Although gardening does not have to be expensive, sometimes gardens need to purchase little things like tools, soil amendments, or watering systems. And sometimes, the needs are bigger for things like water line connections, raised beds or containers, or fencing. When we have sufficient resources to do so, Topeka Common Ground offers annual mini-grants to our Affiliate Gardens to help cover the costs. The Jerrie Ross Memorial Grant fund has also been established to help support area community gardens. And, we’re always on the lookout for other grants and funding sources that local community gardens might be able to take advantage of.
Topeka Common Ground Mini-Grants
TCG mini-grants are small grants ($50 – $250) that can be used to fund a variety of garden needs or projects. They are offered once per year (depending upon available funds), in late winter so that funding can be available early in the garden season. To be eligible, applicant gardens must sign up as a Topeka Common Ground Affiliate Garden, complete and submit a grant application by the application deadline, and agree to provide a brief report summarizing how the funds were used.
Our mini-grants can be used to help cover the costs of any community garden needs – access to water, hoses, soil amendments, tools, raised bed frames, compost bins, signage, fencing, etc. The application is short and simple. Please let us know what you need that we may be able to assist with.
The application period for our 2023 Mini-grants is now open (Jan 18, 2023)! Deadline for submission of applications is March 17, 2023. To apply, download and complete your application, and send as an email attachment to topekacommonground@gmail.com.
Jerrie Ross Memorial Grants
Jerrie Ross was a Topeka resident and garden-lover who passed away in August of 2020. In Jerrie’s memory, her surviving sisters have chosen to establish a new program of small grants to support area community gardens. They worked with Topeka Common Ground to identify active community gardens in the Topeka area, and selected four gardens as recipients of the memorial grants for 2022.
The following gardens were been selected as recipients of the 2022 Jerrie Ross Memorial Grants:
- Children’s Garden at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
- Countryside Garden at Countryside United Methodist Church
- Darden Garden at the Capper Foundation
- Shawnee County Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden at the Stormont Vail Events Center
Other Funding Opportunities
Topeka Common Ground is always on the lookout for funding opportunities that our community gardens might be able to take advantage of. For a list of funding sources and opportunities, check out our “Resources” page on this website.