(CNSNews.com) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $1.4 million in spending as part of President Obama’s Summer Jobs+ program, saying the money will go to hire 500 young people, “particularly urban and minority youth,” to work on government projects over the coming summer.

An additional $2.3 million will be added from private partners working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for a total of $3.7 million.

“This public-private partnership will help bring young people from diverse backgrounds and urban areas to the public lands for meaningful employment opportunities, mentorships, and the joy of the great outdoors,” National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Executive Director Jeff Trandahl said in a press release on May 25.

According to the USDA, this “competitive grant initiative is being funded with $1.4 million from the BLM [Bureau of Land Management] and the Forest Service, matched by $2.3 million raised by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation from private partners through the America’s Great Outdoors: Developing the Next Generation of Conservationists initiative.”

The per-job cost of the program is only $7,400, raising questions as to whether the positions will be paid, given the low per-job cost of some of the programs.

The USDA did not respond to CNSNews.com’s questions about whether the positions will be paid or unpaid.