Opportunity Overview
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2026–27 Agriculture and Youth Organization Grant Program. This is a verified school, youth-workforce and career-development opportunity for organizations serving young people in agriculture, leadership and vocational pathways. School districts are explicitly eligible when the project is conducted by or for the benefit of an agriculture and youth organization operated under the school or district.
Funding
The Pennsylvania Bulletin states that the amount appropriated for the 2026–27 program will be no less than $500,000. The program offers two reimbursement-grant pathways:
- Direct, non-matching grants up to $7,500 for eligible projects.
- Matching grants up to $25,000 for capital projects, with the grant covering no more than 50% of eligible project costs.
Because these are reimbursement grants, successful applicants must incur eligible costs and document completion before receiving grant funds.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are agriculture and youth organizations composed mainly of youth, or organizations with programs that benefit youth, and organized to promote agriculture, community leadership, vocational training and peer fellowship. For 2026–27, most members must be 24 years old or younger or the organization must have programming or initiatives focused on people age 24 or younger. A school or school district may apply for an eligible project conducted by or for the benefit of an agriculture and youth organization operated under that school or district.
Eligible Uses
Eligible projects include education and workforce-development programs, seminars and field trips, agricultural safety training, capital projects and equipment purchases. The Department’s current guidance identifies examples such as laboratory equipment, agricultural equipment, greenhouse structures, watering systems, gardening supplies, facility or building improvements and other capital assets.
Grant funds may not be used for recipient staff wages or salaries, stipends, subawards, or costs already paid or reimbursed through another Federal or State grant program.
Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted through Pennsylvania’s Single Application for Assistance system by October 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The current official program page and Pennsylvania Bulletin notice publish the date and clock time but do not state a timezone, so Atlas does not invent one; applicants should submit well before the cutoff.
Application Requirements and Scoring
The application must include applicant and contact information, a narrative explaining the applicant’s agriculture-and-youth role, the requested grant type, project or equipment details, a project budget, the maximum grant amount sought, a project implementation or construction/equipment-purchase schedule, participating and benefiting entities, and a completion date no later than June 30, 2028. The Department scores complete applications on organizational background and youth served, project detail, budget/purchases, implementation planning, measurable outcomes and alignment with program goals.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 79/100. This is a strong Pennsylvania school and youth-workforce opportunity because eligibility is clear, school districts are explicitly included, the program supports equipment and capital capacity as well as education and workforce programming, and the application window remains open. The modest per-award ceilings reduce the score for large-system projects but make it useful for targeted school, CTE, laboratory, safety and career-exploration initiatives.
N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Although equipment and laboratories can be eligible in the agriculture/youth context, the program does not establish a connected-clinical-equipment, telehealth or physician-coverage use case. Atlas does not manufacture a healthcare vendor pathway where the controlling program does not support one.
Next Action
School districts and youth-serving agriculture organizations should confirm the eligible project structure, choose the appropriate direct or matching pathway, build a specific work plan and measurable youth outcomes, document any required match for a matching request, exclude personnel/stipend/subaward costs, and submit the complete Single Application well before October 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Verified sources: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture current application page and Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 26-1248, published August 29, 2026; verified September 11, 2026.