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New York Agriculture in the Classroom

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Kids Growing Food School Garden Program

This grant program will be unavailable in 2018-2019. Instead, please consider applying for the new Grow With Us Grant.

Overview
Program Goals
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The main goals of the Kids Growing Food Mini Grant are to increase appreciation and understanding of agriculture, nutrition, and the food systems by getting students involved in food gardening at school. Also, to create "garden classrooms" that provide authentic experiences and help educators meet New York State and Common Core Learning Standards.

Kids Growing Food participants agree to:

  • Make links to agriculture, food systems and proper nutrition
  • Integrate the garden into the core curriculum
  • Grow mostly food-producing plants
  • Involved the school and community
  • Publicize the garde
  • Produce reports as requested for at least 3 years
  • Actively participate in the KGF network
  • Not use the funds to hire or provide a stipend to a garden coordinator
What's Involved?
Cathy in Carrot Costume

Annually, teachers are invited to submit garden mini-grant proposals. Schools receive a cash award to help them establish or maintain a food garden. Schools and teachers are provided education and gardening materials and become part of the Kids Growing Food and New York Agriculture in the Classroom networks. Even those schools which are not grant recipients are welcome to join these networks.

Now in its 18th year, Kids Growing Food has awarded over 500 garden grants in New York. It is estimated that Kids Growing Food teachers have involved over 80,000 students in hands-on food gardening educational experiences. Funding sources currently include New York Agriculture in the Classroom through the Department of Ag & Markets, private donations, and specialty agriculture license plate fees.

The program encourages applicants to submit proposals for all types of food-based school gardens; unique and non-traditional applications are encouraged to apply. Grant awardees are encouraged to use the funds to purchase materials, raised-bed building supplies, soil, seeds, etc. Grant funds cannot be used as a teacher or garden coordinator stipend, to pay for conference registrations, or travel costs. If you have further questions about the nature of your garden plan, do not hesitate to reach out to New York Agriculture in the Classroom.

Resources
Electronic Mailing List

KGF Project Directors and anyone else interested in KGF should join AITC-L, NYAITC's electronic mailing list. Click here to go to the subscription page.