It has been a bumper season for the ACT’s Community Garden Grants Program. This year’s round grew and flourished: boosted from $40,000 to $100,000, Round 9 funded 18 local projects, double the number of grants in previous rounds.

“This year, there were two funding streams where Canberrans could either apply for up to $10,000 to enhance existing gardens or to establish low impact gardens, or up to $20,000 to create new large-scale food production community gardens or for significant garden infrastructure,” Rebecca Vassarotti, ACT Minister for the Environment, said.

“There is always strong community demand for these grants, I am very pleased that we were able to award twice as many grants this year compared to previous years, with a higher dollar value per grant.

“Expanding support for community gardens is recognised as an important action in the ACT’s draft Local Food Strategy, and given consistent community interest, it was a no-brainer to give the grants a boost straight away.”

The Local Food Strategy, the draft of which was released in September, aims to support the local agriculture industry, and improve sustainability, affordability, and access to locally produced healthy food.

“The increase in funding will support diverse projects across the ACT including a new community garden to be built at the Scullin Shops, and the installation of seating and improvements to the paths at the neighbourhood garden at Tuggeranong Uniting Church,” Ms Vassarotti continued.

“Community gardens are an important part of creating a climate-ready city and help to cool urban areas whilst providing important habitat for native species. These projects will also help to support Canberrans by increasing resilience in local food production and creating connections in our community.”

The recipients of this year’s Community Gardens grants are:

STREAM 1:

• Canberra Environment Centre: A newcommunity garden at Gungaderra Homestead – $9,919.71
• Old Narrabundah Community Council: Upgrades to garden infrastructure, including shedroof replacement, rainwater tank, and new plots – $8,291
• Canberra City Care Charnwood: Restore existing garden beds – $7,500
• Canberra Montessori School: Establish an eco-corridor and upgrade Reconciliation Garden – $6,123
• Neville Bonner Primary School Parents and Citizens Association: Upgrades to kitchen garden – $5,436
• Campbell Community Association Inc, Campbell Park Care: Establish new wicking beds in theCampbell Community Edible Garden Project – $4,937
• Communities at Work: Establish four separate garden areas – $3,835
• Winyu ECS YWCA Canberra: New garden beds – $3,553
• Church of the Good Shepherd: Community garden upgrades, including new beds and replacing the garden shed – $3,266
• UCA Tuggeranong Uniting Church: Neighbourhood garden upgrades, including improved paths and a new seating area – $2,500
• Capital Region Community Service – Canberra Food Forestry: New plants for theGawari Mada Food Forest in Holt – $2,193
• Unit Plan 269 – Taylor View: Acommunity garden at the Taylor View development in Mawson – $2,004
• The Owners Units Plan 939 – Phillip: New raised garden beds to complement existing garden in Phillip – $2,000

STREAM 2:

• Franklin School Parents and Citizens: A newFranklin Farm Community Garden at Franklin School – $13,922
• Scullin Community Group Incorporated: A food forest garden at the Scullin shops – $9,773
• Tuggeranong Link community Houses and Centre’s Inc: Our Cooinda Sensory Garden – $8,883
• St. Anthony’s Parish Primary School: Establish the STA Kitchen Garden and Outdoor Learning Space – $8,620

A recipient in last year’s funding round, Frances Knight, Coordinator of the Hawker Community Gardens, said: “It takes some time to build community support for a garden – in our case, people were concerned that their efforts would go unsupported and unrewarded. But explaining how the Grant Program could make the garden a reality, by funding the veggie gardens and the shade trees, our community came to understand it mainly required their ‘sweat equity’. Once that was understood, they were onboard!

“Our garden has been a great success. Every time we are working there, people stop and ask about it. They are usually intrigued and delighted by the fact that they can help themselves to whatever is growing, and they are grateful that we are trying to create something beautiful and functional for everyone.”

More information about the ACT Government’s Community Garden Grants program and this year’s recipients is available on the Everyday Climate Choices website.