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Apply for a Garden Grant

Create a garden. Inspire a generation.

Welcome to our school garden grant program. Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation offers grants from $500 to $2,500 to support the creation or expansion of school gardens. Currently, we have $15,000 left in our 2026 grant cycle.

Does My School Garden Qualify?

Please review the eligibility criteria and commitments below before beginning your grant application. Your school and garden project must meet all the following requirements to qualify for funding.

— Eligibility Criteria

  • Legal Status: School is a registered charity compliant with the Income Tax Act.
  • Funding: School is a publicly funded institution serving any grades from K–12.
  • Garden Focus: Project creates or maintains an edible educational garden (growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, or edible flowers) which can include appropriate pollinator plants.
  • Student Reach: Garden program will regularly engage at least 200 students per year.
  • Educational Alignment: Clear learning objectives are established for each participating grade level.
  • Financial Capacity: School has the necessary financial resources to complete the project. Plant a Seed & See What Grows grants cover capital costs.
  • Timeline: Project will be completed within 12 months of receiving the grant.
  • Community Support: Project actively involves parents, school staff, local businesses, and volunteers for year-round maintenance.
  • Administrative Approval: School provides a signed Letter of Support on school letterhead from the principal, vice-principal, or authorized administrator.
  • Liability: School commits to accepting full legal and financial responsibility for the garden project.

— Commitments

1. School Garden Coordinator

  • Project Leadership Designation: Designate a day-to-day project manager to serve as lead applicant and school coordinator. This can be a teacher, parent, or community member approved by the school administration.
  • Support Network Overview: Assemble a team of individuals at the school or in the community who will actively support the Coordinator in managing the garden space .

2. Community Partners & Funding

  • Mandatory Partnership Requirement: Secure the formal support of at least one community partner organization (such as a Parent Advisory Council, local business, farm, non-profit, or garden club) to ensure long-term volunteer or financial sustainability.
  • Partner Identification List: Provide a comprehensive list of all project partners, including official organization names, contact emails, and website addresses.
  • Top Financial and In-Kind Contributors: Itemize the largest project funders, specifying exact cash amounts or the specific types of donations (equipment, materials, soil, etc. )

3. Volunteer Support & Recruitment

  • Personnel Estimates: Determine the number of adult and high-school-aged volunteers required to maintain the ongoing operations and up-keep of the garden.
  • Recruitment Strategy: Develop specific, actionable plans to recruit community volunteers and to secure ongoing financial or in-kind support from local businesses and individuals.

4. Impact Stories, & Recognition

  • Storytelling Collaboration: Commit to working alongside Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation to develop impact stories, which includes providing quotes, photos, and videos of students planting, weeding, and tasting garden produce. Ensure that submitted media focuses on active children, maturing crops, garden coordinators and volunteers.
  • Photo Releases & Privacy Compliance (Required): Certify that the school has secured all necessary parental or legal guardian consent forms and photo releases for any students featured in submitted photos or videos. We will not use these photos for commercial purposes.
  • Grant Acknowledgment: Agree to formally recognize our grant contribution across school communication channels, including newsletters to parents, the school website, social media channels, and annual reports.
  • Branded Garden Signage: Agree to install physical branded signage at the garden site and on visible school information boards. ( Note: Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation will provide simple signage that is branded with their logo and the school’s logo. Signage must be approved by both parties. The installation of the signage is the sole responsibility of the school. )
  • Year-End Evaluation Submission: Commit to submitting a comprehensive evaluation report at the end of the school year or project completion, summarizing how the garden successfully achieved its educational, health, environmental, and community integration objectives.

— Application Form

Section 1: School Information

(9-digit Business Number + 4-digit RR account identifier. Public schools can locate this identifier using the official CRA Charity List Lookup or by contacting their School Board / District finance department).
(Specify the exact name of the school or district organization to receive the funds)

Section 2: Contact Information

Lead Applicant
Secondary Contact (Must be actively involved, such as another staff member or community partner)
Community Partners: List project partners (at least one partner is required) e.g. Parent Advisory Council, local business, farm, non-profit, garden club

Section 3: Garden Details

How will this grant build upon your existing activities to improve student knowledge regarding local food systems, growing, procuring, preparing, sharing food, managing food waste, and/or healthy eating?
Note: This grant supports edible gardens only.
Site Feasibility Confirmation:
What will your school do with the food grown in the garden?
School gardens face unique challenges when school is out of session. Who will be responsible for watering, weeding, feeding, and harvesting the garden during the summer months? Please outline your plan to keep the garden thriving.

Section 4: Educational Overview & Projected Impact

How many students attend your school?
Which grades are taught at your school?
Which specific grades or classes will be the primary users of this garden?
Describe how these specific groups will benefit most from the space.
On average, how often will a participating class or group visit the garden (e.g., daily, weekly, bi-weekly)?
How much time will students typically spend in the garden during a single visit?
Describe the primary activities students will do in the garden.
How will teachers integrate the garden into their academic lessons? Please share specific examples of subjects or projects you plan to connect to the garden.
What positive impacts do you anticipate this garden will have on your students' physical, emotional, or mental health?
How will you ensure that your garden is an accessible and enjoyable space for all students?
Describe the specific signs, changes, or tracking methods you will use to measure your garden’s impact.

Section 5: Budget & Financial Sustainability

This grant covers capital costs only (fixed, one-time infrastructure expenses required to build or expand the garden). It does not fund recurring operational costs.

Capital Expense Item Description

Estimated Cost

Total Project Budget:
Grant Amount Requested (between $500 and $2,500):

Describe the total amount of funding you have already raised for this project.
List the largest project funders, specifying exact cash amounts or the specific types of donations (equipment, materials, soil, etc.)
How will you secure ongoing maintenance funds beyond the current school year?

Section 6: Terms and Conditions

By submitting this application, the applicant school and project leads agree to the following terms:
  • No Guarantee of Funding: Submission of an application does not guarantee funding. The grant selection process is highly competitive.
  • Discretionary Approval: Approvals depend on available annual program funding.
  • Criteria Compliance: Applications must meet all specified evaluation criteria.
  • Funding Discretion: Our organization retains sole discretion over all funding decisions. All funding allocations and application decisions are final.
  • Funding Limitations: Grant funds must be spent strictly on the approved capital expenses outlined in this application. Any adjustments must receive prior written authorization.
  • Project Timeline: Funded work must begin within six (6) months of receipt, and all grant allocations must be spent within 12 months of the award date.
  • Reporting Requirements: Recipient schools agree to submit a brief end-of-year report detailing spending receipts and providing a minimum of ten (10) high-resolution project photos.
  • Use of Photos, Videos & Other Media Authorization: The applicant grants our organization permission to showcase the school’s name, project details, and images on our site and promotional assets. The school assumes full responsibility for securing local student media releases.
  • Liability Exclusivity: Our organization provides funding support only. We assume no liability for property damage, personal injury, or maintenance overhead arising from the installation or daily operation of the school garden.
  • Program Changes: We reserve the right to modify or cancel this grant program at any time.
Clear Signature

Section 7: Photo & Document Upload

Please upload the required documentation for your garden project below. Please ensure your files meet the following specifications:
  • Accepted Formats: PNG, JPG, or GIF
  • File Limits: Maximum 10 files, maximum 5 MB per file

Upload Fields

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 10 files.
Upload photos of your existing garden OR photos of the proposed location if building a new garden.
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 10 files.
Required for new gardens only. Upload a rough sketch, diagram, or blueprint of your planned garden space.
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Upload your official letter on school letterhead, signed by the principal or an authorized administrator.

Final Submission & Acknowledgment

Please review your application carefully before submitting. You must acknowledge and agree to the terms below to complete your submission.

— Application Review

  • Review Process: After submission, each funding request is considered carefully, and we kindly ask for your patience during this period.
  • Timeline: The full evaluation and decision-making process typically takes 30 days from the time your application and all other relevant information is received.
  • Notification: You will be notified directly by email as soon as a final decision has been made regarding your funding request.

If you have any questions about our school garden program or require support completing your application, please email us at gardens@seewhatgrows.org.

We wish you all the best with your application and commend your school’s commitment to enriching student lives through hands-on school gardens and outdoor learning!