GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant

The GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant is an initiative jointly sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening, aiming to bring the educational and therapeutic benefits of gardens to youth across the United States. This initiative reflects The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation’s broader commitment to the GroMoreGood movement, which emphasizes the importance of gardens and greenspaces in enhancing lives—especially for children. The program, administered by KidsGardening, focuses on supporting grassroots gardening projects that serve under-resourced communities and promote environmental stewardship, learning, and health among youth. In 2026, the GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant will support 120 organizations with financial assistance ranging from $750 to $1,500, totaling $100,000 in distributed funds. These grants are intended to either initiate new youth gardens or expand existing greenspaces. Beyond the base funding, the program includes three specialty award tracks: Plus, Pride, and Equity. Each of these tracks provides an additional $750 to a total of 15 grantees facing unique challenges, working with LGBTQ+ youth, or led by and serving people of color, respectively. The grant’s allowable uses include gardening materials such as raised beds, plants, soil, compost, tools, fencing, greenhouse components, curriculum, watering equipment, cooking supplies, observation tools, and support for field trips and programming. Up to 50% of the budget may be allocated toward staff stipends or salaries. Funds must be used for direct support of youth gardens or greenspaces, and the applicant must engage at least 15 youth in the program. Only applicants that have received less than $10,000 in garden-related grant funding during 2025 are eligible. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, school districts, higher education institutions, government entities (including Tribal governments), and religious organizations with tax-exempt status. Fiscal sponsorship is permitted if formal documentation is provided. Applicants must also demonstrate a commitment to serving under-resourced communities affected by systemic inequities. However, recipients of any KidsGardening grants from 2024 or 2025 are ineligible to apply. The application process is streamlined through KidsGardening's Common Application form, which will open on January 6, 2026. Applications must be submitted by January 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Applicants are encouraged to prepare answers in advance using the downloadable application questions and paste them into the form to avoid browser timeouts. Awards will be announced in March 2026, and grant checks will be mailed in April. Grant recipients are expected to submit a short report by December 15, 2026, including digital photos, a brief video, parental release forms for youth images, and a written narrative about the garden’s impact. Technical support and inquiries should be directed to Sarah Lane, Program Director at KidsGardening, via [email protected]. The initiative not only fosters hands-on environmental education and youth engagement but also empowers local communities to take ownership of sustainable and inclusive garden spaces. The grant is offered annually, and given the high volume of applicants (500–700 per cycle), it remains a competitive opportunity. Programs that clearly articulate impact, need, and alignment with community needs are prioritized in the selection process.

Highlight impact, demonstrate community need, and show benefit to under-resourced youth; competitive (500–700 applicants annually)