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Resources
From community gardens, school learning gardens, urban farms, rooftop farms, and controlled environment agriculture, New York City is home to a diverse breadth of urban agriculture.
Below are current NYC resources, keep checking as we update the website!
Fall Funding Roundup - Urban Agriculture Grant Opportunities
The Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture (MOUA) is pleased to present the NYC urban agriculture community with the following funding opportunities. Please note that MOUA is not a direct funder of these grants and does not endorse any particular opportunity, they are presented here for your awareness and consideration.
USDA People's Garden Initiative
USDA and Just Food will award funding up to $10,000, to several New York City community gardens. Gardens that have previously not applied for, or received, similar funding are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: 12/01/2023
Learn more and apply for the USDA People's Garden Initiative
RFA0308 2023 SNAP-Ed Community Growers
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) grant opportunity that supports garden-based nutrition education and food production in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible communities as a beneficial activity that leads to the economical production and consumption of healthy and fresh food.
Deadline: 12/15/2023
Learn more and apply for RFA0308 2023 SNAP-Ed Community Growers
RFA0309 2023 SNAP-Ed Food Box
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) grant opportunity to run SNAP-eligible food boxes, farm shares, Community Supported Agriculture farms (CSA)s, and farm stands that serve low-income priority populations and provide nutrition education.
Deadline: 12/15/2023
Learn more and apply for RFA0309 2023 SNAP-Ed Food Box
Youth Garden Grant 2024
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities. In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Deadline: 12/15/2023
Learn more and apply for Youth Garden Grant 2024
NYAITC Grow with Us Grant
New York Agriculture in the Classroom is awarding funding for grow systems to provide teachers the vehicle and tools to facilitate experiential learning using agriculture as the context for learning.
Deadline: 1/09/2024
Learn more and apply for NYAITC Grow with Us Grant
Community Gardens
GreenThumb, the community gardening program of NYC Parks, has been supporting community gardens and farms across New York City since 1978 with technical assistance, workshops, programming and material support. Currently supporting over 550 community gardens and 20,000 volunteer community gardeners, GreenThumb is ready to help you with your community-focused urban agriculture project.
- Find a community garden near you with the GreenThumb Garden Map.
- Learn how to start a community garden with the guide: “How to Start a Community Garden”
- Identify available and potentially suitable sites for a community garden.
Farms at NYCHA
Farms at NYCHA is part of Building Healthy Communities, a city-wide partnership designed to improve health outcomes in 12 neighborhoods in New York City. Through the initiative, young public housing residents are building and maintaining farms on public housing properties across the city to serve fellow residents, with local partners. The Farms expand healthy food access, provide youth workforce and leadership development, and promote sustainable and connected public housing communities
Commercial Farming
For information about opening an urban agriculture business in New York City, visit the Urban Agriculture Guide on the NYC Business Portal. This guide includes tips on creating a business plan, registering and financing your business, finding and planning your space, hiring a team, preparing to open, and operating your business.
The NYC Zoning Resolution regulates and establishes limits on the use of land and buildings size, shape, height, and setbacks. Zoning allows agriculture everywhere in the city except C7 district, which are specifically designated for large open amusement parks, and are mapped only in a few locations citywide.
For up-to-date information about zoning and related information for New York City, visit ZoLa, the Department of City Planning’s web-based zoning and land use application.
Cornell Cooperative Extension's Urban Agriculture Program provides support for farmers in all five boroughs of New York City. With an emphasis on growing for market, the program serves urban farmers through educational programming, technical assistance, and research. The program areas include production, marketing, regulations, food safety, and urban agriculture's social and environmental impacts. Visit the program’s website or @urbanag.nyc on Instagram for more information.
Food Policy
The Mayor's Office of Food Policy works to advance the City’s efforts to increase food security, promote access to and awareness of healthy food, and support economic opportunities and environmental sustainability in the food system.
DOE Sustainability
Nearly 70% of our school buildings have access to school gardens. These range from indoor windowsill gardens and hydroponic towers to outdoor raised beds. For more information on School Gardens and making NYC Schools more sustainable, please visit NYC DOE Office of Sustainability.
For more resources, please visit: Sustainability Hub (google.com)
Organics Collection Services
One third of what New Yorkers throw away is yard waste and food scraps, also known as organics. The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) now provides organics collection services to help reduce waste and create soil or renewable energy. Learn more about the organics collection program from the DSNY Food Scraps and Yard Waste webpage.