Plant it Forward Grant

KidsGardening and Niagara Cares are teaming up to Plant it Forward! This grant program will create transformational youth garden spaces across the country.

Plant it Forward!

KidsGardening and Niagara Cares are partnering to Plant it Forward, a grant program dedicated to creating and expanding youth garden spaces in communities across the country.

Youth gardens provide hands-on opportunities for children to connect with nature, grow food, explore science, build healthy habits, and develop important life skills. These living classrooms foster curiosity, teamwork, environmental stewardship, and a sense of belonging while transforming underused spaces into vibrant community assets.

With a special focus on increasing access to fresh, healthy food, Plant it Forward supports garden projects that help address food insecurity while creating meaningful learning and community building opportunities for youth.

Together, we're helping more kids experience the many benefits of gardening and creating greener, healthier communities for the future.

Grantees will receive a customized garden design tailored to their site, educational resources, a $10,000 grant award to use toward garden materials, and hands-on support from Niagara employee volunteers.

Through this partnership, communities will gain not only a new or expanded garden space, but also lasting resources, local connections, and opportunities for youth to learn, grow, and thrive.

Apply by June 26, 2026.

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Eligibility

Any tax-exempt organization, such as a school, non-profit, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Head Start, child care program, library, etc., located in the following cities is eligible:

Diamond Bar, CA
Ontario, CA
Phoenix/Mesa, AZ
Rialto, CA
Gahanna/Columbus, OH

Both new garden spaces and existing gardens are eligible for this opportunity.

Award Package

The garden award package includes:

Custom garden design, material plans, and planting plans
A curated collection of garden-based education resources
A $10,000 award check to purchase garden materials
Support from a group of 10 - 30 volunteers in the fall of 2026 for four hours at an initial garden volunteer event
Day-of-event coordination
A year of support, guidance, and educational resources from KidsGardening

Funding Priorities

The grantee selection is prioritized based on demonstrated need and program impact. KidsGardening considers a variety of factors when determining needs, including:

Socioeconomic & Sociodemographic Factors: How does the program exist within or engage a community that has been systematically denied resources, whether physical assets and money or representative leadership and community services. Organizations affected by multiple socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors are given priority.

Program Funding and Support: Does an organization have access to consistent, substantial monetary support or prior funding? Or are pre-existing resources (financial or otherwise) limited? Organizations experiencing the latter are given priority.

Impact: Will funding dramatically expand learning opportunities for program participants? Does the intended impact reflect the needs of the community? Organizations working with greater than 50 youth will be given priority.

How to apply

The deadline for application submission is Friday, June 26, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT.

All applications must be submitted online. You can download a copy of the questions as a Word document or PDF file. (See links below.) We strongly advise saving the questions and then pasting the answers into the online application rather than composing your answers directly into the online form. Many browsers time out after 30 minutes of inactivity (or sometimes sooner), so you may lose your work if it takes longer than your browser's setting to complete or save your entry.

Plant it Forward Grant Application Word Document
Plant it Forward Grant Application PDF

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Award Notification and Fulfillment

Grantees will be announced and contacted by email in July.

Grantee Requirements

Kickoff Call: To celebrate being selected as the grantee, there will be a kickoff call in July with the grantee team, KidsGardening, and Niagara Bottling representatives.

Garden Design: The grantee is required to attend biweekly meetings, which will start in July. KidsGardening will conduct a virtual site assessment and create custom garden design plans with direction and feedback from the grantee.

Event Planning: The grantee is required to attend biweekly meetings, which will start in August. Event logistics such as volunteer outreach, project descriptions, tool needs, and refreshments are a few of the topics for the event planning meetings.

Material Ordering: The grantee is responsible for purchasing garden supplies and materials before the event date. Award checks will be mailed to the grantee in July. KidsGardening will provide recommendations and support in the ordering process.

Event: The garden event will occur in the fall of 2026. A weekday morning is the preferred time for the event. Timing will be determined in collaboration with the selected grantee.

Employee volunteers from Niagara Bottling will attend the event to assist the grantee in creating the garden space. The grantee is welcome to invite local volunteers to the event, too, but this is not required. All event attendees will be required to complete a photo and liability waiver. Event food and water will be provided by Niagara Bottling.

Grant-End Report: Lastly, the grantee is required to complete a grant-end report by June 15, 2027. These reports help KidsGardening and Niagara Cares determine the overall impact of the Plant it Forward Grant. The grantee will receive a link via email to the brief 10-question online form in May 2027. Grant-end reporting requirements include:

Digital images of the garden program
Video of the garden program
Release forms to accompany pictures of youth and adults
A short narrative about the impact of the garden program

If you do not feel you are able to comply with these reporting requirements, please do not apply.

Technical Support

If you have any questions, please contact KidsGardening Grant Program Director Sarah Lane at [email protected].

About KidsGardening

For more than 40 years, KidsGardening has used its experience as garden designers and educators to install high-impact, fun, and sustainable youth gardens across the country. We have built gardens for youth of all ages, from preschool to high school.
Check out our map of grantees and a handful of our featured garden projects to learn more.

About the Sponsor

As a family owned and operated company since 1963, Niagara Bottling believes in building meaningful connections and serving our communities. Behind every bottle is a promise-to show up in ways that matter.

Through Niagara Cares, our philanthropic division, we are committed to building healthier, vibrant and more resilient communities. We are restoring and repairing critical ecosystems, creating a more circular economy and supporting people during times of need.

Our mission goes beyond giving back–we work to build community partnerships, inspire action and contribute to a brighter future we can all share.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a quality Plant it Forward Grant application?

We encourage you to explore our Grant Application Support page for advice on how to craft a standout grant application.

What are my chances of receiving a Plant it Forward Grant?

This is a new grant opportunity and we do not have historical data to predict application numbers.

My program has previously been awarded a grant from KidsGardening, am I eligible to apply for and receive a Plant it Forward Grant?

Yes, organizations that have previously been awarded other grants from KidsGardening are welcome to apply and are eligible to be selected.

Are we required to provide documentation of our tax-exempt status?

Yes. You must upload verification documents of your tax-exempt status during the application process.

501(c)(3) organizations - Submit your IRS Determination Letter. EIN letters and W-9s are not accepted.
Schools - Submit a letter on school district letterhead, signed by a school district official, stating that the school in question falls under the school district's jurisdiction. W-9s are not accepted.
For other tax-exempt organizations, such as universities and religious organizations - Provide a letter on official letterhead stating that you are designated as an automatically tax-exempt organization and thus exempt from needing a 501(c)(3) documentation to claim nonprofit status with the US government. You may also submit an IRS Determination Letter. W-9s are not accepted.
Fiscal Sponsorship - Submit your sponsor's IRS Determination Letter and a signed contract detailing the fiscal sponsorship relationship between your organizations. EIN letters and W-9s are not accepted.

How do I know if I’ve successfully submitted my application?

You will receive a confirmation email from JotForm following the submission of your application. Occasionally these emails end up flagged as Spam, so we recommend checking your Spam box.

What if I have started my application but still need to finish it? Will it be reviewed?

No, applications that are started but not submitted will not be considered for the award.

What if I need to update my submitted application?

To edit your submission, click the “Edit Submission” link at the top of the confirmation email sent from [email protected]. If you can not find the confirmation email, please complete a new application. We will only review the last application submitted by an organization.

What if I submit more than one application for the same organization?

The last application submitted will be evaluated.

What can we use the $10,000 in funding on?

You may spend the grant funds on labor, machinery, raised bed materials, soil, plants, seeds, compost materials, tools, fencing, greenhouse or hydro/aquaponic materials, curriculum, watering supplies, observation tools, garden decor, cooking supplies, personnel stipends/salaries, and programming. This is not an exhaustive list but merely an example of how the funds can be used.

A maximum of 10% of the total budget can be used to cover indirect costs or administrative fees.

How do you select grantees?

We have a team of grant readers that evaluates applications and supporting materials. A single application goes through multiple rounds of evaluation before being selected as a grantee/non-grantee.

I didn't receive an email in July. Does this mean my organization wasn’t awarded a grant?

You will receive an email from [email protected] in July. Emails will be sent to grantees and those not selected.