Civic Agriculture- Growing Food in Columbus
Civic Agriculture- Growing Food in Columbus
Growing food for personal use or for economic opportunities has many benefits to the health of a community. This web page was designed to provide common definitions for civic agriculture, to list local and national funding opportunities, clarify regulations, promote education and technical assistance opportunities for growers and much more.
What is Civic Agriculture?
Civic agriculture is defined as “A locally organized system of agriculture and food production characterized by networks of producers who are bound together by place. Civic agriculture embodies a commitment to developing and strengthening an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable system of agriculture and food production that relies of local resources and serves local markets and consumers. The imperative to earn a profit is filtered through a set of cooperative and mutually supporting social relations. Community problem-solving rather than individual competition is the foundation of civic agriculture.” - Thomas A. Lyson, 1999
Click here for a list of more common terms and definitions related to growing food in Columbus.
Grant Opportunities
The following funding opportunities occur at various times throughout the year. View the websites and join the mailing lists to stay informed.
Columbus/Local Grant Opportunities
Urban Gardening Grant
Greater Columbus Growing Coalition Mini Grants
Greater Columbus Arts Council
Columbus SOUP
ComFest Grants Fund
National Grant Opportunities
USDA Agriculture Marketing Service
USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program
North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program
USDA Value-Added Producer Grant
American Public Gardens Association
National Garden Bureau
The Grant Helpers
Slow Food USA
USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Search tool: Grants for Nonprofits
Applicable Regulations & Permit Information
It can be hard to understand what is and is not permitted in a typical urban food production site. View the links below for an explanation of the applicable regulations and permits related to growing food in the City of Columbus.
Columbus Urban Agriculture Fact Sheet
Columbus Season Extension Structure Guidelines
Ohio Department of Agriculture Food Safety
Education & Technical Assistance Providers
Looking for education about growing food? The websites below will link to organizations that can help you connect with volunteers.
OSU Extension Franklin County
Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
Franklin Park Conservatory
Local Matters
Volunteer Resources
Need some additional hands to help with a garden project? The following websites can be used to request volunteers.
Besa
HandsOn Central Ohio
POINT
Accessing Land for Growing
The following links provide information about securing land for growing.
City of Columbus Land Bank Community Garden Program
Heartland FarmLink
Additional Resources
In addition to those above, check out the following opportunities and resources for civic agriculture.
U.S. EPA’s Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook
USDA Urban Agriculture Toolkit
Project Green Teacher
Soil Testing
Greater Columbus Growing Coalition
FarmAnswers.org