Grant Opportunities for School and Youth Garden Programs
We know finding the financial resources to plant and maintain a youth garden is one of the biggest obstacles educators and volunteers face, so in addition to providing our own grant programs, here is a list of some additional grant opportunities that support youth garden programs. (Please note, we are not directly affiliated with any of these grant programs, so please visit their websites for full details and application instructions.)
Also, join the Kids Garden Community to explore a library of funding opportunities, including opportunities by region, and discuss fundraising strategies with a community of program leaders.
KidsGardening Grants
Youth Garden Grant - Any nonprofit organization, public or private school, or youth program in the United States or US Territories planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18 is eligible to apply.
Budding Botanist - Open to Title 1 public and private schools in the US, the Budding Botanist grant will help our youngest citizens learn about plants, explore their world and inspire them to take care of the life they discover in their local ecosystems.
Gro More Good Grassroots Grant - The Gro More Good 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. Grants will be awarded to schools and non-profit groups across the country for impactful, youth-focused garden projects.
Little Seeds Pollinator Pals Grant - Any nonprofit, school, or youth program that serves at least 15 kids ages 2-14, and is building or expanding a pollinator garden or habitat to teach about the importance of pollinators.
Other Grants
American Heart Association Teaching Gardens - The American Heart Association works with schools to find local sponsors to help fund the installation of raised bed gardens in schools.
Annie’s Garden Funder™ on CrowdRise - Annie’s Garden Funder is a tool to help schools set up a fundraiser through CrowdRise to fund school garden programs.
Annie’s Grants for Gardens - Annie’s Grants support new and existing school garden programs.
The Bee Cause Grant - This grant provides honey bee observation hives to schools and receives requests on a rolling basis.
Big Green - Big Green offers funding for low-income schools to install Learning Gardens in targeted locations. A list of school districts eligible to apply can be found on their website.
Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program - Bonnie’s provides free mega-cabbage plants to 3rd grade teachers who want to participate. Students grow the cabbages and submit pictures and measurements of their harvest to be considered for a $1,000 scholarship.
Captain Planet Foundation, Project Learning Garden - Offering many different types of environmental education grants, Captain Planet supports garden programs through Project Learning Garden grants that provide garden supplies and a mobile cooking cart.
The Donald Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grant - The Herb Society of America offers grants to elementary schools to support the planting of an outdoor herb garden.
Fiskars Project Orange Thumb Grants - Project Orange Thumb provides grants to school and community gardens.
Greenworks Grants - Project Learning Tree offers annual GreenWorks! grants up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world. To be eligible, applicants must have attended a PLT workshop, either in-person or online, that provides training, lesson plans, and other resources to help integrate these projects and environmental education into your curriculum or youth programs.
National Head Start Association Gro More Garden Grants- The National Head Start Association with support from The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation provides grants to Head Start organizations aiming to increase both students' and their families' appreciation and understanding for healthy foods and nutrition through garden programs.
KaBOOM! Playground Grants - KaBOOM! offers grants and consulting assistance to improve play areas at schools. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and filled as opportunities arise.
Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools - Through this program, schools can apply to receive a salad bar in their cafeteria. Applications are received year round and filled as funds become available.
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants - Offering a spring and fall grant cycle, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants funds a wide range of projects for schools, including support for gardening programs.
National Wildlife Federation Trees for Wildlife - NWF offers free native trees for restoration projects and community events planned in coordination with local NWF partners.
Nature Works Everywhere - The Nature Conservancy offers grants to schools for projects that involve students in developing a nature-based, green infrastructure solution to an environmental challenge in their community including school gardens.
Seed Money - A Maine-based 501c3 nonprofit that is helping public food gardens to start and thrive by offering them grants, access to crowdfunding and technical assistance with garden planning.
Seeds of Change® Grant Program - An annual grant program awarding school and community gardens focused on sustainability and health education.
Shade Structure Grant Program - From the American Academy of Dermatology, the Shade Structure Grant provides funding to install permanent shade structures for youth programs. Applicants must collaborate with a local dermatologist and implement a sun safety program.
Sponsor-a-Hive Award - The Sponsor-A-Hive program offered by The Honeybee Conservancy provides bees and equipment to help people safely set up, maintain, and observe on-site bee sanctuaries at schools, community gardens, and green spaces across the United States. Award winners will also receive a Teacher's Kit to help with program implementation.
Tractor Supply Company Grants for Growing - Available for FFA Chapters, this grant offers funding to schools for starting and expanding agricultural projects.
Wild Ones Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant - Wild Ones offers funding and plants to schools for development of learning spaces featuring native plants and focused on environmental education.
Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grants - In partnership with FoodCorp, Whole Kids Foundation offers a number of garden grant to support new or existing edible garden programs including a School Garden Grant, Extended Learning Garden Grant (for gardens not on school grounds), Honey Bee Grant, School Salad Bar Grant, Healthy Kids Innovation Grant, and Canadian Farm to School Grant.