NY S06453

Creates a community gardening grant program within the Department of Agriculture and Markets to award grants to nonprofit organizations and local government entities (excluding cities with populations over 1 million) for expanding, establishing, or maintaining community gardens

Eligible projects include establishing gardens to support food banks and pantries, gardens on eligible entity-owned land, re-granting to other organizations, planning and consulting, and improvements to food production, storage, and distribution infrastructure

Grants up to $30,000 per eligible entity, disbursed over up to three years, with eligible entities required to provide 10 percent funding match while the state provides 90 percent

Eligible grant expenses include food storage equipment, gardening equipment and tools, operating expenses (seeds, plants, irrigation supplies, maintenance), capital improvements, and application preparation costs

Applications must include assurances that volunteer priority will be given to community residents and demonstrate the entity's commitment to providing ongoing financial or in-kind support for the garden