A greenhouse can be a valuable addition to your school, university or institution’s agricultural or horticultural education program. With an educational greenhouse, students can:
- Learn about agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, hydroponics and the cycle of life
- Conduct experiments and gain hands-on growing experience
- Cultivate business skills through plant sales
- Enjoy outdoor classroom space and fresh air
While a greenhouse may seem to be a significant investment, many grant opportunities exist that can help fund your school greenhouse project. Here are some funding opportunities to consider:
USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program
This is an annual program that provides funding for schools across the country to develop their agricultural education offerings. According to the USDA website, “This program awards grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs that connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals.”
Each grant recipient can receive up to $100,000 (with a 25% matching fund required). The funds can be used to support a wide range of activities, including purchasing an educational greenhouse.
Department of Education Perkins Grants
According to the Department of Education, “Each Year under Perkins V, Congress appropriates roughly $1.4 billion in State formula grants and over $30 million in competitive discretionary grants specified in the law for the improvement of career and technical education (CTE) programs across the nation.”
There are multiple programs under Perkins that could help fund your greenhouse project, including grants for innovation and modernization efforts, as well as state-level grants providing funding for equipment, instructional materials, work-based learning programs and more.
USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant
The USDA operates a program that awards grants to State Departments of Agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the region. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Private and public colleges and universities, municipalities and non-profit organizations may be eligible to receive funding through grant money awarded to their State. Check in with your State Department of Agriculture to see if they have Specialty Crop Grant money available that you can apply for.
ESSER Funds
As part of the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP), many state and local educational agencies were granted emergency relief funding through ESSER. Schools who received funding in the third round of the program, ESSER III or ARP ESSER, must use those funds before September 2024. An educational greenhouse can be a great way to allocate any remaining ESSER funding before it expires later this year.
Grants.gov
There are many other grant opportunities available through the federal government that include schools as an eligible entity. Grants.gov is a tool to help search for funding opportunities to fit your institution’s needs. Whether you are looking to build a greenhouse to enhance your agriculture education program or grow food for your school and community, there are many sources of funding available that can be discovered on Grants.gov.
Private Grant Opportunities
In addition to government funding,many private companies and non-profit organizations offer grant money to support school agriculture programs. The National Agriculture in the Classroom organization has a great round-up of private funding opportunities for school gardens and ag programs on their website.
Community Donations
Some schools have also found luck raising funds for a greenhouse by soliciting donations from their community. Consider working with local businesses and/or your school’s PTA/PTO to seek out support for funding your greenhouse project.
Rimol Greenhouses has extensive experience working with schools of all sizes on greenhouse construction projects. We can serve as your partner from the initial planning and design stages, through construction and installation. Get in touch today to discuss your school greenhouse project with us!