Grants

Boone County Master Gardeners (BCMG), in cooperation with the Cooperative Extension Service of Boone County and Purdue University, promote sound gardening practices and provide research-based information to increase the knowledge and pleasure of gardening for the community and its members.

In keeping with that mission, BCMG funds and awards grants for special projects which promote educational experiences within the community. This is an important part of our relationship within Boone County.

The grant application will be available October 2022. To apply for a grant please use the Boone County Master Gardener Grant Application. This is a fillable pdf you can complete and submit via e-mail.

We are pleased to announce the 2022 recipients of the Boone County Master Gardeners grants:

Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library

Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library in Zionsville was awarded a 2022 Master Gardener grant, requested by Patricia VanArsdale, Teen & Adult Assistant Department Head. The town of Zionsville was awarded the title of 2021 Green Community of the Year by Accelerated Indiana Municipalities. The library started a seed bank in May of 2021 and has distributed 7,200 packages of free garden/flower seeds to the community. In keeping with the town’s environmentally friendly focus, by reducing the number of plastics from their landfills and by helping community members to garden by offering free seeds, the library will use the grant to purchase soil blockers and soil tubs. The soil blockers and tubs can be checked out by patrons of the library in order to create blocks of soil to plant their seeds in therefor bypassing the need for plastic seed trays or plastic containers. We wish them well during their 2022 community seed giveaway.                         

Boone Meadow Elementary School

Boone Meadow Elementary School was awarded a 2022 Master Gardener grant, requested by Candice Culligan, PTO beautification volunteer, to support the continuation of the school’s STEM edible garden project. The grant will be used to help purchase lumber for new raised beds, soil amendments, and fruit and vegetable seed or seedlings. This garden is used for STEM instruction for grades kindergarten through fourth. The main purposes of the garden are education and community outreach. Students learn where their food comes from by planting seeds and seedlings, maintaining the garden, and harvesting the fruits and vegetables. The produce harvested will be donated to local feeding programs and food pantries in Boone County.

Some past projects that have been funded include:

• Maplelawn Farmstead
                                                                    
• Boone Meadow Elementary School
                     
• Zionsville Cultural District (Dahlia Project)

The Boone County Community Gardens used the grant to purchase seeds for the community garden and support educational activities. Over 80 youth and 120 adults benefited. This project resulted in 2,850 pounds of produce donated to local feeding programs and food pantries. Twice-weekly hands-on gardening classes were provided to the local Boys & Girls Club summer campers. An additional grant in 2020 will continue to fund this group that is changing the food system for our community.