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Choose the right grant for your schoolJumpstart Learning Garden and Mini-Grant

There are 2 grant opportunities available for schools in SCCPSS. The Jumpstart Mini-Grant is a $2,000 grant for schools looking for funds to support garden education in the 2023-24 school year. The Jumpstart Learning Garden grant offers schools a full raised bed school garden kit in addition to a $2000 cash grant to put toward their new garden programming. Schools can elect to have resources delivered in the fall or the following spring. We invite SCCPSS schools to apply for the opportunity that is right for your school.

Who Can Apply

Schools interested in applying for this grant are expected to take on full ownership of the garden. Successful school gardens have strong administrative support, a team dedicated to leading and organizing school garden education, clear programmatic or curricular integrations, and a school-wide commitment to facilitate outdoor education for all students. In order to participate, schools have to meet the following criteria:

  • Serve students meeting 65% FRL or another metric of economic disadvantage.
  • Have a plan of action that ensures youth will consistently and strategically use the Learning Garden as a regular part of the school day.
  • Have the full support of the school administration and a multi-member team dedicated to the integration of the Learning Garden into the goals, structures, and overall culture of the school.
  • Be able to participate in all required professional development sessions.
hands in soil with strawberry plants.

How to Apply

The short and simple 20-minute application can be found on our grant portal.

  1. Step one

    Jumpstart: Teacher Resources

    Review these Jumpstart Resources available on our website to give you a feel for the grant opportunities, and the resources available. Decide which grant opportunity is best for your school.

  2. Step two

    Click Here To Apply

    Complete the application. You can easily share it with multiple people on your team to collaborate. The deadline for grants that will be distributed in the fall is June 6, 2023.

Grant Calendar

  • May 23 - June 6 Applications are open
  • June 20 Grants announced
  • June - September PD sessions for grantees
  • July 2023 Grant funds distributed
  • September-October Garden kits delivered
  • November 2023 Grants Round 2 opens
  • May 2024 Grant reporting due

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, but only one $2000 grant will be awarded per school in the 2023-24 school year.

  • Yes, The Jumpstart Mini-Grant can be used by any school looking to increase school garden education for their students in this grant cycle.

  • A full list of everything that comes with a Learning Garden can be found at https://biggreen.org/resources/learning-garden-kit-material-list/

  • Yes, any school that meets the qualifications listed above on this page can apply for a Jumpstart Mini-Grant or Learning Garden Grant.

  • There are several options of federal/state programs that people frequently use to represent low income and other considerations that can be used to represent the socio-economic demographics of your school. Schools can also include percentages of students with Disabilities and/or English Language Learners to demonstrate needs.

  • No, The Jumpstart Mini-Grant requires schools to attend 2 PD sessions. One is a webinar in June to support the development and organization of a school garden leadership team and the second is an asynchronous course on our website called Jumpstart: Organizing the Outdoor Classroom.
    Schools receiving the Learning Garden Grant will be required to attend 3 PD sessions. The same School Garden Leadership Team webinar for all Jumpstart Grantees, an additional session on planning a garden Kickoff Event and the logistics of receiving and building your new Learning Garden, and an in person event to offer hands-on guidance to build the garden and introduce the curricular resources available to support student learning in the garden.

a group of students holding up vegetables.