Adopt a School Garden® Program -> Individual Giving Options -> Securing Give a Garden Kit Funding for your School Gardens

Securing Give a Garden Kit
Funding for your School Gardens

Download this page as a PDFThere are many ways to acquire the materials and funds to start up or sustain a school garden. Successful kids' gardening programs frequently incorporate several strategies. Soliciting donations of materials, such as an Adopt a School Garden® (ASG) Grow Kit, within your community may be a good way to add to an existing project, while grant funding may be necessary to launch a new garden project. The suggestions below can help you secure program support at any level.

Budgets

When making a request for funding it is important to include a budget — all donors want to know how you will spend their money. If you begin by estimating the costs for the entire project and preparing a realistic budget, you'll have a good fundraising target and a better sense of whether local solicitation or grant writing will best meet your needs. You may be able to support a small garden project with a donation of $200, whereas a new garden with site renovations may require a major grant. A budget for an ASG Grow Kit may vary from $150 to $1,000 or more, depending on your overall vision.

Funding Sources

To earmark funds for an ASG Grow Kit, first consider potential sources within your school. Request an annual allocation from the school budget or PTO funds. If the garden program is a vital part of the school infrastructure; is actively championed by faculty, staff, volunteers, and kids; and features permanent structures, such as fences and sheds, you are more likely to receive such funding. Emphasize the connections between the garden and curriculum, detailing how the garden program addresses local, state, and national standards and frameworks. To find sources of educational funds available in your area, talk with your principal, subject-area coordinators, or district grant writer. Ask if there are mini-grants or other funds available through your district. Local corporations (including utility companies), community foundations, and public education foundations may also offer grants for educational programs and materials.

Soliciting Donations

Soliciting donations from local groups and businesses is more than a way of obtaining needed money and materials such as an ASG Grow Kit. It serves to publicize and develop support for your program and to actively involve the community in championing education. Here are some tips for requesting donations:

  • Have a specific plan and set of needs in mind before approaching potential donors. For instance, create a list of the ASG Grow Kit(s) you'd like from each donor.
  • Businesses receive requests for donations all the time, so be professional, organized, and specific. Ask for only appropriate amounts of cash or materials. Explain that a funder may order an ASG Grow Kit for you online at www.garden.org/asg, or provide funds for the school to purchase the kit.
  • Meet with potential donors in person, if possible.
  • Know the tax status of your school or organization and the name businesses should use when making out checks.
  • Create project folders you can leave with each potential donor. This folder will show that your effort is well organized and that the program has the full support of the school. This presentation doesn’t need to be flashy but should include the following: endorsement letter from an administrator or program director, project description, goals and objectives, rationale, garden plan, list of people who support the project, photos or students' quotes or drawings.
  • Celebrate and acknowledge your donors in word and print. This might include student-produced certificates, banners, press releases, and so on.

Tips for creating a Project Folder

In addition to letters of support, local businesses may find the following information useful in determining whether to donate funds or materials to your program. If you are writing a grant you will definitely need this information:

  • goals
  • objectives (studen outcomes)
  • rationale
  • project description
  • evaluation and how the project will meet learning standards

Your proposal should convey enthusiasm, while also stressing the excellent organization and broad base of the gardening program. You may be asked for documentation of strong leadership, community support, and the sustainability of your program. Emphasize why your project is describing what educators and students will actually do and detailing the outcomes for students, educators, and the community.

Follow these cardinal rules for making solicitations:

  • Make requests as short as possible. Real people have to read each proposal, so be concise.
  • Make simple, straightforward requests. Do not assume complexity adds credibility.
  • Avoid acronyms and professional jargon, small type or hard-to-read fonts, and irrelevant appendix materials.
  • Show appreciation when your organization recieves a donation!
  • Know when to quit. If rejected, it is appropriate to ask why, but do it in a way that leaves a good impression.
  • Be a good non-winner. Don not argue with a business representative. Try again later with another project.

To see great examples of grant submissions from years past, continue reading »