How do you finance a school garden? Are there grants to apply for? What about donations from local businesses? Can plants and vegetable sales help finance the garden? Do you have suggestions for fundraisers?
This section will provide school garden coordinators and educators with information about the financial side of funding a school garden including grant ideas, ways to generate income and links to school gardening funding resources.
School Garden Caretakers Grant Applications 2025
Thanks to funding from the Sewall Foundation and Real Maine, a program of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Maine School Garden Network is proud to continue our School Garden Caretakers grant program in 2025 by offering five (5) $2,000 grants to pay School Garden Caretakers in Maine!
Drum roll please! And the 2025 School Garden Caretaker winners are…
- Lindsey Schortz, Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education
- Vaughn Martin, Caribou Community School
- Jeff Chase, Maine Academy of Natural Science
- Nathaniel Liddle, North Haven Community School
- Gray Albani, Seedlings to Sunflowers Non-Profit Childcare and Family Center
To qualify for a grant, schools must have:
- a school garden program (of any size, capacity, involvement level)
- a new or updated registry listing in the MSGN Garden Directory.
- documented support by a school colleague for the School Garden program in the form of a letter.
- a person who is currently or able to be the School Garden Caretaker (having a person in place is REQUIRED)
Note: 2023 and 2024 School Garden Caretaker Grant Winners are ineligible to apply.
- Awarded funds must be used within 1 year of the award to pay the School Garden Caretaker.
- Candidates will be notified of their status in September in order to get the grants out as soon as possible and get the programs rolling.
- Applicants choose whether grant checks are written to the caretaker or school.
- 2025 Garden Caretakers must submit a final grant report by October 1, 2026 including 3 images and a signed photo release form for use at our Annual Meeting in November 2026.
The application for the 2025 School Garden Caretaker Grant is closed.
Questions? Contact info@msgn.org
Grant Resources
This spreadsheet contains information about funding opportunities for school garden projects in Maine. Some entries are more widely applicable to outdoor learning or STEM education, but all pertain to school garden projects. Please reach out to info@msgn.org for additional support.
Grant Writing Resources and Tips
Grant writing resources and tips to help you write a successful grant application and then insert a link to the article.
Funding a School Garden Program
Check out KidsGardening.org for information on ways to acquire materials and funds to sustain your school garden program.
How to Fund School Garden Projects
Whether your plans are modest or visionary, you can apply the following steps to financing your school garden project and yourself through donations, discounts, fundraisers, grants and more! You need to make a plan, break it down into steps, begin asking for help and then carry out your project. Before you know it, you will be on your way to realizing your dreams for financing your school garden projects (and yourself)!
Ready to make a plan to fund your school garden?
Plant Sales and Market Stands
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has information for school gardens considering having a plant sale. If buying or selling plants at a plant sale, see Cooperative Extensions Bulletin #2518, Best Practices for Plant Sale Donors and Buyers in Maine.
Grant Of The Month
- Water Wise Garden Grant
- Grant Funding for School Gardens
- Carton Council School Recycling Grant
- Lots of Compassion Grant
- Whole Kids Garden Grant Program 2025
- How to Plan a Fundraiser!
- Get Schools Cooking Grant
- Lots of Compassion
- Therapeutic Garden Grant
- 2024 Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative (MOLI)
- Plant Sales and Farm Stands
- Wish List for Garden Tools
- Fundraising Resources and Tips
- School Garden Caretakers Grant
- The Herb Society of America
- The Traditional Bee Grant
- MAITC Video 2021 Grant Recipients
- Fedco Seeds