To:  Teachers and Administrators of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Programs

       (Sent on behalf of Andrew Klein, Principal Consultant for AFNR, ISBE)

Fiscal year 2024 budget applications in IWAS for both Incentive Funding Grants (System: Agricultural Education 3235-20) and Teacher Three Circle Grants (System: Agricultural Education Teacher Three Circle Grant FFA & SAE 3235-30) are now open. If you are not familiar with these grant programs, please first visit theISBE Agricultural Education Grants webpage. This site contains information on basic eligibility, allowable uses of funds, and other frequently asked questions.

 

Budget applications in IWAS for this program are due by June 30, 2023, to receive for a July 1 start date. Incentive funds are distributed to approved agricultural education programs to meet various local needs including but not limited to equipment, supplies, professional development, and curriculum. Individual allocations are based on quality indicators achieved by each program.

 

Three-hundred and seventy-two programs received allocations for FY24. Twenty-nine programs received startup funds of $5,000 or $2,500 for new high school and middle school programs, respectively. The remaining 343 established programs collectively achieved 30,145 quality indicator points. Each quality indicator point represents approximately $35.81, averaging $3,146.12 per program.

 

Budget applications in IWAS for this program are due by September 15, 2023, to receive a July 1 start date. Three Circle grants are distributed to approved programs to provide additional teacher work time. Individual allocations are based on current teacher salary and benefits information. Due to increased participation in the grant program, initial allocations for FY24 will be prorated at approximately 95% of what was requested by participating districts.

 

Three-hundred and ninety-nine teachers across 284 school districts applied to participate in FY24. When compared to initial allocations in FY23, this year’s initial requests grew by 44 teachers in addition to a 12.4% increase in average base salary. Initial requests for funds total $4,092,499. Funds appropriated for FY24 Three Circle grants are anticipated to be $3,870,740. For more information on this program or to complete your application, see links below.

 

Finally, each entity must have completed their Organizational Risk Assessment and Internal Control Questionnaire for fiscal year 2024 in order to submit applications in IWAS. For more information on either of these grant programs or to complete your budget applications, see links below. Please direct questions to your district’s assignedLocal Program Support advisor or reach out to Andrew Klein at ISBE via aklein@isbe.net.

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