2023 Garden Grant
Slow Food Bluegrass micro-grants support groups in Kentuckiana who foster education about and access to good, clean, fair food. Special priority is given to limited resource communities and to projects that demonstrate a strong buy-in from participants. Grants range from $500 - $1,500 and may be awarded. Applicants must be a non-profit organization and have 501c status.
Grant applications are due by April 30th, 2023.
Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing slowfoodbluegrass@gmail.com
We look forward to reading your application!
2022 Garden Grant Recipients
From Left: Food Literacy Project, Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville and Bellevue Community Garden
Previous Garden Grant Recipients:
American Community Center and Feed the West!
Common Earth Gardens
Common Earth Gardens is dedicated to the empowerment and improved quality of life of refugee families and Louisville communities through agricultural opportunities. In 2013 they began running an Incubator Farm Business Training Program and a demonstration plot at the farm site on Miller’s Lane. In 2020 they are supporting twelve farm teams, each composed of three or more people resettled to Louisville as refugees, to develop skills related to soil health, crop planning, irrigation techniques, pest management, marketing, record keeping, and other aspects of running a successful farm business locally. The three-year program consists of classes, business consulting, and technical field assistance, as well as land, infrastructure, and equipment. The program provides other materials, such as marketing supplies, to farmers in their first year of the program. The end goal of the program is that farmers are able to successfully operate and independent farm business, thus increasing the availability of fresh, locally grown food in Louisville. https://cclou.org/common-earth-gardens/
2019: Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies
The grant will support garden efforts at the Kids Center in Louisville over the next three Years. Their main goal for the garden is to provide an environment to develop fine motor skills, spatial planning, and executive functions. additionally, the garden will produce food to educate children on preparing and trying healthy food.
2018 Garden Grant Recipient: Fern Creek High School
The grant will support garden efforts at Fern Creek High School in Louisville over the next three years. Students will use the garden space to learn about sustainable and urban agriculture. Grant funds will be used to buy seeds, soil, tools, and other materials needed to maintain and update the existing garden. The ultimate goal of the program is to develop an outdoor cooking area where students learn how to cook the produce they grow.
2017- Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary School
Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary School was given our grant that will support garden efforts at in Louisville over the next three years. The goal is to provide opportunities for children who live in an urban environment to develop an understanding of their food, their land, and nature. Grant funds will be used to build raised garden beds, cultivate relationships with teachers, engage students in the garden, develop relevant curriculum, plant, nurture, and harvest produce and create projects centered around the garden.
2016 - Parkland Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Kentuckiana (BGCK) was awarded the 2016 Slow Food Bluegrass School Garden Grant. The grant will support the Parkland Boys & Girls Club garden club in west Louisville over the next three years. The program objectives include increasing the garden space, connecting kids to authentic, healthy food by providing hands-on learning experiences, and promoting community discussions about food insecurity and urban agriculture. Louisville Grows is a community partner in the BGCK garden program. BGCK's programs help foster essential youth outcomes of academic success, character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles.
2014 - New Directions Housing Corp. - Brandeis Community Garden
New Directions Housing Corp. Brandeis Community Garden was our 2014 School Garden Grant recipient.
2015 - Bloom Elementary
Bloom Elementary received the Slow Food Bluegrass School Garden Grant in 2015 and is currently in their second year of funding. In 2016, Bloom used grant funds to purchase additional raised beds, plants and an irrigation system. This past spring, the kindergarten class used the garden to plant flowers and sweet potatoes. They continue to integrate the gardens into the science curriculum for the first and second grade classes. We look forward to seeing how Bloom Elementary continues to grow their garden program.
2013 - Breckenridge/Franklin Elementary
Breckenridge/Franklin Elementary was our 1st School Garden Grant recipient. After receiving the grant in 2013, Breckenridge/Franklin has received funding over the past 3 years to build a school garden program.
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