriculture industry.

Outcomes - Short-term (Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills)

  1. Educators are aware of the scope of the agriculture industry and the vast array of career opportunities that are available in the industry.
  1. Students are aware of the scope of the agriculture industry and the vast array of career opportunities that are available in the industry.
  1. Educators know how to contact their local Agricultural Literacy Coordinator to attain resources.
  1. Members of our society are aware of how agriculture impacts their daily life.
  1. Society possesses a greater environmental awareness and appreciation.

Objectives of Local Agricultural Literacy Coalitions: (THESE ARE OBJECTIVES FOR ALL COALITIONS!)

  1. To organize and coordinate countywide agricultural literacy programs with all agriculture and education entities, and others, as well as promote a unified agriculture message among all partners.
  1. To provide training opportunities for teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, and others, to ensure our children learn the true value of the total agriculture industry.
  1. To provide learning opportunities for students to ensure our children learn the true value of the total agriculture industry.
  1. To provide learning opportunities for the general population to ensure society understands the importance of the agriculture industry.
  1. To coordinate the production of promotional activities within the county to educate society about the agriculture industry and the countywide coalition.

Requirements for Funding:

  1. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom will join with county agencies and organizations to provide funds for the services of a countywide literacy coordinator to increase society’s awareness of the total agricultural industry. Funds will be available upon the hiring of a coordinator.
  1. Each county literacy program must have an active advisory council consisting of a cross-section of members from the community. They are required to meet at least twice a year. The advisory council’s purpose is to advise the program and assist the coordinator. An advisory council must be in place with the submission of this application.
  1. The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is interested in funding a united county effort with several actively involved partners. The advisory council membership may come from the list below. Suggested coalition agencies and organizations that should be able to provide funds for this project might be:

CountyFarm BureauForest Preserve Districts

Soil and Water Conservation DistrictsLocal School Districts

University of Illinois Extension – Multi-County UnitCounty Commodity Groups

Education to Careers4-H

Regional Office of EducationFFA

Local Chamber of Commerce – Agribusiness Committee

CountyConservation Groups (Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, etc.)

Because of the nature of the ever evolving agriculture literacy effort across the state, the local County Farm Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation District, and University of Illinois Extension must be involved at the local level in an advisory capacity. It is REQUIRED that the FCAE Program Advisor and the IAITC office are invited to an introductory meeting to help facilitate your program decisions.

  1. The County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator’s duties will be to provide and/or coordinate programs that are research-based, action-oriented, and utilize the experimental learning process. The focus will be on hands-on curriculum for use in the classroom. The program is to aid in meeting Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards for educators. Coordinators are recommended to use curriculum and other resources that link science, math, reading, writing, social studies, health, and agriculture together in areas such as the study of animals, energy, insects, plants, soils, weather, genetics, horticulture, and conservation of natural resources. This study is crucial for today’s youth so they will understand the world they live in and will help to shape Illinois’ future.
  1. The County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator will be expected to provide professional development programs to educators showing them how agriculture can be used as a medium for teaching science, math, and other core learning areas, and to participate in the statewide training programs for County Agricultural Literacy Coordinators.
  2. Funded county coalitions are required to submit three copies (four if submitted by U of I Extension Unit) of an annual or final report to Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom by July 19, 2018, and are required to complete regular reports and submit them to the IAITC office and their FCAE Field Advisor. (Reports due by October 10, November 10, December 10, February 10, March 10 and April 10).
  1. To be eligible for future funding from Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, your county coalition’s monetary income must be $1 more than the IAITC grant. Approximately $40,000 is recommended per year for salaries, transportation, secretarial support, printing, resource materials, and supplies for a successful full-time program.

8. A job description for the County Agriculture Literacy Coordinator must be included in

this application. Sample job descriptions can be obtained from the IAITC Office.

9. A program of work for addressing proposed outcomes of local agricultural literacy

coalitions (specifically short and intermediate term) will be included. We understand

that the hiring of a new person in a new capacity needs to remain fluid. The IAITC

Program Council wants to promote the most positive experience for the local advisory

board, the local employer, and the Agricultural Literacy Coordinator.

Timeline:

July 19, 2017Proposal Deadline to Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom

Proposals must be postmarked by July 19, 2017

August 31, 2017Grant Recipients Selected

September 2017New County Coalition Orientation (for counties not previously funded by IAITC), facilitated by IAITC Staff, held in Bloomington, Illinois

Ag Literacy Coordinator Meeting – Central Illinois

E-mail notification to county coalitions for awarded grants--formal letter will follow

MonthlyMonthly Updates to the IAITC office and the FCAE Field Advisor

October 2017Funds distributed – pending funding availability - ESTIMATED!

February2018Ag Literacy Coordinator Meetings – usually three locations throughout IL

May2018Ag Literacy Coordinator Meeting – Central Illinois

July 19, 2018Annual/Final Reports due to IAITC (3 copies - 4 if submitted by U of I Extension)

Estimated Funds Available for Coalitions Not Previously Funded:

The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program proposes, if funds are available, to fund new additional county coalition projects with contributions up to $7,500 per project. It is planned, if funds are available, to award funding to these projects in following years.

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom hopes the identified funds will aid in the development of county projects which are modeled after the current counties. New county programs are expected to attend the statewide County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator meetings and required to attend the new county orientation.

For More Information:

If you have questions, please call the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom office at 309-557-3334.

Information about IAITC can be found at

Information about FCAE can be obtained at

Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing a Proposal

In submitting a proposal, applicants agree to the following stipulations:

  1. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom reserves the right to reject any proposal received if it is determined that the proposal does not meet the specifications of the Request For Proposals (RFP), or if funds should be limited or not available for any reason.
  1. The IAA Foundation is the final approving authority for all reports and products occurring as integral parts of any funding agreement resulting from these RFPs.
  1. All reports and products resulting from these RFPs become the property of IAITC. These materials will be reviewed by Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom.
  1. All funded coalitions are required to submit three copies (four if submitted by U of I Extension Unit) of an annual/final report by July 19, 2017. All funded coalitions are required to submit monthly reports to the IAITC office and their FCAE Program Advisor.
  1. Three (four if submitted by U of I Extension Unit) copies of the proposal are required with original signatures on at least one copy. For projects being funded, one copy of all submitted proposals will be retained in the files of IAITC, one with the County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator, and one with the District FCAE Field Advisor (and one for the University of Illinois if the proposal is submitted by a University of Illinois Extension Unit). For proposals not being funded, one copy will be kept by IAITC and all other copies will be destroyed unless the applicant explicitly requests the return of the proposals and sends Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom a prepaid mailing envelope.
  1. The proposal, as well as all written and/or audio-video materials produced, shall be gender equitable in word, image, and inference.
  1. Equal and fair consideration of all populations regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, religion, age or handicap, shall be given in the selection of project personnel, advisory or steering committee members, and in other activities operated as part of the project.

All proposals must be typewritten on one side of standard 8 ½” X 11” unruled white paper. Use a 12-point font. The proposal must provide reviewers with information required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed activity. Please have someone proofread the proposal to check for spelling and grammar mistakes and to ensure clarity. All proposals should be submitted separately in a ½ inch (minimum) binder.

Three (four if submitted by U of I Extension) copies of each proposal submitted in response to this RFP must be postmarked byJuly 19, 2017, andsent to: Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom; 1701 Towanda Avenue; Bloomington, IL 61701.

Proposal Outline

A proposal shall include all of the following sections and shall be assembled (tabs are helpful but not required) in the following sequence:

  1. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Contractual Agreement
  2. Objectives, Goals, Procedures
  3. Budget
  4. Advisory Board Listing
  5. County Agricultural Literacy Coordinator Job Description
  6. Program of Work (to address short term and intermediate term goals)

An explanation of each proposal section follows:

1. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Contractual Agreement

A copy of the IAITC Contractual Agreement Form is included for reproduction and use on pages 8 and 9. The entity listed in “Name of Agency” must be a legally recognized entity.

2. Objectives, Goals, Procedures (up to 5 pages, double spaced)

The goals shall be related to the objectives stated in the RFP on page 2. Procedures are the actual activities utilized to accomplish the objectives. Each procedure should be stated in measurable terms and include the target population. Include in the procedure, section measurement markers (how you will determine to what degree the project objectives are met). Use format that is shown on page 10.

3. Budget

Budget must be itemized under five main categories. Authorized categories are:

  1. Salaries
  2. Employee Benefits
  3. Purchased Services
  4. Staff Travel
  5. Supplies and Materials

Every budget must utilize the following five columns: Description; Request from IAITC; Other Monetary Contributions; Other In-Kind Contributions; and Total Budget. To be eligible to receive the continuing grant for FY19 (July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) your coalition must raise $1 more (line A of the annual report) than the FY18 allocation you receive from Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom. Other monetary and in-kind contributions include all auditable project expenditures incurred by an agency. All budget amounts should be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. Attached to this RFP is a sample budget along with a blank budget report for reproduction and use.

Explanations for each of the five budget categories follow:

Salaries -- Include projected expenditures for salaries (including anticipated annual increases) of personnel performing direct project services. Indicate job title, percentage of time for the project, and a benchmark (i.e., “per day” or “per month”).

Employee Benefits -- Include benefits such as Social Security, Medicare, health insurance, etc. for each project staff member.

Purchased Services-- Include anticipated expenditures for services rendered through agreements with an individual or agency. These are considered contracted services, which are written under a separate agreement by the funded agency.

The costs are reserved to offset expenses for providing services not usually within the capabilities of the funded agency. Personnel records are seldom maintained for the people performing contractual services nor are such individuals eligible for employee benefits accruing to regular, full time staff members. A consultant fee may be paid for specified services and should be regarded as a total figure, rather than a per day rate, for consultant services. Consultant fees, if necessary, will be determined at the time of negotiation. Items rented for use during the term of the agreement are considered to be a purchased service. Subcontractors should provide assurances to the funded agency similar to those the funded agency provided to IAITC.

Staff Travel -- Include anticipated project staff travel. Travel shall be computed according to prevailing rates and include travel, per diem, lodging, and estimated other travel-related expenses (i.e. tolls and parking). The rates under the travel regulations are:

1. Mileage reimbursement: current IRS allowable rate

2. Per Diem: $28.00 per day if the day exceeds 18 hrs or night’s lodging is required

Supplies and Materials -- Include anticipated expenditures for those materials and supplies required to conduct the project. Only expenses in excess of the regular agency operational costs and necessary to conduct the project should be shown.

Unless otherwise approved by Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, non-consumable materials such as resource materials, reference books or reports remain the property of, and must be delivered to, Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom at the end of the project’s funding. Consumable materials are expendable items, which through use, are consumed, worn out, or which deteriorate or lose their identity through fabrication or incorporation into a different or more complex unit or substance.

Examples of some items which are not allowable costs include:

1. Alterations to or renovations of buildings

2. Construction of buildings or purchase of land or buildings

3. Purchase of standard office furniture, desk sets, and computers

4. Entertainment

5. Dues to organizations, federations, or societies

6. Contingency or “petty cash” funds

7. Funds may not be spent to pay for meals served in conjunction with a meeting, conference, or other such gatherings required as part of the funded agency’s contractual responsibilities to IAITC.

4. Advisory Board Listing – Please include a listing of the name, title and address of all current advisory board members. It is required that the local Farm Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation District and University of Illinois Extension office be involved in planning stages to insure this local effort does not duplicate efforts already underway.

5. CountyAgricultural Literacy Coordinator Job Description - Funding of the program will only be finalized once an Agriculture Literacy Coordinator has been hired. Please include the job description developed for this position.