MORE for Agriculture Grant Awarded
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Nora Nolden, Communications Consultant
[email protected] or (651) 245-6804
Compeer Financial Awards MORE for Agriculture Grant to Illinois
High School Ag Teachers
The $50K grant will fund agricultural biology course
Bloomington, Ill., (March 20, 2023) – Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America has awarded $50,000 to a joint project of the Illinois Association of Vocation Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT) and the Illinois Science Teaching Association (ISTA) through their MORE for Agriculture Grant.
This grant, now in its fifth year, supports innovative programs that encompass four qualities:
Mission: Aligns with the mission of Compeer Financial, enriches agriculture and rural communities
Opportunity: Provides a new opportunity for clients or future clients, fills a known void in agricultural and rural markets, is a new and innovative project
Replication: Can be replicated by others to serve different geographic areas, with the ability for future collaboration
Evolution: Evolves over time to create a better future for agriculture and rural America
Support to IAVAT and ISTA will go toward developing a course and curriculum on agricultural biology, to be offered as an option to replace the traditional high school biology course. The course will be developed to meet all life science state standards and the objectives of a traditional biology course, utilizing agriculture topics as the context for learning. It will also be the first full course development to implement the storylining technique, which is the basis for the new Illinois Science Assessment required of all Illinois students.
“We are excited and grateful for the involvement of Compeer Financial,” said Jesse Faber, agriculture teacher at Pontiac Township High School. “The need for understanding about science in agriculture is clear. We are striving to provide context to the biological standards and connect people to the agriculture, food and natural resources industries. This project will transform the access to agricultural topics in our schools and the support of Compeer Financial is instrumental in bringing this vision to life.”
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America Trustees asked Compeer team members to identify programs and projects they believe create MORE for agriculture. In all, nearly $900,000 has been awarded to 20 organizations since 2019.
“It is an honor to partner with these organizations who are truly making a difference in their communities with these pioneering projects,” said Karen Schieler senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer. “The MORE for Agriculture grant recipients are leaders and innovators in the world of agriculture. We hope these projects and programs inspire others to create MORE for Agriculture.”
For more information, visit compeer.com/giving-back.
About the Fund for Rural America
The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial’s mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial’s Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund’s focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development and community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $29.7 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
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