NRCS Missouri Announces People’s Garden Initiative Funding for Missouri

Columbia, MO, March 23, 2023 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking opportunities to collaborate with and support food producing gardens with an educational component throughout Missouri for the People’s Garden Initiative (PGI). Additional funding for PGI is available in the urban hub of St. Louis, MO using American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds.

People’s Gardens empower communities to participate in local food production and provide diversity and resiliency to the food supply chain. They also teach about the benefits of sustainable, local agriculture and how gardening can foster community collaboration, provide green gathering spaces, and benefit the environment. In order to  be eligible for PGI funding, a garden must meet the three criteria below:

1. Collaborate with others like USDA agencies, food banks, Girl Scouts, Master Gardeners, conservation districts, etc.
2. Grow sustainably, such as use native plant species, rain barrels, integrated pest management, xeriscaping.
3. Teach about gardening and resilient, local food systems.

The goal of ARPA is to provide assistance to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency by educating the public about how gardening and growing food locally can strengthen food supply chain resiliency. ARPA funds designated for PGI must support food producing gardens with an educational component. Priority will be given to gardens in areas facing food and nutrition insecurity and must be within the boundaries of the St. Louis, MO urban hub.

NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support PGI in Missouri in Fiscal Year 2023 will be approximately $300,000, with $150,000 being ARPA funding. Funds can be used to improve an existing garden so that it meets the requirements for a People’s Garden. This may include meeting basic requirements (building raised beds, installing a high tunnel), developing opportunities for community involvement (such as buying additional supplies), developing and delivering educational programs to the community, and enhancing sustainability efforts (installing micro-irrigation systems, installing composting, planting cover crops). 

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 22, 2023. For more information and to apply visit Grants.gov.

For more information on PGI visit https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden.