The National Gardening Association presents the Youth Garden Grants Program

NGA is delighted to announce that The Home Depot has returned as our Youth Garden Grants sponsor for 2009. For more than 25 years, NGA's Youth Garden Grants program has helped more than 1.3 million youngsters reap rewards and vital life lessons from working in gardens and habitats, and thanks to the generosity of The Home Depot, we can reach many more eager young learners.

Program Criteria

NGA awards Youth Garden Grants to schools and community organizations with child-centered garden programs. In evaluating grant applications, priority will be given to programs that emphasize one or more of these elements:

• educational focus and/or curricular ties (if applicant is a formal education program)
• nutrition or plant-to-food connections
• environmental awareness/education
• entrepreneurship
• social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.

Who should apply: Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and intergenerational groups throughout the United States are eligible. Applicants must plan to garden in 2009 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years. Previous Youth Garden Grant winners who wish to reapply may do so, but must wait one year (e.g., if you won in 2008, you can apply again in 2010) and have significantly expanded their garden programs.

Application deadline (postmark date): November 1, 2008.

DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION

Grant Packages

• Five (5) programs will receive gift cards valued at $1000 (a $500 gift card to The Home Depot and a $500 gift card to the Gardening with Kids catalog and store) and educational materials from NGA
• Seventy (70) programs will receive a $500 gift card to The Home Depot and educational materials from NGA
• Fifty (50) programs will receive a $250 gift card to The Home Depot and educational materials from NGA

2008 Youth Garden Grant Winners

NGA and The Home Depot congratulate the winners of the 2008 Youth Garden Grants. These 150 exemplary school and community projects engage children and young people as learners, explorers, leaders, and nurturers in outdoor garden settings.
Click here to view winner list

Learn about grants and awards offered by other organizations, see the current issue of Kids Garden News.