2019 Gro More Grassroots Grant
GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE:
February 15, 2019
this grant is now closed
PROGRAM QUICK LINKS
Grant Writing Tips
ABOUT THE SPONSOR:
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is committed to bringing the life enhancing benefits of gardens and greenspaces to more people and more communities, especially those that need them most. Working with a wide range of innovative partners, including KidsGardening, they are ensuring that today’s generations, and the ones that come after, will experience a world made better through gardens and greenspaces.
NEED INSPIRATION?
Watch these #GardenStories videos, featuring kids who are making a difference in the garden.
2019 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening congratulate the 175 school and nonprofit organizations across the United States who were awarded the 2019 Gro More Good Grassroots Grants to create new or enhance their existing youth garden programs. The Grassroots Grants are part of Scotts Miracle-Gro’s larger Gro More Good initiative, which aims to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and greenspaces to 10 million children over the next five years.
Find a complete list of winners on our 2019 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant winner page.
The 2019 GroMore Grassroots Grant presented by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. Awards provide funding for the development of new and expansion of existing youth garden programs and greenspaces. Winners will be selected based on their commitment to the maintenance and sustainability of their garden program including plans for growth and future fiscal stability.
In 2019, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation will award 175 grants worth a collective total of $100,000. 150 grant recipients will be awarded a check for $500 to support their initiatives. The top 25 programs will be receive a check for $1,000.
The GroMore Grassroots Grant is open to all nonprofit and tax exempt organizations (including schools) in the United States and US Territories planning to use the funds to install new or expand existing youth focused gardens or greenspaces. Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 15, 2019 at 11:59 PST. (This grant is now closed.)
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY
The 2019 Grassroots Grant is open to all nonprofit organizations in the United States planning to use the funds to install new or expand existing gardens or greenspaces. Organizations must have obtained their 501(c)(3) status or qualify as tax-exempt within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Service code. Examples of tax exempt organizations that may not have a 501(C)(3) status include, school districts, universities and government entities. If you fall into this second category, please provide your EIN number on the application.
If your organization has not achieved 501(c)(3) or tax exempt status, you may apply for a GroMore Grassroots Grant by partnering with a fiscal sponsor who has achieved this status.
GRANT PACKAGES
In 2019, a total of 175 programs will be awarded. 150 organizations will receive a check for $500. The top 25 winners will be awarded a check for $1,000.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
The online grant application will be available starting on Wednesday, January 2, 2019.
Due Date: Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 15, 2019 at 11:59 PST
Please read through the entire application before you begin. This will help you avoid duplicating information and allow you to make the best use of the available space. Click here to download a pdf of the grant applications before you begin. We strongly advise saving the questions into a Word document and copying and pasting your answers into the application.
The application is completed through an online survey system. Click here to begin the application. (The application is now closed.)
Please note you may go back in and edit your document by clicking the “save and resume later” button; however once you select “submit” you will not be able to edit or access your application. Also note, applications that are started but not submitted will not be considered for the grant. After submitting your application, you will be sent to a confirmation page letting you know that your application was successfully submitted. From this page you may also print a copy of your answers.
NOTIFICATION AND AWARD FULFILLMENT
Winners will be notified via email by March 20, 2019. A list of winners will also be posted on KidsGardening.org on that date. Awards will be distributed in April 2019.
REPORTING REQUIREMENT
Grant awardees are required to report on their program’s progress by April 1, 2020. Winners will be provided with a link to an online survey form to complete. If you do not feel that you will be able to comply with these reporting requirements, please do not apply.
Reporting requirements include:
- 5-10 digital images of the garden or green space
- Parental release forms to accompany images of children
- Completion of an online survey
- An narrative about the impact of the garden program
GRANT APPLICATION TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Click here for more information
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Are we required to provide documentation of our 501(c)(3) status?
A: Yes. During the application process, you will be required to upload three verification documents––your organization’s W9 form, IRS determination letter, and either your organization’s formation document or charter. You must provide these documents in order to apply for a grant, and the organization name on all your documents must match exactly unless documentation is otherwise provided to explain a discrepancy. If you are a school group that has not achieved 501(c)3 status, please upload your district’s W9 form and a letter on school district letterhead, signed by a school district official, stating that the school in question falls under the jurisdiction of the school district, a governmental entity. You may upload this letter twice, as verification document B and C.
Example letter:
Dear Sir/Madam:
Please accept this letter as confirmation that [name of school] located at [address of school] falls under the jurisdiction of [Name of School District]. [Name of School District] is a governmental entity.
Regards,
[School District Official]
Q: Our organization has received a Grassroots Grant previously. Can we apply again?
A: Yes. Although this grant program is a continuation of the Gro1000 Grassroots Grant Program and the Scotts Miracle-Gro’s mission to support gardens throughout the country, previous recipients are eligible to apply.
Q: Are there specific guidelines on how the grant funds should be used?
A: Grant funds should be used only for the designated purpose as described in the grant application and subsequent grant notification letter, and not for any other purpose without prior written approval.
