"Kids Growing Food" School Garden Program
Overview
Goals
The main goals of Kids Growing Food are to increase appreciation and understanding of agriculture, nutrition and the food system by getting students involved in food gardening at school and to create "garden classrooms" that provide authentic experiences and help educators meet state and national Learning Standards. Kids Growing Food participants agree to:
- Make links to agriculture, food systems and nutrition
- Integrate the garden into the core curriculum
- Grow mostly food-producing plants
- Involve the school and community
- Attend one Spring workshop
- Publicize the garden
- Produce a Final Report
- Actively participate in the KGF Network
What's Involved?
Annually, teachers are invited to submit garden mini-grant proposals. Schools receive a cash award to help them establish or maintain a food garden. Additionally, grant recipients are offered workshops at two or three sites each year. They are provided education and gardening materials and become part of the Kids Growing Food Network. Schools are welcome to join the network without receiving a grant.
Now in its 12th year, Kids Growing Food has awarded over 300 garden grants in New York. It is estimated that Kids Growing Food teachers involved over 50,000 students in hands-on food gardening educational experiences in 2005. Funding sources currently include New York Ag in the Classroom funds through the NYS Department of Ag & Markets, the Ag Tech Prep Program, private donations, and specialty agriculture license plate fees.
- KGF Information/History Sheet (PDF)
- KGF Project Director's Guide (PDF)
- Map of KGF grant awards by county (PDF)
Garden Grant Application
Our 2011 mini-grant cycle is now closed. 2012 applications will be available in May.
Congratulations to our 2011 Kids Growing Food awardees!
See the Gardens!
Click on the links below to see pictures of the featured school gardens.
Resources
- NYAITC School Garden Links
- Garden-themed Booklist (under construction)
Other Grants and Awards
Electronic Mailing List
KGF Project Directors and anyone else interested in KGF should join AITC-L, NYAITC's electronic mailing list. Click here to go to the subscription page.
