Resources Referenced in the Housing Toolkit

Click here for more info on how to get your own complete copy of the Edible Landscaping & Community Gardening Toolkit for Affordable Housing Communities.

Background Reading

• ONLINE ONLY: Integrating Food Access & Affordable Housing (Vermont Housing & Conservation Board)
• ONLINE ONLY: Advocate’s Guide: A Primer On Federal Affordable Housing & Community Development Programs (National Low Income Housing Coalition)
• ONLINE ONLY: Bridges Out of Poverty (aha! Process)

STEP 1: Get Your Group Organized

Tips and Tools

• Building Your Garden Leadership Team (VCGN)
• Making the Most of Meetings (BNAN)
• Sample Group Agreements (Seeds for Change)
• Community Garden Guidelines (VCGN)
• Community Tool Box, Chapter 20, Section 6, Training for Conflict Resolution (University of Kansas)
• Setting & Assessing Your Garden Goals worksheet (VCGN)
• Establishing a Garden Project (VCGN)
• Planning & Development Checklist (VCGN)
• Asset Mapping worksheet (VCGN)
• Community Tool Box, Chapter 3, Section 14, “SWOT Analysis” (University of Kansas)
• ONLINE ONLY: Community Tool Box, Chapter 3, Section 7, “Conducting Needs Assessment Surveys” (University of Kansas)
• Garden Organizer Monthly Tasks (adapted from BNAN)

Sample Docs

• Mountain View Garden Agreement (Rural Edge)
• Avenue Apartments Garden Contract (CHT)
• Harrington Village Resident Survey (CHT)
• Sample Garden Maintenance Activities Schedule (BNAN)
• Upper Valley Haven Garden Volunteer Handbook (UVH)
• Mountain View Resident Garden Application (Rural Edge)

STEP 2: Design & Plan Your Site

Tips and Tools

• Site Analysis: Creating a Base Map (VCGN)
• Soil Testing (UVM Extension)
• A Guide for Gardening in Small Spaces (Red Wagon Plants, Rubaud)
• Physical Garden Features (Weiland, adapted from C&S)
• Tips for Approaching Businesses (Nardozzi)
• How to Build a Raised Bed (VCGN)
• Fundraising for Success (VCGN)
• ONLINE ONLY: For an up-to-date list of grants available to fund your garden project go to VCGN’s page on Garden Grants

Sample Docs

• Sample edible landscaping design (Meghan Giroux)
• Sample Garden Cost (VCGN)

STEP 3: Plant & Tend to Your Garden and Edible Landscapes

Edible Landscaping Resources

• Installing Your Edible Landscape (Meghan Giroux)

General Gardening Resources

• ONLINE ONLY: For links to VCGN’s favorite go-to resources visit our page on Growing in the Garden
• Seed Starting Tips (VCGN)
• When to Harvest Your Vegetables (Archibald Neighborhood Garden, 2010)

Evaluation

• How Are We Doing? (VCGN)
• Results Based Accountability resources (Common Good Vermont)
• Farming Concrete Toolkit (Five Borough Farm & Design Trust for Public Space)

Click here for more info on how to get your own complete copy of the Edible Landscaping & Community Gardening Toolkit for Affordable Housing Communities.