State Agriculture Department Announces $1 Million Awarded to Urban Farms and Community Gardens Across the State

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today announced that $1 million has been awarded to 22 organizations across the state through Round 2 of New York State’s Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program. The program is designed to support community growing spaces and recognize their impact on local food resiliency and food security for New Yorkers. Funding for the program was included in the FY 2023 Enacted Budget and is a part of Governor Hochul’s 2023 State of the State commitment to making local food more accessible to all New Yorkers.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Our community growing spaces are a critical part of our neighborhoods and to ensuring more New Yorkers have access to fresh, nutritious foods. I thank the Governor for recognizing the unique needs that our urban farms and community gardens serve and the role they play in ensuring a strong, reliable food supply. Congratulations to all of our awardees; we look forward to seeing the expansion and enhancement of these farms and gardens.”

Funding was awarded to 22 urban farms and community gardens across the state for projects that focus on food production, food safety, and food distribution while also creating a lasting impact on local food resiliency. Awards will help the organizations managing these spaces to expand gardens, build structures, purchase equipment, and establish educational programs. The awarded recipients include:

Capital Region

Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County, Green Roots: Growing Food and Community in the City- $50,000
Central New York
Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Expansion of the Morrisville Community Learning Garden- $46,155

Finger Lakes

Foodlink Inc., Foodlink Urban Farm Expansion Project: Phase 1- $50,000
EquiCenter Inc., EquiCenter Community Garden Support Initiative- $41,663

Long Island

Island Harvest LTD, Healthy Harvest Farm and Giving Gardens Expansion- $50,000
Sisters of St. Joseph, CSJ Community Garden Ministry- $22,784

Mid-Hudson

Clarkstown Central School District, Clarkstown Central School District School and Community Garden Wellness Initiative- $50,000
Poughkeepsie Farm Project, Building the Poughkeepsie Urban Growers Network- $50,000

Mohawk Valley