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Grant and Award Resources for Your Garden
by Sarah Pounders

When planning youth gardens, there is never a shortage of ideas for programs and activities, but do you find the room quiets when the topic switches to finding funding? The good news is that a gardening program does not need to be huge to be successful — kids learn as much from a 4’ x 8’ raised bed as from a half-acre plot. But even on a small scale, your gardening program will need basic supplies like soil, tools, and plants. So where can you go to find these materials?

There are a number of established grant and award programs providing money and materials to help fund youth gardens, from public sources (local, state, and federal government), private foundations (general, community, corporate, family), national corporations, and local sources.

A great place to start searching for grants and awards is the National Gardening Association’s Resource Directory, where you'll find links to more than 100 grant and award sources.

Additionally, the National Gardening Association, through the generous help of sponsors, provides grants and awards annually, including:

To ensure success, apply to programs that match your needs and goals, make sure your program meets the criteria for applying, and create an application that makes a positive impression. Check out the following articles for additional tips and ideas:


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