The 2019 America’s Farmers campaign has kicked off with the Grow Rural Education program launch, which provides Iowa farmers with the opportunity to nominate local rural public schools for $10,000 and $25,000 grants designed to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculums. Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer, will award more than $2.3 million to local rural school districts in 2019 – giving farmers the opportunity to make a difference in their community and contribute to local students’ success. Farmers can nominate their school district by visiting www.Americasfarmers.com or by calling 1-877-267-3332 toll-free.

Farmers can nominate their local public school district from January 1 to April 1, 2019. After the school district receives a nomination, the Monsanto Fund will notify the district and encourage administrators and teachers to design a grant that enhances STEM education for their students. Nominated school districts have until April 15, 2019 to submit a grant application describing their project. A panel of qualified teachers reviews the applications and narrows it down to the finalists. The program’s Farmer Advisory Council, consisting of approximately 30 farmer leaders from across the country, then select the winning school districts.

Later this year, the America’s Farmers programs continue with the Grow Communities program where farmers can enroll for the chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a local eligible nonprofit organization; and the Grow Ag Leaders program will begin accepting applications for $1,500 scholarships for students pursuing an education in agriculture-related fields.

Since Grow Rural Education began in 2011, it has awarded more than $16 million to more than 900 school districts in rural communities across the United States.