Dear Community Food and Garden Network friends,

Do you know anyone who wants to start a new community garden or expand an existing one in Madison?  Please pass on this info about grants available to help them.  The deadline for this year’s grants is coming right up – January 28.  Many thanks.

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, etc!

Janet Parker
CAC Community Gardens

New Garden Fund Grants

     Announcing grants available in January 2005 for groups in Madison

     that want to start new community gardens.

Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc. is pleased to announce new grants to encourage creation of new community gardens in Madison.  Grants of up to $2,000 will be given out in early March 2005.

Who should apply?  Groups eligible to apply include:

• new housing developments at the edges of the city,
• existing gardens hoping to expand (by adding new plots for new gardeners),
• neighborhoods lacking community garden space that want to create new gardens,
• existing gardens where leases are being lost due to development, etc. that need to be relocated.

How are projects selected?  Applications will be due on January 28, 2005.  Ten community gardeners representing neighborhoods throughout Madison are serving as the selection panel for the New Garden Fund grants.  One or more groups will be chosen to receive grants by the selection panel, based on criteria they have chosen including scarcity of plots in the neighborhood.

How much are the grants?  Groups can apply for a maximum of $2,000 for their new garden project, although smaller requests are encouraged.  This cash could help pay for water systems, fences, raised beds, etc.  Eligible groups are also encouraged to apply for other City funding for their garden through the Neighborhood Enhancement Grant Program, and/or the People for Parks Grant Program and/or the Community Development Block Grant office.  The selected  projects could also receive CAC staff support to help launch the project, including help finding land, contracting for soil remediation, constructing fence and water systems, etc. 

Please contact Janet Parker, CAC Community Gardens Division, at 246-4730, Ext. 218, for a grant application and a resource packet on how to start your own community garden in Madison. 

Janet Parker
CAC Community Gardens
608-246-4730 ex. 218
1717 N. Stoughton Road
Madison, WI 53704-2605
janetp@...
www.cacscw.org/gardens