There are many grants available to non-profit gardens that may be applicable to your wants and needs as a public garden. Many have restrictions, so please make sure you are eligible before applying. Have a grant or other funding opportunity to add to the list? Let us know at info@publicgardens.org
Urban Agriculture Resilience Program
The United States Botanic Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden’s Windy City Harvest, and the American Public Gardens Association are accepting applications for Urban Agriculture Resilience Program Capstone Cohort awards to support public gardens in facilitating collaborative urban agriculture, community gardening, and other food-growing programs.
The Cohort will comprise a small group of established urban agriculture projects seeking to sustain and institutionalize their work. Eligible projects may be previous awardees or established urban agriculture projects new to the Urban Agriculture Resilience Program. Awardees will receive mentoring and technical support from Chicago Botanic Garden’s Windy City Harvest to help build the sustainability of their programs.
Applications are due no later than 8:00 p.m. EDT/ 5:00 p.m. PDT November 1, 2022 using the online application.
Amounts Awarded: $50,000
Geographic Restrictions: United States
The AAD Shade Structure Grant Program awards grants of up to $8,000 to public schools and non-profit organizations for installing permanent shade structures for outdoor locations that are not protected from the sun. In addition to the grant, the AAD also provides a permanent sign for display near the shade structure.
Amounts Awarded: up to $8,000.00
Annie’s Grants for Gardens
Annie’s offers Grants for Gardens donations to schools and other educational programs that help build school gardens. Since 2008, they’ve directly funded more than 295 gardens, because they believe that gardens help connect kids to real food. Grants are issued annually.
Amounts Awarded: $5,000.00 to $2,500.00
California Department of Pesticide Regulation Alliance Grants Program
DPR’s Pest Management Alliance Grant Program, established in 1997, provides funding for projects that increase implementation and adoption of proven, effective integrated pest management (IPM) practices that reduce pesticide risks to human health and the environment.
Amounts Awarded: Unknown
Geographic Restrictions: California Only
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Education Grants
Several applicable EPA grants are offered in the area of Environmental Education.
Amounts Awarded: variable
Herb Society of America Grants for Educators
The Herb Society of America's mission is to promote the knowledge, use and delight of herbs through educational programs, research, and sharing the experience of its members with the community. The grant rewards innovative projects that enhance herbal education in school systems, in communities, or in any public forum (electronic or person-to-person).
Amounts Awarded: Up to $5,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: United States only
Institute of Museum and Library Studies Grants
Several applicable grants are offered through the Institute of Museum and Library Studies. In the FY20 budget passed on December 30, 2019, an additional $3M was allocated for the Museums Empowered and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums. Learn more here.
Amounts Awarded: variable
Museums Assessment Program
MAP offers five different museum assessments: Organizational, Collections Stewardship, Community & Audience Engagement, Education & Interpretation (New!) and Board Leadership (New!). They have a questionnaire online to help you decide which consultative MAP assessment is a good match for your institution. Download this short quiz and then apply online.
Amounts Awarded: valued at $4-6,000
National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants
Several applicable NSF grants are offered.
Amounts Awarded: variable
National Trust Preservation Funds
Grants from the National Trust Preservation Funds encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects. For more information about this program, or to learn how to apply, follow the link and read their guidelines and eligibility page.
Amounts Awarded: variable
The Stanley Smith Horticulture Trust
The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust funds projects that seek to further ornamental horticulture via research and/or education at qualified botanical gardens and other horticultural entities.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021 the Trust will also consider requests for general operating support from organizations whose activities normally are well-aligned with the Trust’s interests.
Per the Trust’s usual guidelines, the maximum grant amount awarded is $25,000, however grants normally do not exceed $20,000.
Please see the website for additional information about the Trust, its funding interests, qualifications for applicant organizations, how to apply for a grant, and deadlines.
Amounts Awarded: up to $25,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: North and South America
For information, visit: https://smithht.org/
Therapeutic Garden Grants
The National Garden Bureau promotes the health and healing powers of human interaction with plants through a yearly grant program for therapeutic gardens. Sakata Seed America is committed to supporting organizations in local communities throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America, to help people live productive, healthy and enriched lives. American Meadows is a respected online retailer of wildflower seeds, perennial plants, flower bulbs and vegetable seeds in North America and their people have been helping supply successful gardener-partners since 1981.
Geographic Restrictions: North America
For information visit: https://ngb.org/grant-application/
U.S. Bank’s Community Possible supports efforts to create stable jobs, better homes, and vibrant communities. Grants are awarded for fund economic development initiatives tied to Work, Home, and Play.
PLAY: Application open January 1 – January 31
WORK: Application open April 1–April 30
HOME: Application open July 1–July 31 Neighborhood Stability & Revitalization
Amounts Awarded: Varies
For information visit: https://www.usbank.com/community/community-possible-grant-program.aspx
National Park Service: Save America's Treasures Grant Program - 2021 Cycle closed
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), is now accepting applications for $13 million in matching grants to support the preservation of nationally significant historic properties and collections through the Save Americaߣs Treasures program.
Since 1999, the Save America's Treasures program has leveraged more than $340 million in federal appropriations through the Historic Preservation Fund and attracted $399 million in private investment to help communities preserve nationally significant properties and collections across the country, creating more than 16,000 jobs along the way.
Save America's Treasures grants are awarded through a competitive process and require a dollar-for-dollar, non-Federal match, which can be cash or documented in-kind services. To be considered for this funding, historic properties must be listed as National Historic Landmarks or at the national level of significance in the National Register of Historic Places, and a case must be made for a collection's national significance. For more information about the Save America's Treasures grant program, visit http://go.nps.gov/sat.
Application instructions and materials for both types of projects are available through Grants.gov.
