Who can apply for a Community Garden Grant?
Community Garden Grants are for community gardens located in Clayton, Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, or Gwinnett counties in metro Atlanta. A community garden must consist of five or more individual households collectively and consistently gardening an area through individual or shared plots where vegetables, fruit, or other plants are cultivated. While the community garden might cultivate non-food producing plants, offer garden-based therapeutic services, host events, or engage its members or surrounding community in a variety of ways, a primary focus of the garden should be on growing food in a communal setting. Sorry, this opportunity is not for school gardens. We love school gardens, but with many dedicated resources existing specifically for school gardens, this opportunity is just for community gardens.
How much is the grant, and what can I use it for?
Food Well Alliance offers two grant opportunities for community gardens: a $1,500 fund opportunity (the Garden Improvement Grant) and a $10,000 funding opportunity (the Garden Forward Grant). These grants can be used to accomplish garden infrastructure projects or purchase gardening supplies or materials. Common uses for the grant include: replacing or adding raised beds; building tool sheds or other garden storage; fencing; irrigation/water catchment systems or supplies; garden signage; garden gathering spaces, like benches or shade structures; tools; soil and compost; and other planting materials.
How do I apply for a Community Garden Grant?
Applications must be submitted through our online grant system. If you are new to the grant system, we recommend you register in the system early. The grant system is user friendly, and an applicant can start, save, and return to their application at any point before submitting it. Have any difficulties or questions accessing the system? Reach out to Grants Manager Bobby Farmer at bobby@foodwellalliance.org.
The online grant system asks me to enter a Tax ID number into the system to create an account. My community garden doesn’t have a Tax ID. How do I register?
It’s ok if your community garden does not have a Tax ID! Many do not, and you are still 100% eligible to apply! Simply enter zeroes (‘00-0000000’) when the system asks you for the Tax ID number on the registration page.
You mention fiscal sponsor in the application and on the webpage. What is a fiscal sponsor, and do I need one to apply?
A fiscal sponsor is an organization that will receive grant funds on a community garden’s behalf if that garden is awarded the grant. If your community garden or the organization that runs your community garden can receive funds on its own, then you do not need a fiscal sponsor. If your community garden is operated by a group of neighbors that are not a registered entity (which is ok!), then you will need to indicate a fiscal sponsor.
If awarded the grant, Food Well cannot write a grant check to an individual garden member. Therefore, a fiscal sponsor will serve to receive the funds on the applicant’s behalf. The fiscal sponsor could be an organization or institution that already works with your garden in some way or is in your neighborhood. Examples include community nonprofit organizations; a local church; a government office where your community garden is; or your county UGA Extension office.
More information is inside the application on Fiscal Sponsors. Reach out to our Grants Manager Bobby Farmer if you have any questions about Fiscal Sponsors.
What is the difference between the Community Garden Improvement Grant and Garden Forward Grant?
Community gardens can apply to receive a $1,500 Community Garden Improvement Grant or apply to receive the $10,000 Garden Forward Grant. The Garden Forward Grant is a new opportunity that offers two community gardens $10,000 to accomplish a larger garden improvement project. In addition to the $10,000 grant, Food Well is prepared to add in-kind support to your project in the value of approximately $5,000. This in-kind support could include expanded compost delivery; support with additional project-related materials; labor support for implementing parts of your Garden Forward project.
A garden is eligible to apply for both of these opportunities, but would only be awarded one category of support. That means if you want to apply for the larger Garden Forward Grant, your garden can also apply for the smaller Community Garden Improvement Grant at the same time. That way, your garden could still be considered to receive the $1,500 grant even if you are not awarded the larger $10,000 grant.
Usually, the Community Garden Grants cycle opens in February or March. Why did you change the application timeline to October-November?
Based on feedback received from gardeners, the Community Garden Grants timeline has shifted slightly to better serve community gardeners and better align with the seasons. This new timeline will allow applicant gardens to know the decision of their applications earlier in the year (January) and have more time to prepare and start implementing garden projects if awarded before gardening season is in full swing.
Usually there is an option in the grant to receive a compost delivery, but I do not see that in the application. Are you still delivering compost to community gardens?
Yes! In order to make the delivery of compost easier and more timely, we are taking the compost delivery out of the Community Garden Grants process. Instead, we will have a simple Compost Delivery Request form where you request compost delivery for your community garden. Check back to our Community Garden Resource page for information our timeline for compost delivery requests!
In the past, you have offered to build sturdy 3-bin compost systems for community gardens. I don’t see that option in this year’s grant application. Are you still offering those compost systems?
The Three-Bin ‘Compost Knox’ compost systems that Food Well has built at gardens since 2019 offer a contained, effective and organized place for community gardens to compost and build healthy soil. After having built these bins at close to 20 community gardens across metro Atlanta, we paused building new bins to check in with those past recipients, see how the bins are serving their gardens and communities, and learn about how this garden infrastructure is being used to build healthy soil.
While Food Well will not be building the bins this year, a community garden is more than welcome to apply for and use the $1,500 Community Garden Improvement Grant to build the compost bins or acquire some other compost infrastructure for their garden.
What are you all looking for in the application?
Use the application to help us get to know your community garden. What is the garden’s role in your neighborhood or community, and, importantly, what challenges is your community garden currently facing to grow food in community? A community garden grant application should be clear and realistic about how the grant will be used by the garden, and how the project will address current needs of the community garden. Do some homework to enter a simple, clear project budget in the application (“How will your community garden spend the $1,500 or $10,000 grant?).
Want to learn more about the 2024 Community Garden Grants?
Check out the recording of the Q&A Webinar were Grants Manager Bobby Farmer covered all the details you need to know about applying.
