Funds will be utilized to promote the creation and the availability of adventure camps for military teens at regional locations around the U.S., its territories, and internationally

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Auburn University $1,327,757.39 under the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative (CFDA 10.304) on June 15, 2026, to design and implement a competitive grant process for high adventure camps serving military teens ages 13–18 across the United States, its territories, and internationally.

Auburn will administer a Notice of Funding Opportunity enabling the Cooperative Extension System to apply competitively for funding to host adventure camps at regional locations. Selected state 4-H and extension programs will design and conduct camp programming featuring activities such as ropes courses, backpacking, rafting, boating, and survival camps, open to military youth across all service branches and components. Each successful applicant will operate under direction of a designated university coordinator and partner with at least two additional non-extension organizations identified per camp type. Camps will be offered at modest expense to military youth and families, supporting both new opportunities and expansion of existing 2025 camp programming to increase outreach and access to underserved communities.

Recipients will submit data including budget reconciliation, partner involvement documentation, evidence of expanded outreach capacity, required evaluation results, and participant demographics. Performance occurs at Auburn University, Alabama, with camp delivery across regional U.S. locations. The period of performance runs from June 15, 2026, through June 14, 2027.

Auburn university will create a competitive nofo process for the cooperative extension system to design, schedule and implement high adventure camp opportunities that will be made available to military teens ages 13-18. Camp programs will be built upon intense, engaging opportunities such as ropes courses, backpacking, rafting, boating, survival camps, etc. And will be open to military youth across all service branches and military components. State 4-h and extension programs can apply for a competitive grant to host adventure camps featuring the institution's specific camping expertise and location. The camps will be conducted at regional locations around the united states. Camping experiences will be offered at modest expense to the military youth and family.camp opportunities will be planned and executed under the direction of an individual at each university committed to including at least two additional non-extension partners identified per type of camp. Camp opportunities funded under this nofo will support new opportunities and those already planned events/activities in the successful respondent's 2025 camp program. They will expand outreach and access to military youth. Each successful respondent will submit data, including, but not limited to, budget reconciliation, reflection of partner involvement, evidence of expanded ability for outreach to underserved communities, required evaluation, and participant demographics