The George E. Archer Foundation offers Basic Grants to support youth gardening education programs in South Central Indiana. These grants aim to help children in grades K-12 learn about gardening through hands-on, educational, and community-oriented experiences. The Foundation’s mission is rooted in fostering knowledge and appreciation of gardening among youth, enhancing their physical health, emotional development, environmental awareness, and leadership skills.
Programs funded may focus on curriculum integration, nutrition, environmental sustainability, social and behavioral development, entrepreneurship, vocational training, service learning, innovation in gardening education, and educator training. However, the grants do not support staff salaries. Eligible programs must serve a minimum of five children and promote organic or sustainable gardening methods, explicitly avoiding synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations operating within five Indiana counties: Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Monroe, and Owen. All applications must be submitted online and may be submitted at any time. Before submitting a formal application, interested applicants are required to complete a one-page letter of inquiry outlining their project. Supporting documents must accompany the final submission.
Grants are awarded on a rolling basis, with applicants typically notified within 30 days of submission. Grant recipients must complete a final program evaluation report within 90 days of the program’s end. Failure to submit this report will disqualify the organization from future funding.
The Foundation emphasizes the long-term growth of gardening education by requesting that fundraising projects return a portion of proceeds to the Archer Foundation’s endowment, sustaining future grants. This community-focused approach strengthens the impact of each funded program and helps cultivate a lasting culture of youth-led environmental stewardship and education.
Applicants must submit a final report within 90 days of project completion to remain eligible for future grants.
