Public garden grants and Awards

There are many grants available to non-profit gardens that may be applicable to your wants and needs as a public garden. Many have restrictions, so please make sure you are eligible before applying. Have a grant or other funding opportunity to add to the list? Let us know at info@publicgardens.org.

The United States Botanic Garden and the American Public Gardens Association are accepting applications for  2024 Urban Agriculture Resilience Program awards to support public gardens and their partners in facilitating collaborative urban agriculture, community gardening, and other food-growing programs. The Urban Agriculture Resilience Program seeks to promote public garden participation in community collaborations that combine food growing and education while addressing food security challenges, including food security challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, awarded programs will share lessons learned through their programmatic collaborations.

Amounts Awarded: $5,000.00 to $20,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: United States

The AAD Shade Structure Grant Program awards grants of up to $8,000 to public schools and non-profit organizations for installing permanent shade structures for outdoor locations that are not protected from the sun. In addition to the grant, the AAD also provides a permanent sign for display near the shade structure.

Amounts Awarded: up to $8,000.00

DPR’s Pest Management Alliance Grant Program, established in 1997, provides funding for projects that increase implementation and adoption of proven, effective integrated pest management (IPM) practices that reduce pesticide risks to human health and the environment.

Amounts Awarded: Unknown
Geographic Restrictions: California Only

The Herb Society of America’s mission is to promote the knowledge, use and delight of herbs through educational programs, research, and sharing the experience of its members with the community. The grant rewards innovative projects that enhance herbal education in school systems, in communities, or in any public forum (electronic or person-to-person).

Amounts Awarded: Up to $5,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: United States only

Several applicable grants are offered through the Institute of Museum and Library Studies.

Amounts Awarded: variable

IMLS is accepting applications for six grant programs, all due no later than November 15, 2023:

Museums for America – Grants strengthen the ability of individual museums to serve the public.

Inspire! Grants for Small Museums – Grants build capacity for small museums and strengthen their ability to serve the public.

Museums Empowered – Grants support activities for professional development and capacity building in individual museums.

National Leadership Grants for Museums – Grants support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession so that museums can improve services for the public.

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture – Grants build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums.

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services – Grants help sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge for federally recog

MAP offers five different museum assessments: Organizational, Collections Stewardship, Community & Audience Engagement, Education & Interpretation (New!) and Board Leadership (New!). They have a questionnaire online to help you decide which consultative MAP assessment is a good match for your institution. Download this short quiz and then apply online.

Amounts Awarded: valued at $4-6,000

Several applicable NSF grants are offered.

Amounts Awarded: variable

Grants from the National Trust Preservation Funds encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects. For more information about this program, or to learn how to apply, follow the link and read their guidelines and eligibility page.

Amounts Awarded: variable

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust funds projects that seek to further ornamental horticulture via research and/or education at qualified botanical gardens and other horticultural entities.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021 the Trust will also consider requests for general operating support from organizations whose activities normally are well-aligned with the Trust’s interests.
Per the Trust’s usual guidelines, the maximum grant amount awarded is $25,000, however grants normally do not exceed $20,000.
Please see the website for additional information about the Trust, its funding interests, qualifications for applicant organizations, how to apply for a grant, and deadlines.

Amounts Awarded: up to $25,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: North and South America

The National Garden Bureau promotes the health and healing powers of human interaction with plants through a yearly grant program for therapeutic gardens. Sakata Seed America is committed to supporting organizations in local communities throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America, to help people live productive, healthy and enriched lives. American Meadows is a respected online retailer of wildflower seeds, perennial plants, flower bulbs and vegetable seeds in North America and their people have been helping supply successful gardener-partners since 1981.

Amounts Awarded: up to $5,000.00
Geographic Restrictions: North America

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U.S. Bank’s Community Possible supports efforts to create stable jobs, better homes, and vibrant communities. Grants are awarded for fund economic development initiatives tied to Work, Home, and Play.

PLAY: Application open January 1 – January 31
WORK: Application open April 1–April 30
HOME: Application open July 1–July 31 Neighborhood Stability & Revitalization

Amounts Awarded: Varies

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), is now accepting applications for $13 million in matching grants to support the preservation of nationally significant historic properties and collections through the Save Americaߣs Treasures program.

Since 1999, the Save America’s Treasures program has leveraged more than $340 million in federal appropriations through the Historic Preservation Fund and attracted $399 million in private investment to help communities preserve nationally significant properties and collections across the country, creating more than 16,000 jobs along the way.

Save America’s Treasures grants are awarded through a competitive process and require a dollar-for-dollar, non-Federal match, which can be cash or documented in-kind services. To be considered for this funding, historic properties must be listed as National Historic Landmarks or at the national level of significance in the National Register of Historic Places, and a case must be made for a collection’s national significance.