School Gardening Grants Available: Youth Garden Grants and Mantis Tiller

Kidsgargening.org, a project of the National Gardening Association, lists several grants available to school garden projects.

Youth Garden Grants

Deadline: November 1, 2010

NGA awards Youth Garden Grants to schools and community organizations with child-centered garden programs. In evaluating grant applications, priority will be given to programs that emphasize one or more of these elements:

• educational focus or curricular/program integration
• nutrition or plant-to-food connections
• environmental awareness/education
• entrepreneurship
• social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.

Who should apply: Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and intergenerational groups throughout the United States are eligible. Applicants must plan to garden with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years. Previous Youth Garden Grant winners who wish to reapply may do so, but must wait one year (e.g., if you won in 2010, you can apply again in 2012) and have significantly expanded their garden programs. 

For the 2011 grant cycle, 100 grants are available. Packages are as follows:

• Five (5) programs will receive gift cards valued at $1000 (a $500 gift card* to The Home Depot and a $500 gift card to the Gardening with Kids catalog and educational materials from NGA
• Ninety-five (95) programs will receive a $500 gift card* to The Home Depot and educational materials from NGA

For more information and to download application info, please visit: 

http://www.kidsgardening.org/YGG.asp

2011 Mantis Awards for  Community and Youth Gardens 

Deadline: March 1, 2011

Each year, Mantis presents the Mantis Awards to charitable and educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life in their host communities. NGA selects 25 outstanding applicants to receive Mantis tiller/cultivators.

Who should apply: Any nonprofit garden program may apply. In the past, winners have included schools, churches, correctional facilities, parks departments, youth camps, community gardens, and many others. These are groups turning slim resources into bountiful gardens with far-reaching benefits, from increasing their community’s access to fresh nutritious foods to educating the public about the importance of gardening in our nation’s history.

Applicants must:

• operate a charitable or educational program that is not for profit in the United States
• not offer the tiller as a prize for fundraising (e.g., auction or raffle)

Award Packages: 25 programs will each receive a Mantis Tiller/Cultivator with border/edger and kickstand, and their choice of gas-powered 2-cycle engine or electric motor. Value: $349.00.

For more information and to download application info, please visit: 

http://www.kidsgardening.org/grants/mantis.asp

USDA Announces Funding to Expand School Community Gardens and Garden-Based Learning Opportunities

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has $1 million available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 for a People's Garden School Pilot Program. FNS is requesting applications to enter into a cooperative agreement for the purposes of awarding grants to develop and run community gardens at eligible high-poverty schools; teaching students involved in the gardens about agriculture production... practices, diet, and nutrition; contributing produce to supplemental food provided at eligible schools, student households, local food banks, or senior center nutrition programs; and conducting a scientific evaluation of the pilot program.

USDA will host a webinar for prospective applicant on Thursday, October 14, from 2:00pm  to 3:00pm Central time. Advance registration is required for the webinar. You can sign-up here: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/17fb9g44a76

Read More:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/outreach/grants/garden.htm

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is announcing the opportunity for public and not-for-profit organizations to submit applications for a Peoples Garden School Pilot Program grant competition. FNS has set aside $1 million for this pilot program. One grantee will be selected to enter into a cooperative agreement for the purposes of developing and running community gardens at eligible high-poverty schools; teaching students involved in the gardens about agriculture production practices, diet, and nutrition; contributing produce to supplement food provided at eligible schools, student households, local food banks, or senior center nutrition programs; and conducting an evaluation of funded projects to learn more about the impacts of school gardens.

Interested parties must adhere to all the application material requirements in order to be considered for funding. FNS must receive completed grant applications on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Oct. 8, 2010. Applications may be submitted by email to: FY2010Prop_PeoplesGarden@fns.usda.gov or www.grants.gov.

Below is the recent press release from USDA:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will establish a People's Garden School Pilot Program to develop and run community gardens at eligible high-poverty schools; teach students involved in the gardens about agriculture production practices, diet, and nutrition; and evaluate the learning outcomes. This $1 million pilot program is authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. A cooperative agreement will be awarded to implement a program in up to five States. To be eligible as project sites, schools must have 50 percent or more students qualifying for free or reduced-price school meals.

"Grass roots community gardens and agriculture programs have great promise for teaching our kids about food production and nutrition at the local level," said Vilsack. "Learning where food comes from and what fresh foods taste like, and the pride of growing and serving vegetables and fruits that grew through your own effort, are life-changing experiences. All of us at USDA are proud to make this possible."

Part of a broad USDA effort to provide children with access to a nutritious and safe diet, this initiative also aims to influence healthier choices for all American households. Produce raised in the gardens can be used in the schools' meals and by student households, local food banks, or senior center nutrition programs.

Through this pilot program, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service seeks to identify models of successful school garden initiatives which then can be marketed to the K-12 community for inspiration, ideas, and replication.

Improving USDA's child nutrition programs is a top priority of the Obama Administration. Congress is currently considering legislation to bolster the Child Nutrition Act, which authorizes the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Summer Food Service Programs. These programs serve nearly 32 million children each school day and work in concert to form a national safety net against hunger. Improving the Child Nutrition Act is the legislative centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign and was highlighted in the White House report Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation, released on May 11. By passing strong reauthorization legislation, the Administration hopes to reduce hunger, promote access, and improve the overall health and nutrition of children throughout the country. To learn more about the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign, visit www.LetsMove.gov.

The grant is available to public and not-for-profit organizations. Grant applications may be submitted by email to: FY2010Prop_PeoplesGarden@fns.usda.gov or through www.grants.gov. The Request for Applications is available on-line at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/outreach/grants/garden.htm. The deadline for applications is November 8, 2010.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) oversees the administration of 15 nutrition assistance programs, including the child nutrition programs that touch the lives of one in four Americans over the course of a year. These programs work in concert to form a national safety net against hunger. Visit www.fns.usda.gov for information about FNS and the USDA nutrition assistance programs.