Overview

The Garden District Collaborative supports community gardens and neighborhood growing projects with the systems, guidance, and administrative capacity that help gardens thrive over time. Many gardens have committed leaders, community support, and space to grow, but struggle with the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a garden consistent year after year, such as fundraising logistics, grant administration, documentation, and sustainable operations. The Collaborative exists to close that gap so that garden leaders can focus on stewardship, food production, and community connection.

This single application covers two partnership pathways. After you apply, we will review your responses and follow up to confirm the best fit, timeline, and level of support.

Two pathways

Partner Gardens
This pathway is for gardens and projects that need deeper backbone support, including fiscal sponsorship. Partner Gardens may be pursuing grants or fundraising and want to receive donations or funding through the Garden District tax-exempt umbrella. Fiscal sponsorship carries a 10% administrative fee on funds processed through the Garden District to cover compliance, accounting, and administrative oversight. Support is tailored to the project and may include administrative guidance and grant support appropriate to sponsorship.

Neighbor Support
This pathway is for gardens that do not need fiscal sponsorship but would benefit from capacity-building and connections. Neighbor Support focuses on practical supports that help garden leaders operate more smoothly, including peer mentorship meetings, templates and resources, bulk buying coordination for seasonal supplies, and tool sharing when available.

Who should apply

This application is a good fit for community gardens, neighborhood growing projects, and small organizations.
Align with the Garden District's mission of community-based food production, food sovereignty, and fresh food access.
Serve a defined community, such as neighbors, families, schools, seniors, or a partner organization.
Have a committed point of contact who can coordinate communication and stewardship.
Value inclusive participation and want a welcoming, growing space where everyone belongs.

What support is available this year

Support is tailored to your pathway and capacity. Offerings may include:
Fiscal sponsorship option for eligible Partner Gardens
Peer-to-peer mentorship meetings with Garden District leadership
Templates and resources used by the Garden District for garden operations and stewardship
Bulk buying coordination for shared seasonal inputs such as compost, mulch, seed, seedlings, and irrigation materials
Tool sharing and equipment lending, when available, with a simple checkout agreement
Connection to a network of garden leaders for collaboration opportunities as they arise.

Setting clear expectations

To protect quality and avoid overpromising, the Collaborative is not currently structured to provide recurring volunteer crews, full-time staffing for external sites, regular training or workshops, market distribution pathways, microgrants, leadership cohorts, or conflict mediation services. You are still welcome to apply if these needs exist, but we want to be transparent about current capacity.

What happens after you apply

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. If your project is a good fit, we will invite you to a short conversation to clarify goals, timeline, and which pathway makes the most sense. Some partnerships may begin with Neighbor Support and transition into Partner Gardens as the project grows.

Before you start

Please be prepared to share your garden's location, size, current status, who it serves, your goals for the season, and the specific support you are seeking. Precise details help us respond quickly and match you to the right level of partnership.

Questions