The GroMoreGood initiative makes garden grants, garden kits, educational curriculum, and garden training available to all Head Start programs with the goal of creating more edible gardens for young children and their families. The initiative also supports the creation of green space projects—land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation—as an option for children and the community to learn.

There are so many lessons to be learned in the garden: knowledge about nutritious food, an understanding of the natural world, a chance to watch something grow—everything kids can experience by getting their hands dirty. Hands-on experiences in the garden provide young children and the Head Start community with a multitude of benefits, including:

• Access to healthy food
• Increased physical activity
• Improved behavior
• Decreased stress and anxiety
• Positive social integration
• Greater engagement with learning
• Creative ways to guide curriculum and learning materials around the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework

Grant awards will be awarded in an effort to supplement needs of existing garden projects, to help launch new garden projects, or to supplement/launch outdoor green space projects (i.e., land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation and an option for children and the community to learn). 

As part of the grant award, Head Start programs will be expected to host a Community Build Day, bringing together Head Start students and families, community partners, and ScottsMiracle-Gro associates (if available) in a day of community service to build and celebrate the garden. Community Build Days should be held during the March through June timeframe and grantees are allowed maximum flexibility given the pandemic evolving into an endemic.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Estimated Total Program Funding: