Therapeutic Garden Grants

The Therapeutic Garden Grants program, sponsored by the National Garden Bureau, awards $7,500 annually to five selected therapeutic gardens, promoting health and healing through gardening. Organizations must have a defined therapeutic program for at least a year and a commitment to the garden for five years. Grants are co-funded by several partners, and winners are determined through a social media voting contest, ensuring community engagement and visibility for the gardens.

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 a leader in breeding vegetable and ornamental seed and vegetative cuttings. They are committed to supporting organizations throughout North America to help people live productive, healthy, and enriched lives. Their primary focus is to be great at providing home gardeners with the products and knowledge they need to succeed. They seek to be a trusted gardening partner for creative gardeners —those who are willing to combine new ideas and products with classic favorites. At Ball Horticultural Company, the motto Color The World is not just coloring the world with flowers and plants, but also ensuring that the industry and communities are vibrant and healthy by supporting organizations who promote nature, beauty, education and health.
Program Criteria
Each year, National Garden Bureau’s judging committee selects five Therapeutic Gardens to be the recipients of a Grant that will help the organization expand or perpetuate their initiatives. Those chosen will then compete via a social media voting contest by submitting a one-minute video featuring the gardens’ operations for First place, Second place, and three runners-up financial prizes. They will also be featured on National Garden Bureau’s website for national exposure.
Funding
$7,500 is available and will be divided among the five gardens chosen, with graduated amounts going to the first, second, and third-place contestants, as determined by online voting.
First place award: $3,000Second place award: $1,500(Three) Third place awards: $1,000
The grants are co-funded by National Garden Bureau, Sakata Seed America, and American Meadows.

Eligibility

Must be a non-profit (501c) organization.Gardens applying must meet these criteria for therapeutic goals/qualities:Must have a defined therapeutic garden program in existence for at least one year, with a 5-year commitment to remain on that property. Examples of a defined therapeutic program include occupational therapy focused on gardening, horticulture therapy, rehabilitative activities that incorporate gardening, or promoting positive social relationships using the connection with nature and community engagement.Must have a Registered Horticulture Therapist must be either on staff or serving in an advisory capacity.Impact a significant number of gardeners, clients, patients, visitors or students on a monthly basis.Focus on life skills, job-training, planting and growing, socialization, environmental education, rehabilitation and improved quality of life through the use of therapeutic gardening.Who Is Eligible to Apply?Schools, non-profits, hospitals, retirement centers, rehabilitative facilities, veteran facilities, community centers, inter-generational groups, job-training centers, food pantries, and public gardens throughout the United States and Canada are eligible.Applicants must document that they have had a therapeutic garden program completed for at least one year at the time of application with at least a five-year commitment for the garden to remain on that property.

Ineligibility

Must not have won a grant from this contest in the past two years.For profit organizations are not eligible.