Garden Grants for Schools, Communities, and Non-Profits

Updated November 2, 2023

There are so many garden grants available in the United States to support a local school, community, and non-profit gardening projects. We regularly update this page and can provide helpful information when applying for public or private grants. Please refer to the links below and contact us with any questions.

Growing Spaces also offers annual grants and is proud to announce our new grant program for 2024.

Growing Spaces In-Kind Grant 2024

Growing Spaces has been actively working with non-profits to provide fresh organic produce to food-insecure communities in the United States.  Food banks across the country have needed to increase production to meet the growing demand caused by the pandemic and inflation.  They are also looking for solutions to grow food for their communities year-round, without using too much energy.

To respond to this increased demand, Growing Spaces is offering in-kind grants to registered non-profits, schools or veterans’ organizations that are actively providing fresh food to underserved and food-insecure communities.

The grant will be taken off the price of the Growing Dome and will range between $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the program and the size of the Growing Dome greenhouse desired. Applicants must have the space to build a greenhouse and funding to complete and sustain the greenhouse in the future. Applications for 2024 will be accepted through June 30, 2024.

Start by completing this form or speak to one of our Growing Dome Advisors about the program.  Applications will be reviewed once project timing and funding are established and awards will be applied to Growing Domes shipped in the 2024 calendar year. Through this grant, we hope to help even more communities provide a geodesic greenhouse to increase production and harvest year-round.

See below for other non-profit grant opportunities or scroll to the bottom of the page to see previous Growing Spaces Urban Farming Grant winners

Urban Greenhouse being buil in Harlem
2022 Grant Winner <em>Harlem Grown Harlem NY<em>

Links to Garden Grants 2023-2024:

Garden Grant for School Growing Dome
Garden grants have helped many schools purchase a Growing Dome

School Garden Grants

Colorado Garden Foundation – Has awarded more than $12 million in grants to fund gardening and horticulture projects for Colorado. All the proceeds from the Colorado Home and Garden Show go to support these wonderful garden grants. The 2023 grant submissions closed for the year on August 30. For the 2024 grant season, initial letters of intent can be mailed in early June. Selected applicants will be requested to submit complete details by October 31. Visit their website to verify deadline dates in 2024.

Whole Foods Market – In the US and Canada. “Our Garden Grant program provides a $3,000 monetary grant to support a new or existing edible educational garden located at either a K-12 public or private school and a Non-profit organization (501(c)(3) in the US/Registered Charity in Canada) that serves children in the K-12 grade range.” The 2023 applications are closed for the year, but 2024 applications will be open in February and close on March 1. Notification will occur in August, and packages arrive in September.

Farm to Cafeteria Canada – New for the 2023/24 school year, Farm to Cafeteria Canada, in partnership with the Schad Foundation, is pleased to announce flexible grants to support schools looking to get started on their farm or local food-to-school journeys.  These grants are intended to help improve school food environments by increasing access to healthy, local, and culturally appropriate foods in schools and/or improve opportunities for hands-on learning through food and food systems. The 2023 applications are closed for the year, check their website in the summer for 2024-2025 deadlines.

School Kids learning in a Growing Dome Greenhouse above ground pond
School Kids learning about the Growing Dome Greenhouse pond

Kids Gardening – Is offering two grants this year.

Budding Botanist Grant: Deadline: October 20, 2023. The announcement of the schools that have been selected for the grant will be made on December 1, 2023. The intent is to aid and encourage students in learning and exploring the world of plants, simultaneously fostering a drive to preserve and protect the local ecosystems they uncover.

2024 Youth Garden Grant: Accepting Applications: From November 6, 2023, to December 15, 2023. The disclosure of the award recipients will take place on January 19, 2024. The focus is on bolstering educational gardening projects within schools and youth communities, with an impact that permeates through enhancing student and community well-being, by offering financial and material support to fifty chosen programs.

American Heart Association Teaching Gardens Network – The Teaching Gardens Network is a one-stop shopfor everything schools will need to start or enhance a school garden. By joining the network you gain access to Grant opportunities for funding your garden, free gardening materials, and resources, digital cross-curricular, standards-based gardening and nutrition education curriculum, a downloadable Teaching Gardens Network certificate, and recognition on their website. Recipients were announced in January 2023. Applications for this grant have closed. Visit their website and join their network for 2024 grant opportunities.

Big Green Real Food Grow Here – Big Green awards Learning Gardens based on a number of factors, including the strength of gthe arden team, plans for garden use, student demographics, and location. They also have curriculum offerings. Applications for this grant season have closed. Visit their website to learn more about grant opportunities and deadlines.

Captain Planet Foundation™ – Invests in high-quality, solution-based programs that embrace STEM learning and environmental education. They empower youth to become local and global environmental change-makers. Visit their website and complete the simple form for the Small Grant Cycle Notification. When CPF Small Grant cycles re-open, they will email you.

California Fertilizer Foundation – School Garden Grant Program for California schools. CFF accepted Garden Grant applications for 2023 with an application submission deadline of submission deadline of May 26th, 2023.

Herb Society of America – Thanks to the generosity of Donald Samull, who made a planned gift to The Herb Society of America, an herb garden grant program for elementary school classes was established in 2009. These grants ensure that learning about herbs can be part of the curriculum, a resource Mr. Samull — an elementary school teacher — regularly used in his own classroom. Elementary classrooms in grades K-6 with ten students or more may apply for a grant to establish an herb garden. In addition to plants, the funds may be used for supplies such as soil, plant trays, containers, child or yyouth-sizedtools, etc. Fifteen grants of $300 each are awarded annually. If you are interested in applying for a 2025 grant, visit their website in the summer of 2024 for more information.

National Head Start Association – Applicants must be in a Head Start program. In previous years the NHSA awarded a total of $50,000 ranging between $2,500 and $5,000 to supplement the needs of existing garden projects, to help launch new garden projects, or to supplement/launch outdoor green space projects (land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation and an option for children and the community to learn). The Initiative will be awarding a total of $50,000 in grant awards. Visit their website for grant information.

Community Garden Grants

Community Garden Grant for Growing Dome in Littleton Colorado
Garden grants may be available for community projects

America in Bloom – America in Bloom and the CN Railway have partnered to create the “EcoConnexions From the Ground Up” grants program. With a true transcontinental network that extends to three North American coasts, CN passes through a wide range of urban and rural communities. We encourage communities along the CN corridor to take environmental action by improving their communities through healthy urban forests, natural landscaping, groundcover improvement, and flower displays.

You are welcome to apply at any time, but applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 1 for late November decisions.

Seed Money – is a Maine-based nonprofit providing grants, crowdfunding opportunities ,and training to food garden projects across the country and around the world.

National Garden Bureau – For therapeutic garden programs. Schools, non-profits, hospitals, retirement centers, rehabilitative facilities, veteran facilities, community centers, inter-generational groups, job-training centers, food pantries, and public gardens throughout the United States and Canada are eligible. Applicants must document that they have had a therapeutic garden program completed for at least one year at the time of application with at least a five-year commitment for the garden to remain on that property. 2023 grant applications were due July 1, 2023. Visit their website to learn more and to contact them about their 2024 grants.

Urban Garden Greenhouse in Chicago
Urban Growers Collective Growing Dome Greenhouse in Chicago

National Head Start Association – The GroMoreGood initiative makes garden grants, garden kits, educational curriculum, and garden training available to all Head Start programs with the goal of creating more edible gardens for young children and their families. The initiative also supports the creation of green space projects—land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation—as an option for children and the community to learn. The 2023 deadline is December 23, 2022; must be a Head Start program to apply.

Fruit Tree Planting Foundation – The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF programs strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, at places such as community gardens, public schools, city/state parks, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries. Visit their website for more information and to apply.

Veterans and Disability Garden Grants

USDA Veterans Grants – Enhancing agricultural opportunities for veterans. The Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Program provides grants to non-profits to increase the number of military veterans gaining knowledge and skills through comprehensive, hands-on, and immersive model farm and ranch programs offered regionally that lead to successful careers in the food and agricultural sector.

Home Depot Grants – Home Depot currently has a Veteran Housing Grants Program. This was created to help nonprofits fund the development and repair of multi-unit veteran housing facilities. Awards typically range from $100,000 to $500,000.

National Garden Bureau Grants – For therapeutic garden programs to bring healing ftothose affected by trauma. National Garden Bureau launched a philanthropic program in 2014 that supports the building and growth of therapeutic gardens across North America. This program furthers NGB’s mission of promoting gardening to gardeners and non-gardeners alike. The 2023 grant season has ended, but visit their website and sign up now for their newsletter and information on when the Therapeutic Garden Grant opens. Scroll down past the Therapeutic Garden Grant recipients by year for the newsletter sign-up.

Organic Farming and Horticulture Grants

Central Iowa Homeless Shelter Greenhouse
Central Iowa Homeless Shelter Growing Dome Greenhouse

Future Farmers of America

Living to Serve Grants pprovidesan opportunity for FFA chapters and state FFA associations/foundations to seek funding to support various types of service projects through a competitive application process. Applicants must identify a community need that falls within one of four focus areas: community safety; hunger, health and nutrition; environmental responsibility; or community engagement.

Blooming Prairie Foundation – Grants for innovative practices in the area of organic and natural foods. The Foundation is pausing grant issuance during 2023. Please check back in January 2024 for updates on future granting options.

Herb Society of America – The grants listed on their page are for the research of the horticultural, scientific, and/or social use of herb gardens throughout history. Visit their website to learn about their available grants and the application process.

California ReLeaf Grants – Provides pass-through grants to network members and other community groups interested in caring for trees in California. Grants are due in early January. They also have a link to other grant opportunities for California on their website.

Wild Ones – Healing the Earth one yard at a time. For more than 25 years, this donor-funded program has provided grants ranging from $100 to $500 for native plant gardens and landscaping projects throughout the United States. The funds are designated for acquiring native plants and seeds for outdoor learning areas that engage youth (preschool to high school) directly in planning, planting, and caring for native plant gardens. Applications for the 2023 planting season are now closed. Visit their website to learn about their 2024 grants.

Other Grant Resources

GrantWatch – Grant listing directory

The Butterfly Website – Grant listing directory

Fundraising

You could also try starting up a fundraiser on Adopt A Classroom.org, KickStarter.com, or GoFundMe.com.

Good luck with your fundraising!

Other Gardening Resources for Kids

Fiskars – Provides grants for innovation, education, and biodiversity for schools and community gardens.

Paonia Soil Co./Soil That Serves – If you are a nonprofit, community garden, or school program and are interested in being considered to join Soil that Serves, or know someone who is, please fill out and submit our application or email rylee@paoniasoilco.com with any questions.

Gardening grants from A-Z

Junior Master Gardener

Growing Spaces Urban Farming Grant 2022

Just like in previous years, we had so many wonderful applicants and the decision was a hard one. Growing Spaces puts much thought & consideration into choosing the causes for which we award these in-house grants. We are proud to announce our 2022 grant winners Harlem Grown and Valor Point Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans

Harlem Grown in Harlem, NY Their mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. They have been transforming empty lots and schoolyards around Harlem into gardens for the last 10 years, and work with most of the local elementary schools to provide after-school programs and summer camps.  With a Growing Dome, they will be able to provide year-round gardening activities for youth and adults.  Growing Spaces is excited to partner with this amazing organization.

Valor Point Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans in Lakewood, CO: Their twofold mission is to identify homeless and at-risk Veterans who need residential treatment to overcome homelessness and provide these Veterans transitional, recovery-focused treatment that increases their independent living skills so that they can obtain and maintain housing upon graduation. They have a robust recreation and activities department that already includes outdoor raised beds, traditional gardens, and gardening classes supported by CSU Master Gardeners. The greenhouse will enable them to have a year-round gardening program, grow more food for their kitchen, and expand to outpatient services. Growing Spaces is proud to support our veterans, especially here in Colorado.

Please stay tuned to hear more about our work with Valor Point & Harlem Grown later this year and be the first to hear when we open applications for 2023.

To see the projects we supported in 2021, visit our Urban Farming Grant Winners Blog

To see the projects we supported in 2020, visit our Food Insecurity Charities Blog.

We have also created a new fundraising page to provide information to our community on garden projects and greenhouse fundraisers. Contact us if you would like your fundraiser to be included on this page.