Past Garden Grants

Gardens for Learning

Gardens for Learning awarded grant and technical assistance, providing a unique opportunity for participating communities to support summer gardening, nutrition, and cooking programs for children at risk of summertime hunger.  This long-running successful program originated with Food Works at Two Rivers Center before transferring to the Vermont Community Garden Network from 2014-2018. More info.

Green Thumbs at Work

The Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Community Garden Network, in partnership with Charlie Nardozzi, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, and Gardener’s Supply, awarded grants for small businesses to establish workplace food gardens for their employees in 2014 (nine grantees), 2015 (seven grantees), 2016 (ten grantees), and 2017 (nine grantees).  More info.

Compost Grants

Green Mountain Compost and the Vermont Community Garden Network teamed up in spring 2014 to support gardens with donations of new compost, seeds, and other resources. The grants were  open to any community-based initiative or program serving low-income gardeners in Chittenden County. Nine gardens received grants. More info.

Federal funding for school community gardens

Senator Bernie Sanders secured federal funding to establish a state-wide, school-based summer gardening initiative that teaches Vermont children and youths how to grow fresh produce using land on or adjacent to school campuses. Friends of Burlington Gardens administered the statewide pilot program as a model for similar programs in other states. Forty School Community Gardens around the state received technical assistance and up to $1,000 for tools and infrastructure improvements. For more information, including photos and reports from the schools, click on School Community Gardens.

VCGN mini-grant programs

The Vermont Community Garden Network Mini-grant Program began in 2006. Since its first grant cycle, $43,000 in mini-grants funds have been awarded by Friends of Burlington Gardens to support 188 school and community gardens in Vermont. The program was made possible through generous funding from The Bay and Paul Foundations and the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.

Thanks to a generous Irene Recovery Fund grant from the Vermont Community Foundation with additional support from the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, FBG offered a new grant program  in 2012 to help rebuild flooded gardens. Click here for more information.