Eligibility Criteria:
(This criteria below applies to both the Garden Improvement Grant & the Garden Forward Grant)
Existing community gardens located in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties.
Eligible community gardens will be one of the following:
Community garden operated by a group of neighbors or community members (*see info below on fiscal sponsors*)
Community garden registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization or operated by a tax-exempt nonprofit organization
Community garden affiliated with or operated by a public agency or institution
Community gardens must actively involve at least 5 consistent individual households in the operation of the garden
Previous garden grant recipients are eligible to apply
Garden grants can include materials such as lumber for gardening beds, tools, storage, compost and soil, seeds, compost bins, signage, water catchment systems, irrigation systems, etc.
How can a Garden Improvement Grant and Garden Forward Grant be used by a garden?
Both categories of grant support are intended to support garden infrastructure improvement projects, garden supplies, or garden materials.
What is an ‘Existing’ Community Garden? Existing Community Gardens meet at least two of the following:
Has built or installed onsite community garden infrastructure (examples include: garden beds, garden signage, compost infrastructure, water catchment/irrigation, storage shed)
Has a current, documented agreement in place to operate a community garden at the garden’s location
Has actively engaged their surrounding community to plan, participate in, and operate a community garden and has at least 5 individual household members committed to participate in the garden
Areas Not Funded:
Community gardens outside of Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties
School gardens
Grant funds for these opportunities are NOT for programmatic related expenses, salaries, stipends, or expenses not related to growing food. Grant funds can be used to pay a contractor for project related construction or implementation. Additional funding is available to pay a contractor for project related construction or implementation through our Labor Support Program. This is a separate application that can be found here.
For the Garden Forward Grant:
A requirement of receiving the Garden Forward Grant is that the recipient will be required to hold a workshop during 2025 on a topic of their choosing to present to other metro Atlanta community gardeners. The recipient garden will organize and host the workshop as a way of engaging other community gardens and presenting helpful information that they feel their garden is equipped to offer others.
Important Note About Fiscal Sponsors:
For gardens that are not officially registered as their own organization or operated by a registered organization (such as a garden run solely by neighbors or community members), you will need to identify a Fiscal Sponsor in your Community Garden Grant application. A fiscal sponsor is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization or a public institution that will receive the community garden grant funds on your garden’s behalf. A fiscal sponsor for your garden could be a nonprofit organization that you partner with in your community or a church or public institution that supports your garden. In the online grant application, there is a Fiscal Sponsor Agreement form that you will need to complete with your fiscal sponsor and submit with your application. Please email Kalia Henry, Grants & Resources Manager, if you have any questions about fiscal sponsors at kalia@foodwellalliance.org
Important Note About Registering in the Online Grant System with a Tax ID Number:
To register and get an application started, the online grant system requires you to enter a Tax ID Number when you register. If your garden does not have a Tax ID Number, that is ok! Simply enter: 00-0000000 for your Tax ID number on the registration page and get started on your application.
Important Note About Submitting Applications:
Applications are to be submitted through our online grant management system. To learn more about our online system, please click here for a tutorial.
Want to learn more about the 2025 Community Garden Grants?
Watch the recording of the Q&A Webinar. Grants & Resources Manager Kalia Henry covered all the details you need to know before applying.
