A community garden needs garden rules, a membership agreement, a budget and fundraising plan, and a timeline. To begin, you only need to submit a first draft of these documents, which will change as you go through the permit application process.
1. Make garden rules.
What rules will members follow? How will conflicts between gardeners be resolved? Who has keys to the site? How will the coordinating committee communicate with the garden members? Gardens must have rules, or bylaws, to help the garden succeed.
2. Create a membership agreement.
How will individual gardeners contribute to the garden? What fees will they have to pay, if any? How long do they commit for?
3. Lay out a timeline.
What events need to take place in order to successfully build your community garden? When do you plan for them to happen?
4. Draft a first-year budget and fundraising plan.
Community garden budgets vary widely depending on their size and gardeners' choices. Whether you are planning for a small or a large garden, it is important to understand the resources required to start it and make a plan for how to obtain them. You can fund your community garden through:
- Donations of:
- Money
- Goods, such as lumber, plants, or tools
- Services, such as those of a landscape architect
- Fundraisers
- Grants, such as:
Various organizations have grants for which you can apply. Grant applications will state when the grants are due. Contact neighborhood groups, community service associations, and educational, cultural, ethnic, or religious organizations to find out about any grant opportunities they may have.
We encourage you to reach out to other community garden leaders for more insights. The Coalition of Austin Community Gardens provides profiles for each garden.