Instructions to Community Garden Applicant

The Partners For Health Community Garden Fund has been created to develop community gardens that help increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the Montclair area. 

Three levels of garden funding are available. 
Level 1:  Seed and Tools up to $500.
Level 2:  Seeds, Raised Beds and Soil up to $3000. 
Level 3:  Seeds, Beds and Supplies and Storage up to $5000. 

Successful Community Gardens improve access to healthful foods while also creating opportunities for community members to work closely together.  Successful applicants will have identified a garden coordinator to make sure that the garden is well tended, that produce is fairly distributed and that a portion of crops harvested are donated regularly to local emergency food organizations.  The LA Guide to Starting a Community Garden http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/files/83504.pdf is an excellent resource for assisting in planning and implementing your garden.  Another good resource for prospective community  gardeners is Green Thumb NYC's "The GreenThumb Gardener's Handbook" (http://www.greenthumbnyc.org/pdf/gardeners_handbook.pdf).
We recommend that you review these guides prior to completing your application and refer to them frequently during your garden experience.  Another local resource for garden rules can be found at http://www.aclink.org/GrowingHealthy/.

The Foundation will fund various types of community gardens that increase local access to fresh produce. For example, one sponsoring organization may host garden rental plots for member gardeners while another group may sponsor organizations and volunteers who garden for the sole purpose of supplying emergency food providers with fresh produce.

Please complete all of the application questions paying careful attention to the word count and length of proposal. Each question is limited to a maximum of 300 words.  The following checklist will assist you in completing you proposal.  Please make sure to include a copy of each of the items with your completed application. 

Checklist of Needed Attachments:

•	501(c)(3) or tax-exempt determination letter
•	List of groups or individuals involved in the garden
•	Documentation of garden land use agreement
•	Draft garden plot plan/diagram
•	Photo of plot and water source
•	If “safe” soil, test results from Master Gardeners’ Rutgers Agricultural Extension
•	Letter of interest from the donation organization
•	Line item budget

What is required of the applicant?

•	An identified Project Coordinator, if you do not know the specific person who will fill this role at the time of application submission, please indicate when that selection will be made.
•	Project Coordinator (or designee) attendance at any garden trainings, as identified in the garden staff plan
•	Completion of necessary reports and financial reporting according to Foundation requirements.
•	Donation of a portion of garden produce to a qualifying organization  (Examples include soup kitchens, food pantries, senior housing residents.
•	Soil testing of the site (if not using raised beds)

Successful applicants will:

•	Demonstrate an ability to maintain the garden for at least three years
•	Have a committed group of community members involved in gardening
•	Have a sound plan for produce donations and strong relationship with recipient organizations
•	Have a feasible plot plan and guaranteed permission of land use for at least three years
•	Have at least one member with extensive gardening experience

Funds cannot be used for:

•	Organization water bills or other operating expenses
•	Staff salaries or time
•	Promotional materials

Applications will be accepted and grants awarded on a rolling basis until the Community Garden Development Fund’s budget is allocated. 

Interested in starting a Community Garden?

Click here to complete the online application form.