Author: Jim Charlier
Garden Walk Buffalo is more than just America’s largest garden tour – it’s also got its eye on beautifying Buffalo by providing grants to block clubs and community groups toward projects like community gardens, street side planters, historical garden restoration, street pole banners, annuals for baskets and pretty much any garden-related project – limited only to your imagination and sweat equity. See the complete list of recipients below.
Garden Walk Buffalo Marvin Lunenfeld Beautification Grant Applications now available online – but the deadline is coming up quickly – Wednesday, February 28, 2018.
Garden Walk Buffalo, a FREE two-day event, has granted nearly $100,000 in micro-grants since 2005 to block clubs, nonprofits, and community groups. Award amounts are based on the overall project cost and the eligible projects that were required to include matching funds from government, private contributions or volunteer sweat equity.
Other criteria? Your project has to be in the footprint of Garden Walk Buffalo (within the boundaries of the Niagara River to Main Street and the Canalside to the Scajaquada Expressway) and be able to be seen from the street.
New this year, you can apply online! Completed applications are due Wednesday, February 28, 2018 with funding awards announced in the spring. More information, and a link to the application can be found here: gardensbuffaloniagara.com. The application process is easy and we offer assistance if needed.
The awarded projects will be highlighted during this year’s Garden Walk. The Marvin Lunenfeld Beautification Grants are named in honor of Garden Walk Buffalo’s founder, Marvin Lunenfeld.
- 5 Loaves Farm right-of-way gardens
- One Symphony Circle Wadsworth Street garden
- Richardson Olmsted Campus South Lawn rain gardens
- Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park esplanade gardens
- Friends of Sisti Park additions
- Armory-Hill Association planters
- Middle Highland Block Club planters
- Troop I Post raised garden beds
- Cottage District Neighborhood Association planters
- Oxford Square Block Club Oxford Square improvements to community lot
- Bird Herkimer Block Club landscaping around new signage
- Block Association of 16th Street planters
Past recipients of the grants can be found here: gardensbuffaloniagara.com/about/beautification-grants
Garden Walk is held the last weekend of July each year, in 2018, on Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In 2017, more than 400 residences throughout the west side of Buffalo opened their creative urban gardens for tens of thousands of visitors from around the U.S., Canada, and abroad.
Lead image: Bird Herkimer Block Club landscaping around new signage, 2017