Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003503
Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003503
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture community development education environment food and nutrition health natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Peoples Garden Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.500 Cooperative Extension Service.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 4, 2011 and posted on Jul 26, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 26, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $725,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Individuals City or township governments.
- Eligible applicants are State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or education institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, non profit organizations, individuals, and any other contractor or recipient. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the implementation of the project. An applicants failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, will preclude NIFA from making an award.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Peoples Garden Grant Program (PGGP) was a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity for FY 2011 designed to spark the creation or expansion of community gardens in both urban and rural areas. The program focused on gardens that serve a practical purpose such as producing fruits and vegetables, supporting recreation, and/or providing wildlife habitat, while also functioning as hands-on settings for science-based informal education. In other words, the gardens were not only meant to grow food or enhance local green space, but also to be used as learning sites where communities could build knowledge about agriculture, nutrition, natural resources, and environmental stewardship through real-world experiences rather than classroom-only instruction.
A defining feature of this program was its structure: awardees were expected to act as intermediaries that would distribute micro subgrants to smaller, local projects. That means applicants were not simply requesting funds for one garden at one site; they were proposing a plan to support multiple community-level efforts by regranting smaller amounts of funding and helping local partners implement and sustain their gardens. This emphasis on micro subgranting was intended to spread the impact across many neighborhoods and communities, especially by enabling small organizations and local groups to carry out garden projects with support from a larger coordinating entity.
The PGGP was described as a joint USDA initiative, with support beyond NIFA from several USDA agencies: the Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Forest Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. That multi-agency backing signaled a broad set of intended outcomes, including better access to locally grown produce, improved nutrition and community health, environmental benefits like habitat and conservation awareness, and stronger community development through shared public spaces.
From a funding standpoint, the opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, with a total estimated funding level of $725,000 and an expectation of about seven awards. Individual awards could be as large as $150,000. The program required cost sharing or matching, so applicants needed to bring some level of non-federal contribution to the project, which often takes the form of cash, in-kind services, staff time, donated materials, volunteer labor, or partner support depending on program rules. The assistance was associated with CFDA number 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service), which aligns with the program's education and community outreach focus.
Eligibility was intentionally broad. Eligible applicants included state and local governments (such as state governments, county governments, and city or township governments), nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, K-12 entities like independent school districts, tribal governments (federally recognized), public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and even individuals. The detailed eligibility statement also listed state agricultural experiment stations and state cooperative extension services, along with other research or education institutions and organizations, and federal or private agencies. Award recipients were allowed to subcontract to organizations that might not otherwise be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the work. As with most federal grants, failure to meet eligibility requirements by the deadline could lead to an application being excluded from review or make an award impossible.
The timeline for this FY 2011 solicitation was tight and clearly defined. The opportunity was posted on July 26, 2011, with an original and final application deadline of August 26, 2011, and it was later archived on September 25, 2011. NIFA also scheduled an applicant teleconference for August 4, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time to address questions about the request for applications, and indicated that a summary of Q&A would be posted online for those unable to join. In addition to requesting applications, NIFA explicitly invited stakeholder input to inform the development of the next request for applications, signaling that the program was evolving and that public feedback was considered part of its planning process.
Overall, the Peoples Garden Grant Program can be understood as a USDA effort to multiply local garden projects by funding a small number of larger coordinators who could then seed many smaller community gardens. The program blended food production, community engagement, and environmental benefits with a strong expectation that gardens would be used as practical learning sites, extending science-based education into everyday community spaces.
Peoples Garden Grant Program (PGGP) FAQs (FY 2011)
What was the Peoples Garden Grant Program (PGGP)?
The Peoples Garden Grant Program (PGGP) was a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity for FY 2011 intended to spark the creation or expansion of community gardens in urban and rural areas.
What kinds of gardens did the program aim to support?
The program focused on community gardens that serve practical purposes such as producing fruits and vegetables, supporting recreation, and/or providing wildlife habitat.
Was PGGP only about growing food?
No. PGGP emphasized that gardens should also function as hands-on settings for science-based informal education, where communities can learn about agriculture, nutrition, natural resources, and environmental stewardship through real-world experiences.
What made PGGP different from a typical single-site garden grant?
A defining feature was that awardees were expected to act as intermediaries. Instead of funding one garden at one site, awardees were expected to distribute micro subgrants to smaller, local projects and support multiple community-level garden efforts.
What does it mean that awardees would act as intermediaries?
It means the applicant would propose a plan to regrant smaller amounts of funding (micro subgrants) to local organizations or groups, and also help local partners implement and sustain their garden projects.
Why did the program emphasize micro subgrants?
The micro subgrant structure was intended to spread the program's impact across many neighborhoods and communities by enabling small organizations and local groups to carry out garden projects with support from a larger coordinating entity.
Which USDA agency offered this opportunity?
The funding opportunity was offered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Was PGGP supported by other USDA agencies?
Yes. It was described as a joint USDA initiative with support beyond NIFA from the Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Forest Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
What outcomes did the multi-agency support suggest the program was aiming for?
The multi-agency backing signaled intended outcomes such as better access to locally grown produce, improved nutrition and community health, environmental benefits like habitat and conservation awareness, and stronger community development through shared public spaces.
What type of federal funding mechanism was used?
The opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
How much total funding was estimated for PGGP (FY 2011)?
The total estimated funding level was $725,000.
About how many awards were expected?
The program expected to make about seven awards.
What was the maximum award size?
Individual awards could be as large as $150,000.
Did the program require matching or cost sharing?
Yes. The program required cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants needed to bring a non-federal contribution to the project.
What could count as a non-federal match for the cost share requirement?
The match could often take forms such as cash, in-kind services, staff time, donated materials, volunteer labor, or partner support, depending on the program rules.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The assistance was associated with CFDA number 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service).
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included state and local governments (such as state governments, county governments, and city or township governments), nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, K-12 entities like independent school districts, tribal governments (federally recognized), public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and individuals.
Were any other types of organizations mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The eligibility statement also listed state agricultural experiment stations and state cooperative extension services, along with other research or education institutions and organizations, and federal or private agencies.
Could an award recipient work with partners that were not eligible to apply directly?
Yes. Award recipients were allowed to subcontract to organizations that might not otherwise be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the work.
What could happen if an applicant did not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
Failure to meet eligibility requirements by the deadline could lead to an application being excluded from review or make an award impossible.
When was the FY 2011 opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on July 26, 2011.
What was the application deadline?
The original and final application deadline was August 26, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on September 25, 2011.
Was there an applicant information session?
Yes. NIFA scheduled an applicant teleconference for August 4, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time to address questions about the request for applications.
If someone could not attend the teleconference, was there another way to get the information?
Yes. NIFA indicated that a summary of Q&A would be posted online for those unable to join.
Did NIFA request public or stakeholder feedback?
Yes. In addition to requesting applications, NIFA explicitly invited stakeholder input to help inform the development of the next request for applications.
How can PGGP be summarized in simple terms?
PGGP was a USDA effort to multiply local garden projects by funding a small number of larger coordinators who could then seed many smaller community gardens through micro subgrants, while ensuring gardens served both practical purposes and hands-on informal education goals.
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