Texas Farm Bureau Offers Garden Grants for Public, Private, Homeschool Classrooms

Small-scale gardening and large-scale farming have much in common, and Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) helps students make that connection through programs available for public, private and homeschool classrooms.

The programs were created to support schools and organizations as they teach students about the sources of their food, fiber and fuel.

“We highly encourage educators in the area apply for these grants,” Lemae Higgs, Fayette County Farm Bureau president, said. “It’s a great opportunity for our students in Fayette County.”

Involving students in hands-on activities that are provided through the grant programs help them better understand agriculture.

“We need students to have a deeper appreciation for how their food is grown and for the people who grow it,” Higgs said. “This program can help bring agricultural concepts to life in public, private and homeschool classrooms.”

TFB can help students build connections from the school garden to the farm through the Learning from the Ground Up Garden Grant Program. The program grants up to $500 to a Texas teacher or administrator. To be eligible, the applicant must be a certified, active PK-12 teacher (all subject areas) teaching in a public school or in an accredited non-public elementary or secondary educational institution. Parent Teacher Associations and TexasA&MAgriLife Extension Service agents directly connected to a class in a public school district or accredited non-public elementary or secondary education institution may apply when the project will directly engage students. TFB will only accept one grant application per school per grant cycle. For example, an elementary school and a middle school from the same district can each apply, but two applications from the same elementary school cannot be submitted. Applications are due Sept. 22.

Garden Grant Program

The Homeschool Garden Grant Program allows students to make the connection to agriculture through learning what it takes to care for a garden project and relate the project to concepts learned within the curriculum. The program grants up to $200 to homeschool educators to help grow an understanding of food production and agriculture. Applications are due Aug. 18.

Application details

Qualifying projects provide students with hands-on, experiential learning about agriculture through the funding of a new garden project or improvements to an existing garden or greenhouse.

Aquaponic and hydroponic systems are eligible if they are used to teach students about food production.

All applications must include a timeline of the project, a list of community partners and a detailed budget with estimated expenses. Additional information, eligibility guidelines and the application link for both programs can be found on the Ag in the Classroom webpage at texasfarmbureau. org/aitc.