Grants and Fundraising

Grant Searches

San Diego Master Gardeners Association's School Garden Grant List
A list of grants for school gardens arranged by application due dates.

KidsGardening.com Grant Listings
Visit Kids Garden News Online Newsletter to read about free classroom resources and funding opportunities. View their current and past e-newletters to find many grant offerings.

Grant Wrangler Funding Directory
Grant Wrangler is a free grants listing service that makes it easy for teachers to find funding. Search for grants by keywords or subscribe to their monthly e-newsletter.

Healthy Youth Funding Database
The Healthy Youth Funding Database (HY-FUND) contains active information about funding opportunities for adolescent and school health programs. These funding opportunities are from federal agencies and the private sector.

Grants

The Healthy Sprouts Awards
Gardener's Supply Company supports school and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and the issue of hunger in the United States. To be eligible for the 2008 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organizationmust plan to garden in 2009 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. This year we will present awards to 20 schools or organizations.

Seeds for Education Grant Program Invites Applications
Wild Ones is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the use of natural landscaping with native plant species as an ecologically better alternative to traditional landscaping practices. Schools, nature centers, and other nonprofit and not-for-profit places of learning (including houses of worship) with a site available for this stewardship project may apply for an SFE grant. Cash awards range from $100 to $500 each. Complete grant program information as well as resources on natural landscaping are available at the Wild Ones Web site.

2009 Youth Garden Grants
The National Gardening Association is happy to announce that The Home Depot has returned to sponsor the Youth Garden Grants for 2009. For this cycle, NGA will award125 grants.

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Fund
Small grants to schools and other educational organizations committed to creating natural landscapes using native plants.

California Assembly Bill 1535, Nunez
California Instructional School Garden Program
Pupil nutrition will provide $15,000,000 to support school gardens. more information
Update: We regret to inform you that one of the budget cuts made to education is the elimination of a variety of unallocated grant funds, including the remaining $4.2 million dollars of the $15 million for the CISG Program grant. Due to this budget cut, the Nutrition Services Division will not be posting a Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2008 CISG Program grants during March 2008 as originally intended.

Mantis Awards
Mantis sponsors this award program in support of charitable and educational garden programs that enhance the quality of life in their host communities. NGA will select 25 gardens to receive a Mantis Tiller/Cultivator. We welcome applications from all nonprofits; past winners include community gardens, schools, ministries, colleges, master gardening groups, and hospices. Learn more here

Western Growers Foundation
Each school awarded will receive up to $1500, a drip-tape irrigation system, seeds, books and educational resources for teachers

California Fertilizer Foundation
Teachers interested in starting or expanding a school garden are invited to apply for one of 24 CFF School Garden Grants of $1,000 plus educational materials.

Lowes Outdoor Classroom Grants Program
Awards grants up to $2,000 to at least 100 schools. In some cases, grants for up to $20,000 may be awarded to schools or school districts with major outdoor classroom projects.

Fiskars' Project Orange Thumb Community Garden Grants
Supports community garden groups in the U.S. with tools and materials.Grant recipients will receive grants of up to $1,500 in Fiskars Garden Tools (retail value), and up to $800 in gardening-related materials such as plants, seeds, mulch, etc. orangethumb@fiskars.com or call 608.643.2380 ext. 2237

UC Hansen Trust
Award school gardens in Ventura County $23,000-$30,000 each year through Mini Grant Program and fund ag literacy projects to the sum of $80,000 each year. Past recipients include Farm-To-School supporters such as CAFF and Ojai Food for Thought.

Orchard Supply Hardware
Provides grants up to $1,000 for the creation of school gardens.

California ReLeaf Grant
Incorporated nonprofit organizations and unincorporated community based groups in California are invited to apply for this grant of $1,000 to $7,500 to purchase, plant and then maintain trees on public land.

California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers
Cal Poly Endowment
Funds proposals that promote and advance the green industry in Californiathrough projects and partnerships based on research, education and public relations.

America the Beautiful Fund
Grants of 100 to 1,000 seed packets are offered on the basis of availability and relative need. America the Beautiful Fund also offers The Green Earth Guide containing illustrated gardening instructions and ideas on involving the whole community in your project.  For nutritional information, harvesting, storage and eating tips they offer Gardening for Optimal Nutrition. With an annual membership contribution you will also have access to technical assistance via their toll free member hotline, newsletter and announcements of special events and grants.

National Science Teachers Award Programs
Award 50 grants up to $10,000 for innovative science projects and additional grants are given for teaching performance and plans in the field of science. 

Environmental Protection Agency
EPA awards grants each year based on funding appropriated by Congress. Annual funding for the program ranges between $2 and $3 million. More than 75 percent of the grants awarded by this program receive less than $15,000.

The Rodale Institute's Kidsregen.org® Organic School Garden Awards

Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Kids Cabbage Program
3rd grade classes can request "oversized" cabbage plants as part of the cabbage program. Participating students have the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship.

US Potato Board
Ten grants of $2,500 each will be awarded to public elementary schools in the United States for equipment and/or educational programs that help move children toward healthier diets and improve their overall wellness. The grant program allows schools to allocate funds toward the improvement of either the nutrition or physical activity of students or both, depending on what their students need the most. School administrators, food service staff, teachers, and parents are invited to submit an application for the grant program on behalf of their elementary school. Visit website for further information and a grant application form.

Leaf It To Us
The Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute This program is intended to accomplish the proper selection and planting of large-crowning, environmentally tolerant, high-quality trees in appropriate places on school grounds. These funds target Kindergarten through 12th grade school programs.

Captain Planet Foundation
The Captain Planet Foundation awards grants of up to $2,500 to hands on projects that promote understanding of environmental issues in youth.

Fundraisers

Koru Fundraising
Koru Fundraising offers a catalog of responsibly produced, environmentally friendly products manufactured primarily in North America, as well as a stainless steel branded water bottle program. For more information, click here  or contact Lisa Ludwigsen. 

Botanical Interests Fundraising Sell seeds to raise funds for your school. Over 500 varieties are available to sell with no order forms, no catalogues, never handle the product and recieve 40% of the selling price. Click here for more information.

Dutch Gardens Fundraising with Flower Bulbs Sell bulbs and keep 50% of sales.

School Garden Co.
Sell herbal products and earn 50% of each product.

Farm Raisers
Farm-raisers are an alternative fundraising method that brings healthy, farm-fresh foods to schools, raises funds for school programs, and supports local family farms. Farm-raisers raise school funds through the sale of fresh, local and healthy foods.

Fruit Sales
Sell fresh fruit for your next school or garden club fundraiser!

Surf City Growers
Surf City Growers in Aptos, CA is offering its My First Organics seed starting kits to schools and youth groups as a profitable -- yet healthy and eco-conscious -- fundraising alternative to traditional candy, cookies and gift wrap drives. Educational in nature, the kits aim to curb childhood obesity and environment waste. Priced at $14.99, schools and youth groups can earn up to $5 profit per kit sold by conducting a traditional or Internet fundraiser.

SafeSpray
The product line and fundraising program has been promoting watershed conservation, pollution prevention, and poison prevention through natural cleaning and gardening solutions. Click here to read recent press release.

Healthy Fundraising Ideas
Check out these fundraising tips for your child's classroom.

Celebrating Our Local Harvest 2010 fundraising calendar
Bring tools for healthy seasonal eating into the kitchens of your communities. The calender features beautiful photography, with easy-to-follow and delicious recipes (translated into Spanish and Chinese). The calendar is attractive to school supporters, and a great gift item for family, friends and co-workers.
For more information, click here then click on ‘School Fundraising Calendar’ page.

Contests

Imagine This... story writing contest
Meet Academic Content Standards for California schools through this creative writing contest! Create a positive learning experience that promotes reading, writing and the arts, and furthers the understanding of agriculture in our lives by using this award-winning contest in your classroom.
For more information, visit the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Or view the brochure here, please be patient as it may take a minute to load.