RebelTomato

Fundraising

Fundraising may not seem like an easy task, but there are a few ways that it can become less challenging for your group to take on. This page will give you some tips on local fundraising strategies, as well as all the tools you need to apply for a grant. With some practice and experience, fundraising will come naturally!

Local Fundraising Strategies

Building relationships with your local non-profit and business communities is a great way to secure free or inexpensive materials for your garden project. Below you will find ten suggestions for the types of people and organizations that may be willing to donate materials to you, or at least sell them to you at a reduced cost. It is a good idea to write a receipt for people who donate materials to you, because they may want to claim a tax deduction. Use this page as a source for ideas - you may very well know types of resources that are not listed here!
A portion of the information for this list was provided by the School Garden Wizard.

Local Hardware Stores
Get to know the local hardware store owner or the manager of the local garden center at Home Depot or similar building supply stores. They often have bags of potting soil, mulch, stone, or vermiculite that are broken and not in condition to sell. They may sell to you at half price! At the end of the season, such stores typically give away seeds and other seasonal materials that they don't want to store or that have a short shelf life.

Local Florists
A local florist can often be a supplier of plant material. They don't have time or space to nurse plants back to health and may gladly contribute them to your "garden hospital."

High Schools
Borrow materials from your local high school. Most high school science teachers will gladly let you borrow materials from them that they aren't using. Make sure to return things in a timely fashion and in good condition.

Neighborhood Residents
Don't dismiss the goodwill of the neighbors around your garden. They have a vested interest in keeping the garden in good condition because it affects the value of their property.

Librarians
Work with a school or public librarian to identify books for the library that will be useful in the development and maintenance of your garden. This might include curriculum guides and general gardening books. Because libraries are continually updating their collections, they often donate books to non-profit organizations.

Interiorscape/Plant Rental Companies
Get to know the manager of the local interiorscape company. In Chicago, one of the largest is Rentokil (a nation-wide chain). When their very large plants are no longer suitable for high price rental, they will give them away. These can make great additions to your garden.

National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources
Find out from your school business manager if your school or school district is a member of the National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources. If you are, they are often a source of wonderful free materials that can be used in the garden. Ask your school or district agent if you could look at the catalog or go along to one of the "Grab Bags."

Wholesalers
If you have applied for non-profit status, you are entitled to buy from wholesale sources. You will need a copy of your Tax ID Form and may need to set up an account with the wholesaler. "Shopping wholesale" usually lends you over 50% off retail price. What a deal! This makes your limited, precious funds go twice as far.

Nurseries
Local nurseries often allow you to buy "through them" at "cost." This allows them to help you access gardening products from wholesale suppliers that you may not be aware of and allows them to help you out without depleting their own resources. They may also donate plants to you at the end of the season.

City Service Departments
Some cities have programs in place to help community gardeners, providing resources such as land, tool rental, and utilities such as water and electricity for little or no cost. Contact a city council member to see what types of services may be available to you.

Grant Sources

A grant is financial support that is provided to individuals, groups, and organizations. Finding funding through grants may seem like an overwhelming process, but it does not have to be. Below you will find online grant sources for urban agriculture projects and school garden projects; as you look through the lists, it may be useful to look at both categories, because many grantors have broad definitions of the type of programs they will fund.

When applying for a grant, you will usually have to complete a document that is known as a grant proposal. These usually have very specific requirements that you should be careful to follow. Grant writing takes time, but it is often well worth the investment. Check out our grant writing tips, where we provide you with some grant-writing advice and links to other websites that have useful information on the grant writing process.

Grant Sources for Urban Agriculture Projects

America the Beautiful Fund
ABF provides seeds to garden projects free-of-charge; you pay only for shipping and handling.
Deadline: NA

Captain Planet Foundation
The Captain Planet Foundation is committed to supporting hands-on environmental projects for young people. The foundation provides grants from $250 to $2,500 to school and community groups.
Deadlines: March, June, Sept, Dec

Environmental Grantmakers Association
The EGA is a voluntary association of foundations and giving programs concerned with the protection of the natural environment.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Environmental Grantmaking Foundations
This is a directory of foundations that give environmental grants. Also provided is the membership directory for the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Published annually in the spring.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Each year, EPA's Environmental Education Program awards grants to state agencies, non-profit groups, schools and universities, and tribal organizations to support environmental education (EE) programs and projects.
Deadline: Nov

Fiskars®- Project Orange Thumb
Fiskars® Garden and Outdoor Living Division offers an annual grant program, Project Orange Thumb. Community garden groups can apply to receive up to $1,500 in Fiskars® garden tools and $800.00 in supplies, such as seeds and mulch. Grant recipients also receive t-shirts for garden volunteers/members.
Deadline: Ongoing

Learn and Serve America
Supports service learning projects by funding state agencies and other organizations, which then select and fund local service learning programs.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Lindbergh Grants program
Lindbergh Grants are made in the following categories: agriculture; aviation/aerospace; conservation of natural resources - including animals, plants, water, and general conservation (land, air, energy, etc.); education - including humanities/education, the arts, and intercultural communication; exploration; health - including biomedical research, health and population sciences, and adaptive technology; and waste minimization and management.
Deadline: Second Thursday of June

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Fund
Provides small grants to schools and other organizations that work towards creating outdoor education areas.
Deadline: Nov. 15

Mott Foundation
The Mott Foundation facilitates effective planning, networking, organizing, and communication among individuals and groups fighting for environmental, economic, and social justice. Lists more than 400 grant opportunities, resource and legal groups from 40 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Conservation Education Grants
Provides challenge grants to projects that promote fish and wildlife habitat conservation.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

National 4-H Council
These grants provide opportunities for young people and adults to take action on issues critical to their lives, their families, and their communities. Youth and adults work in partnership in the design of the project, the proposal writing process, the implementation, and the evaluation of funded projects. Grants are awarded to 4-H/ Extension groups and are not available to individuals.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

National Gardening Association
Each year 400 schools and youth groups are awarded tools, seeds, garden products, and educational materials. NGA also has an online tool that will allow you to search for funding opportunities in your region.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Profits for the Planet Program
Stonyfield Farm's Profits for the Planet Program (PFP) provides funding to efforts that affect positive and meaningful change and have measurable outcomes. In addition to funds, Stonyfield Farm also donates product to organizations.
Deadline: Applications accepted throughout the year

SeaWorld/Busch Gardents/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards
Schools and community groups are eligible for these grants. Previous award-winning projects have tackled a wide variety of environmental problems, including but not limited to: habitat restoration, school yard beautification, energy and waste reduction, environmental education and community outreach, wildlife protection, and natural resource conservation.
Deadline: Nov 30

Seeds of Change®
Seeds of Change® seed donation program gives organic seeds to organizations promoting learning and sustainable living through school, community and outreach-based organic gardening projects.
Deadline: NA

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
This is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture, and awards are given to projects which actively address sustainable agriculture, including urban agriculture.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Young Explorers Grant
The National Geographic Society's Young Explorers Grants for 18-25 year-olds to pursue research, exploration, and conservation-related projects consistent with National Geographic's existing grant programs. Grants vary in amount ($2,000 to $5,000) depending on the significance of the project.
Deadline: Open

Youth Venture
Youth Venture provides seed money grants of up to $1,000 for new youth-created, youth-led, sustainable ventures that benefit the community. Youth ages 12-20 who want to start a new ongoing environmental club or organization can get guidance on how to plan, organize, and launch their venture, along with funds for start-up expenses. Visit the website to get information and start the application process.
Deadline: Applications accepted throughout the year

Grant Sources for School Gardens

Build an Outdoor Classroom at Your School Grants
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper, and National Geographic Explorer! classroom magazine outdoor classroom grant program to help schools improve their science curriculum by engaging students in hands-on experiences outside the traditional classroom. Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded to at least 100 schools and grants for up to $20,000 may be awarded to schools or school districts with major outdoor classroom projects.
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round.

Cyber-Sierra's Conservation Grants Center
Find grants and funding for environmental education, conservation, ecology and natural resource projects.
Deadline: Applications accepted throughout the year.

Funding Programs (Grades Pre-K - 12)
There are funds just waiting to be found. The website will tell you how to start looking for different grants that are available.
Deadline: Applications accepted throughout the year.

Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant Program
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) lets you pick a project that meets your schools needs and gels with your parent group's mission. They've funded gardens, nature trails, and many other things in the past. Your project must be completed within one year of when the grant is received.
Deadline: Oct. 15 & Feb. 15

National Education Association
This site provides a list of grant programs.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

NOAA Office of Education
K-12 Environmental Literacy Grants. These grants are available for environmental literacy projects in support of K-12 education. Funded projects will have duration of one and five years and will promote changes in K-12 education to expand the amount of earth system science taught in the classroom and improve student learning of the subject.
Deadline: Oct

Philanthropy News Digest-K-12 Funding Opportunities
K-12 funding opportunities for teachers, learning technology, and more.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

The Rodale Institute's Kidregen.org
This program is a contest that recognizes and rewards the most outstanding organic school gardens. It is not a grant to create a new garden.
Deadline: Oct 31

School Grants
This website has links to an amazing number of organizations offering grants to educational and youth programs.
Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Safe and Healthy School Award
The KnowledgeWorks Foundation Richard Riley Award recognizes schools that provide a safe and healthy learning environment while also serving as community centers. Several key factors in selection are 1) how the design contributes to improving teaching and learning and academic achievement, 2) how the community participated in the facility design, 3) application of smart growth and sustainability principles in the facility design, and 4) creative financing of the facility.
Deadline: July 9, 2007

Target
Target offers funding for taking field trips. In studies of urban gardening, this could include visits to local farmers' markets, grocery stores, resellers, farmers, etc.
Deadline: Nov 1

Toshiba America
The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics, grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms.
Deadline: Varies; check website

Toyota TAPESTRY
These grants are for science teachers. Toyota TAPESTRY grant proposals should demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, possess a visionary quality, and model a novel way of presenting science. Proposed projects should promote exciting and innovative activities to motivate students in science.
Deadline: Jan

US Department of Education
Grant and contract information from U.S. DOE, including departmental guidelines, regulations, and Federal Register grant related documents.
Application Deadline: Various Ongoing Grants Available

Grant Writing Tips

Grant writing can be an intimidating and time consuming process, but a few basic approaches will help you keep the process under control. For some additional advice, check out our listing of online resources for grant writing advice.

Know what you need
Having a good idea of your general resource and material needs will help you make your case.
Plan ahead
Most grant applications are due many months before funding will be distributed. Plan ahead to make sure you will have funds when you most need them. Grant writing is also a time consuming process, so start working on it well before deadline dates.
Know yourself
Your gardening group should have a clear focus and mission plan when applying for a grant, as well as a series of measurable goals.
Research funding options thoroughly
Our list of grant resources will help get you started, but conduct additional research by asking advice from other people who have gone through the grant writing process.
Research the grant writing process
Check our list of online resources for examples of successful grants, grant writing courses, and more.
Get Local
Many communities have local community foundations that work with groups to match them up with local donors or foundations. These foundations may not advertise in other places, but may be the best bet for funding your project. To find a local community foundation, do an internet search for the name of your city or region and "community foundation."
Pay attention to the details
Many grants include a confusing list of requirements, and it is easy to overlook the details. Have members of your gardening group review the entire application packet well before the deadline to make sure you have everything.
Solicit support
Perhaps a neighbor is always thanking you for the beauty of your garden or a local business has expressed great interest in supporting your project; ask your fans to write thoughtful, detailed letters of support. While some foundations do not require letters of support, they will always make your application stronger.
Improve your chances
Don't just apply for one grant - it is beneficial to apply to several at once.
Proofread, reread and edit
Have plenty of eyes review your application before you send it off. If you can find someone experienced with grant writing, even better.
Try again
Don't get discouraged. Even if your proposal is not accepted by one foundation, another might happily accept it, or the same foundation might accept it in another funding round. If your proposal is rejected, ask the foundation why; their comments will help you make your next proposal stronger.

Online Resources for Grant Writing Advice:

The Foundation Center
Provides a short online course on grant writing techniques. Information is provided in French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Fundsnet Services
This site has links to several helpful grant-writing resources.

Minnesota Council
Offers a free online tutorial to writing a successful grant proposal.

School Grants
A great series of tips for grant writing; particularly useful for school garden projects.

SEIRTEC
Basic guide of the grant writing process.

Tech Forum
This site provides a wealth of links, examples of successful grants, and tips for grant writing.

Youth Action Net
Offers resources to help identify donors, write grant proposals, and plan fundraising events.