NCC through the C2A3 alliance is expanding its existing framework to a national scale, advancing agricultural career and technical education (CTE) in partnership with the USDA.

The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, awarded a $6,749,901 Cooperative Agreement to Northeast Community College to expand its existing framework and advance agricultural Career and Technical Education (CTE) nationwide. This 4-year grant aims to support the C2A3 Alliance in growing its agricultural CTE efforts at a national scale. The project will focus on providing conservation technical assistance, workforce development, and educational programs targeting private landowners, conservation districts, tribes, and other organizations. Northeast Community College is partnering with several sub-awardees, including Illinois Central College, Richland Community College, Ivy Tech Community College, Minnesota State Colleges & Universities, Northcentral Technical College, and Northeast Iowa Community College, to deliver integrated demonstration projects, urban agriculture education, soil health research, and the integration of automation and AI into agriculture curricula.