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Native Plant Society of Texas

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Garden Grants

Looking for grants to help create the school garden of your dreams? Here are several potential grant programs, including our annual Bring Back the Monarchs grants:

NPSOT Grants

  • NPSOT Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas – NPSOT awards small grants to nature centers, schools, educational groups and others to help fund development of Monarch demonstration gardens or Monarch Waystations using native plants on public sites in Texas.
  • NPSOT Chapter Grants – Many of our chapters offer grants for garden projects in their community. Check with your local NPSOT chapter to learn more!

Other Grants for School Gardens

  • Julia Rappaport Growing Gardeners Fund – The Julia Rappaport Growing Gardeners Fund provides $1,000 – $2,000 annually to one educator to start or expand a garden or gardening science project at their school or community.
  • Trees for Texans – H-E-B and Texan by Nature invite non-profits, municipalities, and civic organizations to apply for a $5,000 grant for projects that increase tree canopy, reduce the heat island effect, increase available greenspace, and beautify public spaces in Texas)
  • Texas A&M Community Forestry Grants – Create neighborhood schoolyard forested green space by increasing tree cover to 30% on school campuses and installing nature play spaces. Each grant provides funds for up to 8 campus transformations within a single Independent School District (ISD) and includes a forest literacy curriculum implementation component)
  • Texas Farm Bureau Garden Grants – “Food production: here, there and everywhere! From the school garden to the farm, let Texas Farm Bureau help your students make the connection to agriculture through our Learning From the Ground Up Garden Grant program.”
  • Whole Kids Foundation – provides a $3,000 monetary grant to support a new or existing edible educational garden located at either a K–12 School or non-profit organization that serves children.
  • Wild Ones –  grants ranging from $100 to $500 for native plant gardens and landscaping projects throughout the United States. The funds are designated for acquiring native plants and seeds for outdoor learning areas that engage youth (preschool to high school) directly in planning, planting and caring for native plant gardens.
  • Bright Green Future School Grants (Austin area) – provides funding for school-based sustainability projects up to $3,000. Applications are accepted annually at the start of the school year.
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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason