Logo courtesy of Seed Your Future
Green industry education nonprofit Seed Your Future announced it received a grant from EQT Foundation to expand its flagship career awareness program, Green Career Week, across Pennsylvania and West Virginia in fall 2026.
The $7,500 grant will fund outreach to more than 50 schools and more than 25 horticulture employers across the Appalachian region, with the goal of engaging more students through facility tours, classroom presentations and hands-on career exploration experiences. At least 30 educators and 15 horticulture businesses are expected to participate.
The EQT Foundation has awarded nearly $80 million to nonprofits throughout the operational footprint of EQT Corporation, a natural gas company with production and midstream operations focused in the Appalachian Basin, with operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.
Green Career Week is SYF's bi-annual national event that connects students directly with local employers in the green industry. Since launching in 2022, the program has reached over 15,000 students and 200 employers nationwide.
In January 2026, SYF engaged more than 800 students at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Career Fair in Harrisburg, where a consistent theme emerged: Students are drawn to working with plants but unaware of the many career pathways available to them, the nonprofit said.
Nationally, only 61% of annual job openings in food, agriculture and natural resources are filled, according to Seed Your Future.
"EQT Foundation's investment in workforce development aligns closely with what Green Career Week is designed to do — not just create awareness but build the connections between students and employers that lead to real career pathways," said Seed Your Future Executive Director Jazmin Albarran. "We're excited to deepen our presence in this region and work alongside other EQT-funded organizations to strengthen the ecosystem of opportunity for young people here."
Three Pennsylvania horticulture teachers and one Ohio horticulture teacher participated in SYF's Seed to STEM professional development program this summer. All four will participate in Green Career Week this fall.
To learn more about Green Career Week, visit seedyourfuture.org/green-career-week.