OPEN — FY2027 spring community garden mini-grant applications opened November 2, 2026 and are due December 18, 2026; exact closing hour not stated.
Iowa — United Way of Central Iowa FY2027 Community Garden Mini-Grants (December 18)
FY2027 community garden mini-grants for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools and government entities operating or establishing non-retail gardens in Polk, Dallas or Warren County, Iowa. Historical maximum awards have varied between $500 and $1,500; no binding current-year award maximum published. Apply by December 18, 2026.
FundingFY2027 individual applicant maximum not formally published. Funder states historical maximum funding has varied between $500 and $1,500 according to garden size, need and available funds. Not a guaranteed FY2027 award range or amount; full requests may not be funded.
DeadlineApplications opened November 2, 2026; completed applications due Friday, December 18, 2026. Official funder page and FY27 guidelines do not specify a closing hour or time zone.
Last verified2026-11-02
Required next actionReview official FY2027 spring Community Garden Mini Grant eligibility PDF and program page. Confirm garden is in Polk, Dallas, or Warren County, Iowa, and is operated by a qualifying 501(c)(3), school, or government entity. Prepare garden location, activity, healthy food access benefit, scope and budget. Register or log into Foundant grants portal, click Apply, use access code garden2027, and submit electronically by December 18, 2026. Exclude retail, job-training, and corporate-giving gardens.
Broad Eligibility
Iowa applicants must have a non-retail community garden in Polk, Dallas, or Warren County and serve the community as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, school, or governmental entity. New or existing gardens eligible; gardens used for retail, job training, or corporate-giving programs excluded. Priority for healthy-food access in high-poverty/food desert areas. Grant recipients must report food production.
Atlas Analysis
Independently source-verified November 2, 2026 against United Way of Central Iowa current FY2027 application webpage and one-page FY27 spring mini-grant eligibility/guidelines PDF. Actual financial-assistance grant to nonprofits, schools and government agencies for community garden projects. Open Nov 2; apply by Dec 18, no hour/zone published. Funder states historical maximum varied $500 to $1,500; no fixed FY27 per applicant limit, funding depends on garden scope/budget/availability. No aggregate pool substituted. No universal match specified. Eligible consumables and equipment seeds, irrigation, fencing, garden beds, signs, tools, water retention. Exclude retail and job training. One-time check upon signed contract, release by March 30, output reports required. Official application Foundant access code garden2027; full external portal not independently authenticated; current official guidelines and application route are public. Sources https://www.unitedwaydm.org/impact/initiatives/community-gardens/mini-grants and the funder's linked FY27 Community Garden Mini Grant Program guideline PDF.
United Way of Central Iowa FY2027 Community Garden Mini-Grants
United Way of Central Iowa opened its FY2027 spring Community Garden Mini-Grant application on November 2, 2026. Completed applications are due December 18, 2026; the funder does not publish a precise closing hour or time zone. This is an applicant-facing community food-access grant, not a contract for purchased goods or services.
Award amounts and eligible organizations
The funder has not published a binding FY2027 individual applicant minimum or maximum. It states that historically the maximum funding amount has varied between $500 and $1,500 depending on the garden and criteria. Individual awards depend on the garden’s size, demonstrated budget need, and available funding; the full request is not guaranteed. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits, schools, or government entities operating or establishing community gardens in Polk, Dallas, or Warren County, Iowa.
Eligible projects and costs
New or established community gardens growing food for personal use, group consumption, or donation qualify. Priority goes to gardens improving healthy-food access in high-poverty or food-desert neighborhoods. Retail gardens, job-training gardens and corporate-giving gardens are not eligible. Eligible project costs include seeds, plants, irrigation systems, water-meter fees, fencing, raised beds, tools, garden signage, compost, retention barrels, and other garden infrastructure described in the official guidelines.
How to apply and post-award requirements
Review the official application page and its FY27 one-page eligibility and application guidelines. Apply through the linked Foundant grant portal using the access code garden2027 and provide a proposal and demonstrated project budget by December 18, 2026. Selected recipients receive a one-time check upon a signed agreement, with grant funds released no later than March 30 as provided in the guidelines. Recipients must report food produced, by pounds or count, monthly or at season-end. A universal match requirement, reimbursement arrangement, or specific application closing hour is not stated in the public funder documentation; applicants should confirm any unanswered conditions with the program administrator.
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Source verificationReferenced source · www.unitedwaydm.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-02. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
