Plant to Grant Challenge

Big Green awards grants to nonprofits that activate their communities to plant seeds on Plant a Seed Day.

Award Structure:

• One $25,000 grant to the organization with the most pledges
• Five $5,000 grants selected randomly from all eligible organizations

Geographic Scope: United States

Focus Areas: Food growing initiatives, community activation

Key Details:

• Organizations receive custom tools and promotional materials to rally community participation
• Awards based on number of pledges collected through organization's custom form
• The more people inspired to participate in Plant a Seed Day, the better chances of winning

Eligibility Criteria

Your organization is likely eligible IF:

• You grow food as a primary area of impact (examples: urban farms, community gardens, mobile garden education classrooms)
• AND one of the following applies:
  • You are a nonprofit corporation in good standing
  • You are a governmental entity or tribal government
  • You are registered to solicit charitable contributions
  • You are working within an established fiscal sponsorship

Tax Classification Requirements:

• Organization must be a 501(c)(3) public charity or other organization under Section 170(c)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code

Fiscally Sponsored Organizations: If your organization doesn't yet have 501c3 status, your fiscal sponsor must meet:

• Been in existence for at least 5 years
• At least $1,000,000 in assets
• Has sponsored other organizations previously
• Fiscal sponsor agreement in place for at least 6 months prior to application
• Fiscal sponsor fees less than 10% of total granted amount

Non-Eligible Organizations

• Organizations with racially discriminatory practices
• Private foundations and private operating foundations
• Groups that participate in partisan politics
• Type III Supporting Organizations under Section 509(a)(3)(B)(iii)
• Foreign organizations
• Terrorist organizations
• Re-granting organizations
• For-profit entities

How to Apply

1. Register your organization for Plant a Seed Day participation
2. Upon registration, receive a custom form
3. Share promotional materials and toolkit with your community
4. Collect pledges through your custom form
5. Each form submission counts toward your organization's total pledges
6. Submit by deadline for consideration

Support Materials

Big Green provides:

• Social media graphics
• Sample copy
• Plant a Seed Day Nonprofit Toolkit
• Technical support via helpdesk

Award Determination

• One grant awarded to nonprofit with most pledges
• Five grants selected randomly from all eligible organizations

Contact

• Reach out to Big Green helpdesk for questions