Introduction

What is a community garden?
Benefits of Community Gardening
How to Start a Neighborhood Greening Project

Building Community Support

Garden Planning Team Monthly Activity Planner
Sample Sign-up Sheet
Sample Rules: Managing Your Community Garden
Creating a Garden Team
Growing Communities Principles
Participatory Approach
Nurturing Leadership
Elements of a Well-Planned Meeting
Asset Mapping
Recruitment
Neighborhood Associations
Deterring Vandalism and Theft
How to Organize a Planting Party
Human Bingo
How to Organize a Community Harvest Celebration

Fundraising

Local Grants
National Grants
Community Garden Fundraising Projects

Introduction

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What is a Community Garden?
(Information from “Growing Communities Curriculum”)

A community garden is an area used for growing plants or animals, which has been collaboratively created and is maintained by members of the public. A community garden can take place on public or private land and can involve a broad cross-section of the public, as in a neighborhood community garden. Or it can involve specific sectors of the population, such as a school garden that involves students, teachers, parents, and other community members who support the garden for education.

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Benefits of Community Gardening
(Information from ACGA website)

• Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development by creating a space where people can gather and a common project that they can work together on
  "The spaces provide opportunities for neighborhood residents to develop and control part of their neighborhood, an advantage not afforded by traditional parks," [Mark Francis] concluded after a 1987 study of park and garden users in Sacramento, California. "Gardens are active places that people make themselves, use for work and socializing, and can `love', he found.
• Stimulates social interaction by bringing neighbors together in a community space
  “‘We didn't know many people in our garden until we started telling one another about how tasty our vegetables were,’ a gardener told another researcher, Ishwarbhai C. Patel, who runs urban gardening programs in New Jersey. Such interactions create a common ground on which neighbors, often isolated by walls or outlook, can build a shared feeling that they have power over their lives. A community activity such as gardening can be used to break the isolation, creating a sense of neighborliness among residents,’ says Charles Lewis. ‘Until this happens, there is no community, but rather separate people who happen to live in the same place.’”
• Encourages self-reliance by providing an opportunity for people to grow their own food, become active participants in their own food security, and access social programs that they might not otherwise have known about
  “‘The simple act of starting a garden can teach previously powerless people how to get access to city hall, and it can change the perception of the people with power who are looking into the community for the first time.’”
• Beautifies neighborhoods by creating aesthetically pleasing green spaces
  “In Salem, Oregon, for example, urban land next to a greenbelt was worth $1,200 more per acre than urban land only 1,000 feet away. Similarly, other surveys found that home owners believe that a well-maintained landscape can increase the value of their homes by a whopping 15 percent, and that properties in New York City less than two blocks from a city park are more valuable than more distant properties.”
• Produces nutritious food such as fresh fruits and vegetables
• Reduces family food budgets by providing a cheaper source of fresh foods
• Conserves resources by decreasing the number of pathways that food must pass through before reaching the consumer
• Creates opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education

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How to Start a
Neighborhood Greening Project

Any community greening or gardening project consists of three basic elements – a site, a group, and a plan. Start the planning process by looking at your group.

Group

Start with at least ten adults from at least five different households or a variety of staff at your agency. Kids are great and can be very helpful, but they are not enough to begin and maintain your project.

Who are people in your group? Do they live in the neighborhood? Are there some long-term participants? Homeowners and long term residents in the area are the ones with the most investment in the area and your group will need some of each. Church groups and schoolteachers are great, but alone cannot often sustain a project over time. Somehow nearby residents need to be included to watch out at night and protect the garden from vandalism.

Need a mix of people. Different types of people bring different assets to a project. Diversity makes a garden stronger. For example, if your garden consists mainly of seniors, you’ll need some younger participants to help with the physical work. People who have skills in the areas of landscaping, carpentry, design, or art can all be helpful additions to your garden. Ask participants about their skills and interests! Everyone has something unique to offer.

What is the nature of the group? How long has the group been in existence? Have they done any type of group projects together before? How do those projects look now? Groups must demonstrate willingness to maintain and grow the project over time.

What’s the gardening experience of the group? You will need at least one or two people who have some experience. These people are easy to find – walk around and see who has flowers, gardens or pots on their porch – these are gardeners in your area. We will help to provide you with expert gardeners in your area. We will help to provide you with expert gardeners but having someone in your group will help.

What’s the motivation and goals for the project? Want to reclaim the neighborhood? Just love gardening and want to create more space for it? Develop horticultural therapy? Create something for the kids to do? (If the project is for youth – who is in charge? How much does that person know about gardening? Will they plan, schedule and guide the children through the growing season?)

How many hours/week can group members give for the project? Doing what? Gardens involve mowing, picking up trash, weeding, weeding, weeding. Does the group have the time and commitment needed for a garden to succeed over time? If it is another staff person at your agency, are they involved in the planning process?

Does the group have tools or the supplies? Investigate the resources in your group and inventory what else will be needed.

Does the group have a central location to store tools, meet, etc.? How will gardeners access the tools when they need them?

Site Plan

Your plan should be appropriate for the site and for the goals of your group that will plant and maintain the project. Always start with a small success – you can build that success in the future. If your group is small or if group members are elderly, select a project that they can manage – one small flowerbed may be enough and can be visually effective. When a group is new – less is more!

The planning process is important, too! As many group members as possible should be involved in the project planning. Those who help from the start are more invested in the success of the project over the long-term.

Size matters – The size of the planting area should be equal to the amount of time the group wants to be out there in the heat of the summer (including mowing time, etc.)

The site plan can be simple – nothing fancy. Start with a drawing of the lot as it exists now – measure the dimensions and draw in existing tress (including the area they shade), alleys, sidewalks, buildings, water sources, etc. Knowing the goals of the project and the amount of space you have, think about what type of greening project you would like to develop.

In planning your project, consider the effect you want to achieve. Do you wish to implement a large scale, visually cohesive project through your neighborhood? If so, you might consider using containers on every corner or flower boxes. If you wish to deal only with one problematic vacant lot you might design a pocket park, a perennial garden or a community vegetable garden (See “Community Garden Ideas” section of this publication). Each type of project requires a different amount of time and effort. It is also important to consider the number of people in your group and what kind of commitment they are willing to make to the project.

Make a sketch of the proposed garden area. Make another drawing using what exists now and some of the ideas your group has for the lot. If you are interested, we can connect you with a landscape architect for additional ideas and information about specific plants. Put your beds near a water source and leave plenty of room for pathways. See the handout on community garden ideas for information. We have sample sketches of community gardens at the Botanical Center.

Maintaining a greening project is hard work. A medium sized ornamental bed (20 x 30 ft) takes up to an hour and a half of watering and weeding 2-3 times each week. More care time will be necessary in July and August of the first year. Mowing, trash clean up, weeding, and mulching is even more work, so are other things the group might wish to organize like educational workshops, potlucks and workdays. Remember, smaller is often better.

Communal or individual maintenance – How will responsibility be delegated? Will you have communal plots such as herb plots or corn rows? Will you have individual plots? What are your deadlines for getting individual plots planted? Do you have one garden leader or several in charge?

Ask for help! The DSM Community Gardening Coalition is here to help. We are willing to work with you to plan your project. You should first bring your group together and start planning on your own. If you need help, we will come and meet with you but we want you to initiate the planning on your own. Talk to the Community Gardener Coordinator, e-mail TLDawson@dmgov.org.

Site Selection

Select a location and determine address of lot by checking neighboring buildings. Who owns the lot? If your organization is developing a community garden, do you have land for the garden? Is there another greenspace nearby? The most protected gardens are owned by the agencies themselves. If you have found a vacant lot, call Polk County Auditors Office at 286-3080 to see who owns the lot. If the city owns the lot, it is possible to “adopt” a lot from the city for $1/year. It is possible that your organization could buy the lot and be responsible for paying taxes on it. If you plan on having your garden around for a long time, take measures to protect it from future development. If a church, school, neighborhood association or an individual owns the lot make sure you know their future plans for the area.

Size of the lot – Are you going to have a garden on the whole lot? Remember to start small. What will happen to the rest of the lot? Is the area primarily residential or commercial? What would look best there? If you wish to implement a project in a commercial area, your group may need to develop more formalized plans and present them to area business people and neighborhood associations.

Previous uses of the lot – What was your lot previously used for, and how might that use affect you ability to garden? Was it a parking lot? If so, the soil might be compacted and difficult to plant. Was it used for housing? If so, you should check lead levels before growing vegetables.

What is the present use of the lot? Ask neighbors about the lots history. If problems exist now, they may continue even after you plant. If cars are parked on the lot, or kids use it to play ball, chances are these activities will continue. This can be frustrating for everyone and can wreak havoc on an otherwise well-planned project. Your group may select another site, or plan for fencing.

Visibility – Highly visible lots tend to have a higher success rate – more people know about the project, and there is more neighborhood support. It is important that the lot is visible to those who will be maintaining it so that the group can keep an eye on it during evenings.

Access to water – Where is the water source for the project? Will a neighbor allow the use of their water? Fire hydrants have the possibility of hooking up their own meter. How will you pay for the water? How far away is the water source? How many hoses will you need to hook up to get there? If water source is more than 100 feet away, think twice about that location.

Amount of sun – You will need about 8 hours of sunlight each day for most plantings. Visit the lot throughout the day to determine how much sun exposure it gets. Are there some areas of shade for a meeting or resting place?

Access for trucks? Where can trucks gain access to the lot? Is there an alley? Check to be sure that large trucks or tractors can get onto the lot with minimal obstacles – dumpsites, low wires, tree branches.

Access many resources – Talk to local business and private funders for additional funding and support. Build as much local support for the garden as possible. Connect with a variety of agencies in your area for volunteer support or donations. The more funding you have the more you can do with your site. Build as much local support for your program as possible.

Soil Quality – Is the soil very rocky and therefore hard to plant? Is the soil of high quality with a lot of organic matter, or is it of poor quality? Do soil tests indicate significant amounts of lead or other hazardous materials?

Slope - Ideally, plant your garden in a flat location. Try to avoid areas with steep hills because water will run off the top and pool at the bottom causing erosion, soil loss and other problems. If you must plant on a slope, mulch the plants and water gently to avoid gulleys.

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Building Community Support

Garden Planning Team Monthly Activity Planner

January

First thing to be done this month is to gather a good mix of all those involved in planning the garden project. Confirm the goals of the project, the individuals involved, the design and location of the garden. Start a list of needed resources such as seeds, plants, tools, expert gardeners, adult volunteers to work with youth, curriculum, field trip ideas, translation of your flyers or garden information. Will you add a compost pile, arbor, sand box, perennial garden, or a cold frame? Note the supplies you have, the ones your group can get and those you will need help to access.
Begin to make a list of what needs to be accomplished each month. Nail down specific days to do those things.

Build a successful and diverse community garden by mapping your community’s assets. Community assets generally fall into five main categories: individual gifts (talents and skills), associations, institutions, land and buildings, and local businesses. Map out what resources you might need and what type of people, associations, etc. might aid you in accessing them.

February

Tools, wood chips, compost and other requested material, except seedlings, should be delivered in March or April. Schedule your spring work days to spread the compost, till the garden, lay wood chip paths, build fencing or raised beds, and opening day for planting. What will be the weekly meeting times? Do you have any social or educational activities planned?

If you need more volunteers, begin to talk to and distribute flyers to PTAs, churches, grocery stores, cafes, community centers, neighborhood groups, etc. Remember, people recruit better than paper. We will also advertise all public community gardens through WIC and the newspaper.

Meetings can make or break a garden project. Set clear goals for each meeting. Your meeting site should be familiar, accessible, and contain the facilities that you need (tables, chairs, overhead, etc.). Schedule meetings regularly and set up the room before hand. Actively recruit members - make phone calls, knock on doors, etc.

Map out reciprocal partnerships with associations in your neighborhood such as the police who might check on the garden or make donations as a way for them to support an alternative activity to violence; a local retailer to donate supplies in exchange for publicity; or seniors at a center that might give wisdom exchange for a therapeutic activity.

March

Organize a meeting with all involved to finalize the design, education schedule, meeting times, work days and activities. Make sure all agree upon the rules and have input in the decisions.
Share the storage location of the tools & how they can access them.

Remember to take pictures of your garden in all seasons, pre-plowing, tilling, planting days, work days, & harvest parties.

Public greenspaces including street corners, boulevards, space between the curb and sidewalk and land owned by nonprofits including schools can receive annuals from the Park and Recreation Department. Get a form from your neighborhood association contact and they can include you in their order. Neighborhood associations support many public beautification efforts. If you don’t know what neighborhood association you are located in contact the City Action Center at 283-4500 or visit the Community Development Dept. www.dmgov.org/ .

April

Need some extra labor to build a garden bed or to show kids how to make a bird feeder? Contact businesses such as Home Depot and schedule a volunteer day.

It’s better for you than candy bars! You can earn 50% profit by ordering bulb kits to be sold as a fundraiser. It is endorsed by National Gardening Association and is a great way to make money for your garden and beautify your community. All of the flower bulbs offered this spring are for summer and fall blooms and guaranteed to grow. For more information about the Dutch Gardens Bulb Fundraising program, call 1-888-854-1788 or visit www. dutchgardens.com/gardening/fundraising.asp

May

Plan one of the following garden events to help promote a sense of community: work parties, cultural festival, garden contest (compete for prizes for the biggest tomato, strangest gourd, etc.), “Night Out Against Crime” (neighbors hold violence free garden potlucks), harvest fair to sell of display produce and flowers from gardens, gifts from nature sale, memorial garden or other commemorative area to pay homage to loved ones who have fallen victim to violence or disease, or encourage different community groups to hold meetings at your garden. Ideas from Cultivating Community: Principles and Practices for Community Gardening as a Community-Building Tool published by the American Community Gardening Association. www.communitygarden.org

For all outside activities planned, set a rain date in advance so all can put the date on their calendars in advance.

Document your community greening project. Take before pictures, pictures of people working, pictures of the garden during the summer, events at your garden, etc. Use the photos while fund-raising for you organization. Show them what great activities go on in your community.

June

When your gardening effort is looking its best (usually June and July) , show it off to the community and fundraise by hosting a garden tour.

• Pick a date now. Choose a time to have your tour when it’s cooler in the garden and plants are looking their best, either in the morning or in the early evening.
• Send out invitations. Invite families of the children who have worked in the garden during the summer, neighbors in the community, local businesses and garden partners.
• The week before, have volunteers spruce up the garden by pulling weeds, mulching paths and keeping it well watered.
• Most likely it will be hot on the tour day, offer refreshments like lemonade or water. Share your harvest, make a snack from the garden like chips and salsa or vegetables and dip. Have a tea party with small sandwiches made with vegetables from your garden.

July

Remind gardeners to control weeds along the community garden borders, communal areas and in pathways. Any gardens with excessive weeds are in danger of not receiving resources next year. Community Garden Coalition staff periodically checks all gardens. If you have more than you can handle, mow to maintain some areas. Do not allow weeds to flower and go to seed. This will dramatically increase your weed problem in the future.

Keep brainstorming ways to encourage interaction between community gardeners. Develop name tags for plots. Plan education workshops. Have a harvest party. Community is also about those that live around your garden. Make friends with the neighbors of the garden. Encourage community groups and neighborhood associations to hold their meetings at the garden. If your garden is part of an agency, hold staff meetings at the garden. Get the garden included in neighborhood events such as tours.

August

A harvest party is a great way to finish off the season, recognize outstanding volunteers and gardeners, share recipes from the garden, and discuss September work days. See “Community Harvest Celebration” section of this publication for more ideas.

Encourage gardeners to take extra produce to a local food pantry. Call DMARC at 277-6969 for locations.

If ripe tomatoes are coming up missing, there is some community outreach that needs to be done. Make sure you have good communication with the neighbors of the garden. They are your best watchdogs. If they are not directly involved in the garden project, offer them free produce or flowers in exchange for their guardianship. Enlist the help of neighbor kids; they may do a lot of playing in the area and know who the strangers are in the garden. Hold evening meetings in the garden. See “Deterring Vandalism” section of this publication for more ideas.

September

Win the National Gardening Association’s Youth Garden Grant and receive an array of tools, seeds, plant materials, products and educational resources during the winter/spring. The application is simple and can be downloaded at www. kidsgardening.com/ . If you don’t receive it this year, apply again next year. You’ll move up on the list.

Take a field trip and support locally grown produce; visit an apple orchard this month to pick up apples and cider. Buy some extra to make applesauce or freeze for making apple pies.

Encourage gardeners to apply for the upcoming Master Gardener class through Iowa State Extension, Polk County. The low-cost program exchanges current research-based home horticulture information and education with volunteer service to Extension. Early fall is the deadline for applications. Call 263-2660 for more information or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/polk/hort/mg.html .

Make a list of things that went well with the garden project this year and things you would like to change for next year. What could you have done to decrease the work load (mulch more)? How could more people have been involved? What plant varieties did well? What structures might you add to the garden? What are additional uses for the garden (use for staff meetings, community events, etc.)?

October

Hold a Fall-Cleanup! Clean-up the garden area of weeds, stakes, twine, garbage, dead plants and anything that will interfere with tilling. Perennial beds need to be clearly marked. This is a good time to make new beds or install new structures such as fencing. Make arrangements to have the communal flower or herb areas harvested for drying by mid-October.

November

The National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitats Program provides materials and teacher training workshops for educators and school communities interested in creating or restoring wildlife habitat on school grounds. A program that started in 1998 has increase grants to be able to offer fifty $250 mini-grants to schools across the country. To be eligible, you must be in the initial phases of a Schoolyard Habitats project, plan to use the site for educational purposes, and certify your Schoolyard Habitats site with the National Wildlife Federation by March. The deadline for applications is January. Applications can be downloaded from our website: www.nwf.org/schoolyardhabitats or call (800) 822-9919.

Send notes of appreciation to all who volunteered and contributed to your community garden project including those that donated time, knowledge, and money. Include pictures from this past year and any items from your garden.

Set up an evaluation meeting with as many gardeners and garden partners as possible. Make your meeting fun and enticing - give door prizes and offer food. Review the goals and activities of the past season and discuss what should be done differently next year. Create a time-line for those items to be accomplished.

Decide on a new community garden chair. Healthy committees rotate leadership.

December

Complete an evaluation of the community garden. Make a final report and include a summary of activities, budget, pictures, resources used, contacts, success stories and the suggested changes for next year. Distribute report to gardeners and other supporters.

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Sample Sign-up Sheet Name ________________________________________________ Mailing Address __________________________________________ Phone Number: Day ______________ Evening _______________ Check the appropriate items: __I have gardened here before and would like plot # ___ if available. See map of community garden on the back of this sign up sheet. __ I have physical mobility limitations and would like a raised bed. __I have some gardening experience. (No experience is necessary to participate.) __I would like to have a friend garden with me. Name ________________________________________________________ Phone number: Day ________________ Evenings __________________ Plot preference: 1,2,3…. __I would like a 10 x 10 foot plot or 20 x 20 foot plot. Circle one. __ I would like to attend the free education classes in February offered by the Botanical Center. Check the following that you have access to and would be able to use in aiding this community garden: ___ Car ___Trailer ___Pickup truck ___Tiller ___Leaf shredder ___Mower Communal Work Dues: I will give ___ hours of work to one of the following tasks. __Spring Work Day on May ___: Work on this day includes spreading compost, tilling gardens, laying of paths, planting communal areas, etc. __ Mid-summer work: I will be responsible for weeding the communal areas OR I will keep up the compost bin in the month of ______. __Fall Work Day on October ___: Work on this day includes pulling out dead plants in communal areas or abandoned plots, spreading compost, planting winter crops and other fall plants, tilling, repair of fencing, cleaning of tools, etc. __In exchange for the $$ hours of work, I will pay $$$ to the garden group/organization. Rules & Regulations: Before you are given a plot, you need to read and sign the rules for this community garden. Dues: $$$ for a 10 x 10 foot plot $$ for a 20 x 20 foot plot Remember that $$ of the dues will be returned to you after your plot is cleaned up in the fall. (Each community garden doesn’t have to require dues – but the money could help in paying for water or extra structures in the garden.) Please return this application and the deposit to the garden leader by April ____. Jane Grow 1111 Squash Ave. 555-5555

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Sample Rules: Managing Your Community Garden

Having written rules and timelines is very important since they spell out exactly what is expected of all involved in the garden project. This is a brainstorming list, you by no means need to include all of them, nor is this a complete list of possible things to be regulated. Whatever rules and deadlines that you create, make sure all gardeners are aware of their responsibilities.

SAMPLE Guidelines & Rules
Individual Plot Care

• I will pay $$$ to help cover garden expenses. I understand that of this, $$$ will be refunded to me when I clean up my plot (or participate in fall clean up) at the end of the season.
• I agree to volunteer ?? hours toward community gardening efforts. Create a sign-up list of work days and tasks. (You may require volunteer hours instead of monetary commitment.)
• I will have something planted in my garden by (date) and I will keep it planted all summer.
• I will keep weeds maintained in my plot and in an area around my plot.
• If I’m notified that my plot becomes unkempt, I understand I will be given 1 week’s notice to clean it up. If it is not cleaned up, it will be reassigned or tilled in.
• Do not spray on windy days.
• I will not use chemical in the garden, only natural fertilizers and pesticides.
• Please conserve the use of water. Mulch with leaves, grass clippings, straw or hay to reduce evaporation and decrease weeding.

  Things you plant

• I will plant tall crops where they will not shade neighboring plots. Corn and sprawling plants (crops that take up a lot of space) should be planted in the designated communal areas.
• I will pick only from my plants unless given permission by the plot user.
• Individual fencing is allowed. Please keep structures under 4 feet tall and neat. They should be removed for fall tilling.
• This is a no-till garden, meaning individual gardeners are responsible for tilling or double-digging their plots. Therefore, planting of perennials is allowed OR planting of perennials in individual plots isn’t allowed because we till the garden each fall.
• I will keep things in my plot harvested, if not I will notify the garden leader. There are many food banks and seniors who could use extra vegetables.

Garden & Communal Area Care

• I will keep trash and litter picked up in my plot and the general area. Use the trash receptacles available next to the garden. We request that all members volunteer their time for general maintenance (especially adjacent walkways) to keep the garden site looking good. The use of the site is contingent on our ability to maintain it.
• I understand that neither the garden group nor the owners of the land are responsible for my actions. I THEREFORE AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS THE GARDEN GROUP AND OWNERS OF THE LAND FOR ANY LIABILITY, DAMAGE, LOSS OR CLAIM THAT OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH USE OF THE GARDEN BY ME OR ANY OF MY GUESTS.
• The garden area is open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week. If you see anyone in the garden area during dark hours, please notify police?, garden leader?, neighbor?
• The compost pile is for dead plants, ashes & kitchen material. No trash or diseased plants please.
• Help us discourage losses by questioning unfamiliar faces. If vandalism does occur, notify the garden leader immediately.
• Tools: They should be cleaned and returned to the storage area when done.

Notify the garden leader if...

• Vandalism has occurred.
• You are no longer able to tend to your plot.
• You have questions about your plants or pests in the garden.
• You have any questions, comments or complaints.
• Strangers are in the garden.
• You have more than you can eat in the garden and there is more to be harvested in your plot.

I understand all of these rules and regulations and promise to follow them.
Signature of the gardener_______________________________Date________________
Signature of the garden leader__________________________________

People Problems & Solutions

• Children involved in the garden process become champions of the cause rather than vandals.
• Your garden project may want to offer free small plots to children whose parents live in the neighborhood or to children whose parents already have a plot
• Angry neighbors may complain to local government, local politicians or sponsors about messy, unkempt gardens or rowdy behavior. This type of complaint can shut down a garden completely.
• Make sure all gardeners know what is expected of them and that they have the resources they need to be good gardeners. A well-organized garden with strong leadership and committed members can overcome almost any obstacle.

SAMPLE Timeline & Deadlines

Jan., Feb., March Planning meetings
February Education classes at the Botanical Center
March Begin plot registration & recruitment of gardeners, volunteers, funders
March Free seeds to low-income gardeners distributed. Contact your area community services center for a request for seeds form.
April Apply for free flowers from the Parks Department
April Work day to spread compost, lay woodchip paths, install new structures.
April Registration and/or deposit money due (if you require money)
May - mid Neighborhood flower pick-up - pick-up your requested flowers
May About mid-May, Community Services distributes their vegetable seedlings to low-income gardeners. Contact your local community center to apply.
May - mid Planting day, work day
May Each interested gardener can sign up for any unclaimed plots.
May or June Last day to plant in the garden
June 1st Uncared for and/or unclaimed plots reassigned
June Education class at your garden site
August Harvest Party
Sept.,Oct. Fall clean up work day
Nov. Evaluation meetings

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Creating a Garden Team
(Information adapted from The Chicago School Garden Initiative)

The success of your garden is dependent upon the members involved. It is important to have a team of people (not just one!) involved in the planning, organization, and execution of your project. This team should be diverse collection of people each with his or her own role in the project. The following suggested team make-up can give you ideas about what roles need to be filled.

The Facilitator
This is often the person who initiated the project. His or her first responsibility is to recruit the other team members. The facilitator must participate in planning, enlist and motivate the other team members, approve events and activities of the team, enlist support of the community, and help with fundraising. He or she may also have to handle other leadership responsibilities that crop up with respect to the garden. In a school setting, this person would most likely be the principal or teacher. In a community garden setting, this person may be the city Urban Garden Program Coordinator who oversees the gardens but is not directly responsible for the individual projects.

Garden Coordinator
Typically, the coordinator works closely with the facilitator in establishing the core team and serves as the liaison to the collaboration. This individual organizes regular meetings with the team and takes the lead for making plans. Because of this relationship, he or she usually oversees things relating to the physical garden, and so it is helpful if this person has some gardening experience. He or she also attends necessary meetings and passes on information to the rest of the team. In a school setting, this person is the main teacher in charge of the garden. In a community garden setting, this person is the community garden leader.

Planting Day Leader
The garden installation and planting is a large-scale event and requires on person to take charge of coordinating the day’s activities. The Garden Coordinator could do this, but experience has shown that delegating this job to another individual eases the burden on the Coordinator. The Planting Day Leader works ahead of time to promote pre-planting activities such as getting seeds started and acquiring materials. He or she must secure access to a water source and tools and work out a planting schedule.

Resource Leader
It is the resource leader’s job to help distribute and store garden materials including plant materials, tools, informational materials, etc. This person should also find ways to supplement the materials as necessary.

Fundraiser / PR Leader
Additional funds will be needed to sustain the garden. A team member needs to seek sources of funding from local, state, and national agencies. This might begin with seeking donations from neighborhood businesses and organizing a school fundraiser. The individual who accepts this responsibility will probably work closely with the facilitator and garden coordinator and usually assume the lead role in publicizing garden successes, as this task is part of effective fundraising.

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Growing Communities Principles

These principles are designed to help you create a successful community gardening experience through which your community can grow and develop. They can help promote a participatory style of community organizing that grows from a community’s self-defined interests and skills.

• Engage and empower those affected by the garden at every stage of planning, building, and managing the garden project.
• Build on community strengths and assets.
• Embrace and value human differences and diversity. Promote equity.
• Foster relationship among families, neighbors, and members of the large community.
• Honor ecological systems and biodiversity.
• Foster environmental, community, and personal health and transformation.
• Promote active citizenship and political empowerment.
• Promote continuous community and personal learning by sharing experience and knowledge.
• Integrate community gardens with other community development strategies.
• Design for long-term success and the broadest possible impact.

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Participatory Approach
(Information from “Growing Communities Curriculum”)
http://www.communitygarden.org/growing.php

A participatory approach is on in which those affected by decisions are part of the decision-making process. This process involves engagement by affected parties in the planning, implementation, on-going maintenance, and evaluation stages of a project. In order to implement a participatory approach, you should take the time to meet with the people involved in your project throughout the entire process. People will feel more involved in the project and take more ownership which may then lead to greater participation and an overall better result.

Design Process

• Initial Meeting
  • Determine a schedule for the project
  • Identify goals and a vision
  • Find out who your stakeholders are (a stakeholder is anyone that affects or is affected by the outcome of the project)
  • Discuss issues and/or concerns that the planners have regarding the project
  • Stakeholder Workshop – Issue Identification
  • Discuss the goals of the project with stakeholders
  • Find out what the stakeholders see as issues or concerns regarding the project and implementation (a short survey may be useful)
  • nventory/Analysis of Site Features
  • Soils, vegetation, slope, surface water, utilities, transportation, climate, etc.
• Make a plan that accounts for all issues and concerns, input from stakeholders, site features, and goals of the project. Make sure that you continue to involve stakeholders in the planning and implementation processes by holding regular meetings to update everyone on progress and problems.

Participatory Design Activity
You¹ve found a great space for a new community garden and know many people interested in helping you, but where do you start? How do you plan a garden that meets all of the diverse needs of your group? How do you create the best form and function without moving precious plant material around over and over? How will you create a space that everyone can enjoy and allow for the conditions of your site? By making a mini 3D model of your garden you can arrange small pieces in many different configurations to come up with the best solution for your garden and have a good time doing it!

Here’s how to get started:
ORGANIZING:
The more the merrier! Make sure you’ve considered everyone who might use your community garden. What are the needs of your seniors? Children? Parents? Principal? Do teachers want to use your garden as a science lab or a creative writing place? Who will sustain the garden during the summer months? Do neighbors want to grow food? Who will do maintenance? Be sure to include everyone’s perspectives, as this will affect the design and how your space is used. Also remember the more people involved, the less one person gets stuck doing all the work.

FACT FINDING:
You will need to take a close look at all the conditions of your site. This may seem overwhelming at first but a little thought about each of the following questions will save you a lot of labor in the long run!

• What is the neighborhood character surrounding your space? Is there a lot of traffic circulating and making noise? Are there any legal restrictions for the area?
• What is the topography of the space? Where does it slope or grade? Where are potential erosion spots?
• What is the climate of the area? What are the sun, shade, wind, shadows, and sun angles during different seasons that will affect plant growth and survival?
• What is your drainage like? Does water stand in certain areas and run off quickly in others? Where is your water source?
• What is the condition of your soil? Are there hard clay areas or spots with rock or gravel?
• What are the existing structures surrounding your space? Do you need to create structures to enhance a view or protect your plantings? Are there existing trees, shrubs, or perennials? Where is there a need for pedestrian pathways? A place to sit down is always important.

GENERATING IDEAS:
The sky’s the limit when you¹re making a mini model! It’s fun to make a wish list, a dream garden, with a swimming pool, an antique rose garden, an elaborate jungle gym, perhaps a gazebo with cold beverages, or a hedge maze. It’s fun to make an entire mini 3D model version of impossibilities. Who knows, someone in your group may know how to build the thing you’ve been dreaming about. For inspiration try to visit places like the Botanical Center, the Neil Smith Prairie, the test gardens at Meredith, neighborhoods where you know you enjoy the landscaping, or cut out pictures of garden ideas you like from those garden magazines that are piling up, and organize them into a notebook. Working with your mini model will help you generate ideas as well.

MAKE THE MODEL!

1. Start with the lid of a paper box or a large box with low sides, or the sides cut down to about 2 inches. This will represent the base of your model. If you have a diagram or plat of survey from the city of your space, you can use it as a map and tape it down in the bottom of the box
2. Small items you may have around the house can be used as model pieces to represent parts of your garden. Here are some suggestions: For soil: dirt, of course! Fill your box with about 1 inch; try to imitate any slope you may have or want to create. Pathways: sand, small pebbles, aquarium rock Structures: small pieces of cardboard, sticks or bark. Trees and shrubbery: pine cones, small toys, spools of thread, small clippings of real plant material Small plant vegetation: acorns, seeds, pine needles, small pebbles, dried pasta
   
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   Nurturing Leadership
   (Information from Cultivating Community:
   Principles and Practices for Community Gardening as a Community-Building Tool
   by Karen Payne and Deborah Fryman)

   Encourage leadership to emerge
   Garden projects offer gardeners a way to become active in their neighborhoods. Garden organizers must recognize and encourage opportunities for participants to problem-solve for themselves and create independently. Every phase of a garden project has a place for individual creativity. Successful projects empower garden members to accomplish tasks by cooperating with each other, so their reliance on outside direction diminishes. On a group and neighborhood level, community garden development should encourage cooperative leadership and decision making.

   Utilize existing strengths
   A community garden project offers a chance of put neighbors’ skills to use in flyer design, cookie baking, phone calling, clean up, public speaking, workshop instruction, taking meeting notes, tool shed organizing, asking for donations – the list is almost limitless. When people receive credit for the diverse skills they bring to the project, they are honored and gratified to be able to give back to their neighborhood.

   Divide tasks
   When community gardeners share tasks among as many individuals as possible, they create opportunities to develop individual and shared leadership. By succeeding at small and doable tasks, people experience the reward of ongoing success and the confidence that comes form taking responsibility. This increases their investment in the garden and encourages them to take on more responsibilities.

   Balance product with process
   A community garden as a ‘finished product’ is a desirable community resource. But even more important are the benefits gained from individual and community growth during the process of planning, creating and maintaining a garden. When garden groups set up a decision-making process that encourages people to share responsibilities and develop leadership, communication, and organizing skills, this does more than simply enrich individuals. These skills build leadership within the garden, and in turn they contribute to long-term garden viability and further neighborhood improvements.

   Create opportunities for presentations
   Urban Garden Programs provide gardeners an opportunity to make presentations about their projects to groups within and outside their neighborhood. These opportunities help develop leadership.
   Each time people present their accomplishments, they can practice and improve their public speaking and networking skills. Presentations within the group provide gardeners with welcome recognition and serve to boost self-confidence. Participants can also become effective presenters to outside groups, strengthening connections with media, government, and community groups from other parts of their city.

   Create mentoring opportunities
   When participants with special skills teach what they know, they build leadership skills as they share their knowledge. People learn to accomplish goals as a team. Group members who serve as mentors build confidence as they share information. Those they assist benefit by learning something new from a friend.

   Provide networking and training opportunities
   Building and maintaining a garden offers opportunities to learn something new and to refine skills. New learning experiences increase people’s interest, investment, and ownership in the project. Learning activities need not, and should not, be limited to horticultural and practical topics. A leadership development program can support personal growth and education goals. For instance, formally and informally, garden groups can help their members master skills in everything from facilitating meetings and public speaking to project planning and fundraising.

   A well-designed workshop can encourage established garden leaders to empower emerging new leadership. This kind of training helps people discover how their experiences can be a resource to others and builds invaluable skills. It can be applied to situations outside the garden. Training can also help participants learn how to create networks beyond the neighborhood and put people in touch with existing resources.

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Elements of a Well-Planned Meeting
(Information from Growing Communities Curriculum by Jeanette Abi-Nader, Kendall Dunnigan, and Kristen Markley)

Tips for Effective Facilitation

• Consider seating arrangement (circle of chairs, tables to work at, etc.)
• Welcome people
• Go over the agenda – Ask for changes and time limits
• Do substantial introductions (appropriate to group size)
• Define your role as facilitator
• Explain the Guidelines for Discussion
• Explain the decision-making process
• Invite participation (ask for it before the session begins)
• Make eye contact
• Use first names
• Use humor
• Use various facilitative tools and methods
• Trust the wisdom of each participant
• Change your position/move around the room
• Use visuals
• Record people’s responses on a flip chart
• Avoid responding to each comment
• Give time for people to answer
• Don’t lecture
• Give positive feedback
• Respect difference of opinion
• Empower people to speak and express themselves
• Seek commitments from people
• End session with overview and follow-up coordination
• Use evaluations
• Thank people for their work
• Pass out material after discussions

Suggested Guidelines for Meeting Discussion

• Listen to others
• Don’t interrupt
• Ask clarifying questions
• Welcome new ideas
• Start on time
• Disagree with ideas, not people
• Treat every contribution as valuable

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Asset Mapping

Asset mapping is a term that refers to the process of finding ways to connect with a wide variety of people and groups in your community that may be able to provide you with resources. Asset maps can help you create a visual display of the various assets within your community and can prompt you to discover new ways to connect with groups. Be creative in looking for groups to work with. Almost everyone has something to offer!

Five Categories of Assets:

1) Individual gifts – Identify the specific talents and skills and put those skills to work to build the community.

2) Associations – Small formal or informal groups of people working together for a common goal (including shared interests). The basic community organization for empowering individuals and mobilized their capacities. An association is an amplifier of gifts, talents and skills of individual community members.

3) Institutions – Local government, businesses and community organizations have resources and knowledge which can be drawn on.

4) Land and Buildings – Ecology and infrastructure such as an elementary school with after-hours meeting space, open space for gardens, parks for meetings and celebrations, etc.

5) The local economy – Local businesses and lending organizations can donate, publicize, and support community work in a myriad of ways.

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Recruitment

People are motivated by their own self-interest, personalize the target.
The task in organizing a community garden project is to find ways to make the issues and benefits involved in community gardens relevant to the life and experience of each participant. A person must be able to see a potential benefit or harm to themselves if the project succeeds or fails. The simplest way to find out what matters to folks is by asking. Knowing who people are, what they want, and how they may wish to contribute will not only save time throughout the organizing process, but may determine whether the project succeeds at all.

Paper doesn’t organize people, people do.
A million announcements via the mail will never substitute for a single direct contact. Asking a neighbor about his or her skills, interests and views, serves several purposes. It provides the information needed to build a strong and relevant project. It strengthens your relationship with the person and that person’s with the project. It gives that person a sense of power in the project and thus greater connection. A personal invitation to a meeting is about 10 times more likely to get the person to a meeting. When people are asked why they don’t participate in community projects, many people say it is because nobody has asked them to participate.

Look within your organization.
The best place to find volunteers is within your organizations or neighborhood. Ask other teachers, neighbors, co-workers, etc. for their help.

Hold a social event for recruitment.
Through a social event such as a garden party, planting party, or harvest celebration, you can draw attention to your garden and raise awareness. While people are there, ask them about their interests and talents and follow-up on this information.

Pair a garden discussion with other events.
Use the opportunity created by another gathering to discuss your garden. If people are already assembled for another meeting or social event, half the work has been done for you. Use this captive audience. See “Asset Mapping” section of this publication for examples of groups to talk to.

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Neighborhood Associations

Your neighborhood association can be a useful resource for your garden. They can be a source of support, recruitment, advertisement, and even supplies. For more information about your neighborhood association, call the City Action Center at (515) 283-4500 or visit www.dmgov.org .

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Deterring Vandalism and Theft

Vandalism is a common fear among community gardeners. However, the fear tends to be much greater than the actual incidence. Try these proven methods to deter vandalism:

• Make friends with your neighbors whose window overlook the garden. Trade them flowers or produce for a protective eye. Let them know what they should do if they see something suspicious in the garden.
• Put a sign in the garden. Let people know to whom the garden belongs and that it is a neighborhood project.
• Invite everyone in the neighborhood to participate from the very beginning. Persons excluded from the garden are potential vandals.
• Fences can be made of almost any material. Plant raspberries, roses or other thorny plants instead of putting in a regular wooden or chainlink fence. Fences serve as much to mark possession of a property as to prevent entry, since nothing short of razor-wire and land mines will keep a determined vandal from getting in. Short picket fences or turkey wire will keep out dogs and honest people.
• Create a shady meeting area in the garden and spend time there.
• Children involved in the garden process become champions of the cause rather than vandals.
• Your garden project may want to offer free small plots to children whose parents live in the neighborhood or to children whose parents already have a plot.
• Hold meetings and encourage other groups to hold meetings or social events in the garden.
• Harvest ripe fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Red tomatoes falling from the vines invite trouble.
• Plant potatoes, other root crops or less popular vegetables such as kohlrabi along the sidewalk or fence. Plant the purple varieties of cauliflower and beans or the white eggplant to confuse a vandal.
• Post a sign, "Please do not take food from our garden but rather join us and grow your own food. We can teach you how to garden and offer lots of resources."
• Plant a "vandal's garden" at the entrance. Mark it with a sign: "If you must take food, please take it from here."

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How to Organize a Planting Party

Spring planting is an exciting time in the garden. Hosting a planting party is a great way to invite people to your garden, enjoy a beautiful spring day together, and get the work done.

Pick a day. Choose an alternate rain date too. You may want to coordinate your party around Earth Day (April 22), Arbor Day (last Friday in April), May Day (May 1), Cinco de Mayo (May 5), National Teacher’s Day (May 7), or Mother’s Day (May 12) a mother-child planting activity would be fun! Some dates to remember: May 10 is considered the frost-free date in Des Moines, when it is safe to plant out all warm-weather plants (tomatoes, peppers, etc.), the free annuals for those who requested them will be available in May. The Great Perennial Divide pick-up day is also in May for those participating.

Send out postcards. Let kids design the cards. Invite friends, volunteers, parents of children who work in the garden, other staff who have not been involved in the garden in the past, master gardeners (contact Polk County Master Gardener’s program at 263-2660), local government officials, potential partners, community leaders, funders, neighbors…the more the merrier when there is work to be done. Assign jobs to individuals ahead of time to ensure their participation in the event, like inviting the principal to hand out nametags and run the introduction game.

Have a plan. Before everyone is standing around waiting for your orders, make a plan on paper and make several copies so that people can take one with them while they are working in different parts of the garden. Do you need your guests to help out with spring clean up, layout the garden, spread mulch or compost, make paths, till, design row markers, create a trellis, or do an art project?

BYOT? Do you have enough tools for everyone (especially trowels, shovels, hoes, and gloves)? Or do they need to bring their own? The Tool Lending Library located at 1153 24th St. is a great resource for tools for a special event like this. Call 244-8665 to reserve them ahead of time. They have hand tools, wheelbarrows, shovels, and tillers, just to name a few. Round up everything else you will need that day: seeds, seedlings, compost, wood chips, granular fertilizer, row markers, pens, watering cans, hoses, access to water turned on, twine, a camera.

Get to Know Each Other. Provide name tags for everyone. Bring the whole group together and introduce people to each other with a short game to get acquainted. Make up a short scavenger hunt, try human bingo, or have participants choose a favorite plant that starts with the same letter as their first name.

Team Work. Working together in small groups allows people to get to know each other and get work done in all areas of the garden at the same time. Pair up groups of children with 1-2 adults.

Eat, drink and be merry. Provide your guests with beverages and a nourishing snack for all of their hard work. Make sun tea or peppermint tea the day before and have lots of water available. Fresh fruit, yogurt, or granola bars are a satisfying snack.

Invite them back. Wasn’t that a lot of fun! Give your guests opportunities to help in the garden in the future. Think through volunteer areas needed and post a sign-up sheet. Have a harvest party or other informal garden party in the summer or fall so that your guests can see how their plantings have grown.
By Stephanie Petersen, Polk County Extension Horticulturist

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Human Bingo

Get to know your gardeners and their gifts

Play Human Bingo at your Planting Party and get to know your neighbors (and their skills) better!  Use these bingo cards (or make similar ones yourself).  Give each person at the party a card and a pencil.  Then, have everyone walk around the room meeting people and marking down the characteristics they can find.  The first person to fill up a row wins!  You can make your own rules and have as many variations of this game as you like.  Have fun mapping the assets of your neighbors!

 

Speaks another language	Has carpentry skills	Likes to plan parties	Comfortable using email	Likes to tell or read stories to children
Like to make snacks for gatherings	Enjoys making crafts	Knows how to can produce	Grows vegetables	Likes to plan
Likes to talk to people	Has lived in their neighborhood all of their life	Free	Could repair outdoor gardening equipment	Has experience selling products
Plays an instrument	Is a member of a neighborhood association.	Enjoys writing	Enjoys working with kids	Can facilitate a meeting
Able to volunteer during the weekday	Has painted outdoor objects	Enjoys making and sending cards	Owns a truck	Gardened with their family when they were young

 

Has written a grant	Has masonry skills	Likes to take pictures­­	Can put together a newsletter on the computer	Knows someone with landscape design skills
Likes to cook with vegetables from the garden	Has extra garden tools to donate	Grows flowers for cutting	Has gardening or landscaping experience	Likes to plan work for others           (i.e. planning a planting event)
Enjoy speaking to groups	Has volunteered for an area organization	Free	Could repair outdoor gardening equipment	Has experience selling products
Comfortable managing a budget	Can make photocopies for free	Enjoys greeting and meeting new people	Is a member of a community organization	Can facilitate a meeting
Able to volunteer during the weekend	Enjoys making crafts	Has grown a fruit tree	Owns a tiller	Is familiar with some area garden groups

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How to Organize Community Harvest Celebration

Mix Well for Best Results

Purpose: To share the harvest with the whole community, to celebrate the children’s accomplishments in the youth garden, to raise awareness and gain publicity for your garden project.

Discovery Question: How can we include the larger community harvest-time activities?

Materials: A season’s worth of harvested crops, invitations, crafts from summer activities, storytellers, dancers, musicians, etc.

Procedure:

1. Choose a date and rain date (very important) for the harvest festival. Borrow chairs, tables, and utensils from a school, church or senior center.

2. Have the children design invitations and posters using the garden’s logo, and distribute to family, friends, and businesses that donated goods and services, as well as farmers who came to lecture, the local media, etc.

3. Have children sign up to bring a potluck dish (appetizer, entrée, salad, and dessert) using as many garden-grown ingredients as possible. If you have access to a kitchen during the program, prepare make-ahead dishes, like casseroles that can be frozen, preserves, pickles, dried fruits, and vegetables.

4. Decorate with dried flowers, corn stalks, autumn leaves, photos, and artwork the children made during the program: make centerpieces for the tables from garden produce.

5. On the day of the celebration, have participants and guests finish up harvesting and preparing the garden for winter.

6. Have craftspeople work with produce to make holiday harvest gifts.

7. Arrange a program of music, stories, and dance. Schedule a time for the children to share experiences, read stories and poems about the garden, and a time for parents to share their appreciation.

8. Sell copies of the garden cookbook to raise money for next year’s program.

9. Eat, drink and be merry!

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Fundraising

Local Grants for Community Greening Efforts

Outdoor Classroom Mini Grants: Iowa Conservation Education Council
You can create an outdoor classroom at your school with funds from ICEC’s EE Mini-grant Program. Thousands of dollars have been made available through initial funding with the REAP Conservation Education Program, and the Iowa Conservation Education Council. Grants will be distributed in $300-500 amounts. Application are due Jan 31 and March 1. Applications may be obtained by contacting Iowa Conservation Education Council: Margaret Sadeghpour-Kramer, Box 16, Martelle, IA 52305 or mskandmk@aol.com and margaretkramer@yahoo.com.

BASICS for Nutrition and Physical Activity Community: Based Nutrition Education Iowa Department of Public Health
BASICS stands for Building and Strengthening Iowa Community Support for Nutrition and Physical Activity. BASICS incentive grants provide federal funding for community coalitions to expand nutrition and physical-activity education programs that serve limited resource audiences. The Iowa Nutrition Education Network, administered by the Iowa Department of Public Health, offers the grants. Contact Marilyn Jones at the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for information and an application. Call 800-532-1579 or Email majones@idph.state.ia.us . Please include mailing address, fax and telephone number. Applications are due each May.

Iowa Science Foundation: Iowa Academy of Science
The Iowa Science Foundation (ISF) is a state-supported program administered by the Iowa Academy of Science for the purpose of furthering science in Iowa. To this end, the ISF provides small grants of up to $5000 to support one-year projects proposed by individuals or organizations. www.iren.net/ias/isf.htm

Iowa Arts Council: Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
The Iowa Arts Council has a number of grant opportunities ranging from small grants (up to $1500) to large cultural grants (up to $25000). Grant areas include Artists in Schools/Community, Arts in Education, Mini-Grants, Operation Support Grants, Project Grants for Artists, Traditional Art Mini-Grants, and Project Grant for Organizations. Many of the mini grants are awarded monthly. www.culturalaffairs.org/iac/

“Iowa’s Promise…Our Youth” Grant Program: Iowa Commission on Volunteer Services
Applications due March 1st of each year.
To encourage local youth groups in Iowa to partner with at least one other community group to plan and carry out a community service or community improvement project and submit a report at completion so other communities can replicate the project. Any combination of youth groups/community groups in Iowa can apply for grants up to $250. This can be two or more youth groups (4-H clubs, Scouts, FFA, church groups, community groups, school groups) or one youth group and one adult group (church group, community group, school group). Partnerships may be two youth groups, youth and parents, youth and senior citizens, etc. If a youth group partners with an adult group, preference will be given to those grant applications indicating the youth group is taking the leadership role in the project. This is a grant provided by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and administered by Iowa State University Extension, 4-H Youth Development. For more information, contact: Sue Bogue (515-294-1533) or Wendy Brock (515-294-1607) at the State 4- H Office. Visit their website to download application information: www.state.ia.us/ided/crd/icvs/

Home Depot
Each Home Depot has funds set aside for community projects and many of them will send out a volunteer crew for work projects. Contact your local Home Depot store.

Keep Iowa Beautiful Funds
Applications due December 31st of each year
The primary criteria for determining funding priorities is the anticipated long-term effectiveness of a project to clean up or prevent litter, improve waste management r recycling efforts, beautify a site, prevent illegal dumping or eliminate public nuisances. Projects are funded on a grant basis and no matching funds are required. However, the higher degree of match, the more likely a project will be approved. Applications for Keep Iowa Beautiful grants are attached or may be obtained on the DOT's Web site www.dot.state.ia.us/forms/index.htm or by calling Kathy Ridnour at 515-239-1713. A copy can also be found on the Keep Iowa Beautiful Web site at keepiowabeautiful.com.

Metro Waste Authority Grant Program
The MWA Grant Program offers a reimbursement (up to $2,500 per project) to schools, businesses, public and private groups/clubs, and neighborhood associations for projects with an environmental focus, from litter clean-ups to school recycling programs. Projects that qualify for funding include: Electronics recycling, anti-graffiti programs, efforts to oppose illegal dumping, community clean-ups, assistance with efforts to end open burning, assistance with disaster debris management, and watershed protection initiative. For more information on the grant program, visit www.mwatoday.com/abo_grant.html . Groups interested in applying for funding should contact MWA at 244-0021 to