In addition to adding beauty, greening neighborhoods engages youth and brings communities together. For that reason, Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation started the GRO1000 Grassroots Grants program seven years ago. By 2018, when Scotts turns 150 years old, the foundation will have supported the creation of 1,000 community greenscapes.
Since the program’s inception, more than 830 community organizations across the U.S. and dozens of major cities have received program funding through GRO1000. The program has impacted more than 64,000 youth, who have benefited from hands-on learning and experience with nature.
The goal of GRO1000 is to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens and greenspaces to more people and communities, especially children, notes Jim King, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at ScottsMiracle-Gro.
“ScottsMiracle-Gro has had a long-standing passion of connecting children to the benefits of gardening and greenspaces. We’re honored to help communities improve through the development of gardens and greenspaces for their residents.”
From community gardens, to greenspaces, to pollinator habitats and sensory gardens, GRO1000 has supported all types of community-driven projects and places—in particular those that involve youth. The benefits that gardens provide to a community and its residents are significant, and even more so for children.
Spending time outdoors gardening helps children in myriad ways, including improving cognitive ability, hand-eye coordination, promoting healthy nutrition habits and increasing self-understanding and self-esteem. When a child cares for a garden and it thrives, that raises awareness and confidence.
The impact a garden or greenspace can have on communities is also very powerful. Such havens bring people together, awaken civic pride and inspire positive and healthy lifestyle changes.
To access the 2017 GRO1000 Grassroots Grants application, go to GRO1000. The submission deadline is February 20, 2017. Ranging from $500 to $1,500, grants are awarded based on the level of youth engagement, how the project impacts the community, if the harvests are donated and if the project is sustainable, among other criteria. Winners will be announced the first day of spring, March 20, 2017.
Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.
