Grant Funding for School Gardens

Do school gardens finance their projects with grant funding? How do you know what grants to apply for and how do you write one? Where can you get more information?

On a national level a 2024 survey conducted by the Grantmakers Community of Practice, found that although the youth garden movement has grown steadily over the past decade as more educators, caregivers, and families become excited about garden-based learning opportunities, one of the greatest challenges facing youth garden programs is limited funding. With more than $11 million awarded to you­th gardens in the form of about 1,500 grants in 2024 (helping more than 670,000 youth engage in a garden space), the total funding falls far short of meeting the national demand. With more than 70 million children in the U.S., the need for garden-based learning opportunities continues to outpace available resources.

Dollar-wise, grants for youth gardens aren’t huge; the survey found that the median size of grants for youth gardens is just $3,000. Yet this amount of funding has an outsized impact. On average, one youth garden impacts the lives of approximately 100 children annually or an investment of just $30 per child. Grants were supported by a diverse mix of funding sources, including foundations, corporations, and federal, state and local government agencies. Some grantmakers leveraged creative strategies such as allocating proceeds from state specialty license plates or using revenue from consulting work.

The MSGN 2023 Network Survey, found approximately:

• 25% of school gardens cite lack of financial stability as one of their top ten concerns
• 66% of school gardens receive some funding from grant sources
• 56% of school garden coordinators are paid (up from 32% in 2019)

MSGN will continue to address ways to support paid positions for school gardens and educate school garden coordinators about how to finance their school gardens through offering School Garden Caretaker Grants, amplifying grant opportunities through our Grant of the Month newsletter feature and ready made fundraisers like the 2026 School Garden of the Month Calendar.

To date, MSGN has offered:

• A resource page called Financing Your School Garden on our website
• Grant of the Month newsletter articles (which are then posted on the website)
• workshops such as Funding A School Garden Project at Maine School Garden Day 2025
• shared relevant posts on our Facebook page of grant and donation opportunities
• School Garden Caretakers grant application open now!
• 2026 School Garden of the Month Calendar fundraiser available for all school gardens to sell to raise funds for their school garden projects now!
• Initiated an Educator Advisory Group that meets quarterly for feedback and expertise

Although obtaining grants is only one aspect of raising funds for your school garden, there are grants that are designed with school gardens that you should be submitting an application for to help fund your projects! Check out the information below to make a plan for your project and then submit grant applications to fund your project. Before you know it, you will be on your way to realizing your dreams for financing your school garden projects (and yourself)!

Check out these grants specifically for school gardens:

MSGN School Garden Caretakers Grant 2025

• Pays 5 school garden coordinators $2,000 each
• Deadline August 30, 2026

MAITC School Garden & Greenhouse Grant 2025

• Grants available for up to $2,000
• Deadline September 12, 2025

KidsGardening Grant Opportunities

A variety of grants offered on an annual basis to youth garden programs.

• Lots of Compassion Grant
• GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant
• Youth Garden Grant
• Waterwise Garden Grant

Want to know more?!

• Grant Writing Resources and Tips
• How to Fund School Garden Projects
• Check out our Financing Your School Garden Resource page
• Attend one of our Events and Programs to take advantage of funding workshops and network with other school garden coordinators to see how they are funding their garden