Explanation
Background
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus Foundation to provide programming support for the Community Garden Grant Project.
The Columbus Foundation seeks to provide financial and material resources to organizations that aim to re-purpose underused land to create, continue, or expand community gardens and green spaces.
The Garden Grant is administered by The Columbus Foundation with support from Franklin Park Conservatory and the Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan for the past 15 years. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, City of Columbus, and Franklin County utilize a single application to maximize funding and material resources to gardens. A coordinated network of urban agriculture can provide food system education, increase access to affordable local produce, and create jobs.
Central Ohio is a thriving hub for community gardening and urban agriculture. The average grant award in 2024 was $1,162 and funded raised bed and garden supplies. Typically, 75 gardens apply for the grant each year, with a 57% increase in applications following the COVID-19 pandemic. Production Outcomes from previously awarded grants, include:
Total produce harvested: 41,375 pounds
Community donations: 32,012 pounds (77.4% of total)
Number of meals provided: 34,153
Families fed: 2,050 for 205 days
Net number of volunteer hours per growing season: 25,151
This grant will support initiatives that increase healthy, affordable, and local food access and education, particularly for people in under-resourced neighborhoods; Connect individuals to the life-enhancing benefits of community gardens and green spaces, including health and wellness, environmental, community building, and beautification.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this grant agreement is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus Foundation to prov...
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