Raleigh City Farm is one of 26 “public gardens” in the nation awarded for urban agriculture project

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and American Public Gardens Association are awarding support to 26 public gardens and their community partners engaging in urban agriculture, food-growing, and related education work. The 26 awards total $445,600 in support for public garden partnerships across the United States that will foster public engagement and education in urban food growing and build capacity in urban agriculture programs. The Urban Agriculture Resilience Program aims to strengthen collaborations, promote resilience, and gather best practices from across the U.S.

Raleigh City Farm is excited to be one of the 2024 recipients and will invest funds in our Farm to Camp program in collaboration with The Salvation Army of Wake County. Entering its sixth year, this program educates youth on sourcing, preparing and eating healthy food. Campers get to tour the farm, then participate in weekly sessions where a chef prepares a meal using produce sourced from Raleigh City Farm. The campers also receive a recipe and extra produce to take home. 

 
 

The funds will help programs in 26 states and Washington, D.C. integrate urban food growing and urban agriculture education while addressing food security challenges in their communities. The program seeks to leverage the strength of public gardens working with partners in their communities, ranging from schools, universities, and urban farms to food pantries, community gardens, local government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. This year, the program especially sought to support collaborations involving smaller public gardens, as well as organizations demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

Over the UARP’s previous four years, the program has awarded $1.57 million to 80 collaborations in 30 states and D.C. These programs have grown and shared over 690,000 pounds of produce, distributed more than 260,000 seedlings, and provided more than 46,000 hours of urban agriculture training to students, interns, and trainees.

“The collaborations supported through this year’s Urban Agriculture Resilience Program demonstrate many creative ways that urban agriculture can connect people and plants through food,” said Dr. Susan Pell, USBG executive director. “We are thrilled to embark on a fifth year of supporting such vital urban food-growing programs across the country and to expand the existing Urban Agriculture Resilience Program community with these 26 new projects.”

The Urban Agriculture Resilience Program began in 2020 as a way for the USBG and the Association to support and expand urban agriculture and food-growing programs at public gardens. Learn more about previous awardees at www.USBG.gov/UrbanAg.

2024 Urban Agriculture Resilience Program Awardees:

Alabama

  • Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with the City of Birmingham Park and Recreation Department

 Alaska

  • Georgeson Botanical Garden, in collaboration with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Office of Sustainability; UAF AFES Vegetable Variety Trials; Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District; and Calypso Farm and Ecology Center

 Arkansas

  • Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, in collaboration with Seeds that Feed

 California

  • Healthy Day Partners in collaboration with San Diego Botanic Garden

Colorado

  • The Gardens on Spring Creek in collaboration with First People’s Community Center

  • The Urban Farm in collaboration with Denver Public Youth Services

District of Columbia

  • Covenant House Greater Washington, in collaboration with OurFarm DC; Run Hope Work; and THEARC Farm–Building Bridges Across the River

Florida

  • Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with Operation Eco Vets and Easterseals Southwest Florida

Georgia

  • Historic Westside Gardens, in collaboration with Green Team of English Avenue

  • Smith-Gilbert Gardens, in collaboration with Our Giving Garden

Idaho

  • Idaho Botanical Garden, in collaboration with City of Good

Illinois

  • Growing Healthy Veterans, in collaboration with Cool Learning Experience and Roberti Community House

 Maryland

  • Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming, in collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools, Division of Sustainability and Compliance

 Michigan

  • Michigan State University Extension, in collaboration with Keep Growing Detroit and Peace Tree Parks

North Carolina

  • Raleigh City Farm, in collaboration with Salvation Army of Wake County Red Shield Club of Raleigh

New York

  • Buffalo Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with Gerard Place

  • Ithaca Children's Garden, in collaboration with The Learning Farm and Children’s Reading Connection

  • Randall's Island Park Alliance, in collaboration with LSA Family Health Service

Oregon

  • Growing Gardens, in collaboration with Providence Hospital Garden of Giving and Community Teaching Kitchen

  • Zenger Farm, in collaboration with David Douglas School District

Pennsylvania

  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with Just Harvest

  • Wyck Association, in collaboration with People’s Kitchen Philadelphia

Tennessee

  • Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, in collaboration with Little Chefs, Big Change and Shora Foundation 

Texas

  • Botanical Research Institute of Texas, in collaboration with Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County

  • Clark Gardens, in collaboration with Let’s Grow Crazy

Wisconsin

  • Allen Centennial Garden, in collaboration with Rooted WI and REAP Food Group 

About United States Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, established by Congress in 1820. The U.S. Botanic Garden inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. With over a million visitors annually, the USBG strives to demonstrate and promote sustainable practices. It is a living plant museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. www.USBG.gov  

About American Public Gardens Association

The American Public Gardens Association is the leading professional organization for the field of public horticulture. We advance the field by encouraging best practices, offering educational and networking opportunities, and advocating on behalf of our members, our programs and public gardens worldwide. We work together with our members and others to strengthen and shape public horticulture, providing the tools and support industry professionals need to better serve the public while preserving and celebrating plants creatively and sustainably. Since 1940, we have been committed to increasing cooperation and awareness among gardens. Our members include more than 600 institutions, spanning 49 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and 20 countries. Our members include, but are not limited to, botanic gardens, arboreta, zoos, museums, colleges and universities, display gardens, and research facilities. www.publicgardens.org

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