American Heart Association
Great Rivers Affiliate – Lancaster
2016-2017
Teaching Gardens Program Grant Application
Sponsored by:
Overview
The American Heart Association has established an aggressive health impact goal for the year
2020: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths
from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent. To measure the success of the 2020
impact goal, AHA has created health impact measures for children over the age of two in the
areas of: smoking, Body Mass Index (BMI), physical activity, diet score, total cholesterol, blood
pressure and blood sugar. Specifically, to measure a healthy diet score AHA has identified five
primary and 3 secondary measures to improve the heart health of the American diet. These
measures include:
Primary
• Consuming ≥ 4.5 cups of fruits & vegetables per day
• Consuming ≥ two 3.5-oz. servings of fish (preferably oily fish) per week
• Consuming < 1500 mg of sodium per day
• Consuming ≤ 450 kcal (36 oz) of sweets/sugar sweetened beverages per week
• Consuming ≥ three 1-oz equivalent servings per day of whole grains
(≥1.1 g fiber / 10 g carbohydrate)
Secondary
• Limit consumption of saturated fat to < 7% of total energy intake (kcal)
• Consuming ≥ 4 servings per week of nuts, seeds & legumes
• Limit consumption of processed meats to ≤ 2 servings per week
To achieve its 2020 goal, the American Heart Association is committed to facilitate a dramatic
change in the way Americans eat and think about food. To accomplish this change, the
American Heart Association has created the Teaching Gardens program to educate elementary
students about the importance of fruits and vegetables, to energize and excite them about
produce, and to introduce fresh produce into the diets of students and their families.
Participating in the Teaching Gardens program gives schools access to a variety of resources
and support to help achieve these goals. The American Heart Association is committed to
facilitating your school’s efforts to develop and sustain this program over multiple years.
How Does Teaching Gardens Work?
American Heart Association Teaching Gardens teach children in first through fifth grades how to
plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the value of
good eating habits. Garden-themed lessons teach nutrition, math, science and other subjects –
not to mention the fun of getting out in the fresh air and working with your hands. Throughout
the program, students celebrate gardening milestones: planting day, harvesting and activities
that involve the larger community. Of course, there are also plenty of healthy snacking
opportunities.
Teaching Gardens are functional additions to schools. Each Teaching Garden can be as unique
as the school community it serves. Whatever the size or location, every garden has the potential
to become an integrated part of the community and serve as a tool to explore the world and its
possibilities. Teaching Gardens provide wonderful opportunities for team building, leadership
development and the joy of learning.
Why School Gardening?
The program is designed to encourage healthy diets in young children and to help combat
childhood obesity, which has reached epidemic proportions. Today, nearly one in three children
and adolescents in the U.S. is overweight or obese. American Heart Association Teaching
Gardens make healthy foods fun, and they provide opportunities for children to try and enjoy
healthy foods.
American Heart Association Qualifications
School administrators, teachers, parents and students can be assured a positive experience
with the American Heart Association. The association offers credibility, scientific expertise and
existing relationships across the country, including a nearly 40-year history as a leader in the
fields of nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention.
Teaching Gardens Program Support
The American Heart Association will provide the following support to participating schools:
 A complimentary Teaching Garden kit which includes basic supplies and equipment to
establish and maintain a Teaching Garden
 Technical support and training to assist with establishing and maintaining the Teaching
Garden
 A cross-curricular, standards-based gardening and nutrition education curriculum
 Signage to acknowledge donors that have provided funding for the Teaching Garden
program
School Criteria
The American Heart Association requires any school submitting an application for a Teaching
Garden to be able to meet the following criteria. The AHA has piloted Teaching Gardens in
several schools and found that schools able and willing to meet these criteria are most
successful with establishing, maintaining and sustaining a successful Teaching Garden
program.
Administrative, Staff and Volunteer Support Requirements
 Principal’s support of the program
 Commitment to maintaining the Teaching Garden for at least two years
 Designated school-level contact for the program, such as a classroom teacher, faculty
member or staff
 Release forms distributed to and collected from all participating students
 Provided gardening and nutrition curriculum integrated into a variety of the school’s
subject area curriculums
 Maintain required insurance coverage and provide AHA with proof of insurance
 Recruit a volunteer committee of at least five individuals such as parents, local garden
club representatives, community volunteer leaders, PTA/PTO representatives, school
board members
 Partner with local businesses and organizations to establish volunteer opportunities and
support the Teaching Garden through donations of good/services
Implementation and Space Requirements
 Build and maintain a Teaching Garden with the help of parent volunteers and community
organizations (see sample School Teaching Garden Map – Appendix 1)
 Allocate appropriate space (250 to 700 square feet)
 Locate garden within 100 feet of an external water source
 Identify and secure ongoing support from volunteers and/or parents to agree to maintain
the Teaching Garden during times when school is not in session
 Adhere to the suggested timelines for ordering, planting and harvesting the garden
(Teaching Garden Implementation Timeline – Appendix 2)
 Commit to at least one Plant Day and one Harvest Day per school year
 Display AHA-provided signage in the garden acknowledging the Teaching Garden sponsor
Reporting Requirments
 Participate in evaluation activities and share program progress reports with the American
Heart Association as requested
 Share with the American Heart Association photos, video clips and success stories
 Review and execute necessary documentation
How to Apply
Please complete the following Teaching Gardens Program Grant Application. Be sure to
provide all information requested. Incomplete applications will not be processed. If you have
specific questions or need assistance, please contact:
Amber Liptack
Heart Walk Director
Amber.liptack@heart.org
(717) 207-4221
All completed applications are due by January 15, 2016. The successful applicant will be
notified within one to two weeks from the time the application is submitted.
American Heart Association
Great Rivers Affiliate - Lancaster
Teaching Gardens Program Grant Application
Please complete all information. Incomplete applications may be returned.
SECTION 1 – SCHOOL INFORMATION
Date _____________________________
School Name ________________________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________
Name of Principal_____________________________________________________________
Name of School Contact _______________________________________________________
Title _______________________________________________________________________
Phone _____________________________
Fax__________________________________
Email Address _______________________________________________________________
School Website ______________________________________________________________
Our school participates in the following AHA programs/events:
 Jump Rope for Heart
Hoops for Heart
 Go Red For Women
 CPR Anytime/Be the Beat
 Other ___________________________________
Our school would like more information about _______________________________________
1) Why would your school like a Teaching Garden?
2) How does your school plan to sustain the Teaching Garden beyond the initial
support provided by the American Heart Association?
SECTION 2 – CURRICULUM INTEGRATION
1. CATEGORY (Please check only one and write the number of students that will participate.)
 SINGLE CLASS GARDEN (Garden used by one class only)
Number of students in class and grade ______________________________________
 MULTIPLE CLASS GARDEN (Garden used by more than one class or grade, but not by
entire school)
Number of students involved in the garden and grades __________________________
 ENTIRE SCHOOL GARDEN (Garden that is used by all grade levels at the school)
Number of students involved in the garden and grades __________________________
2. Please mark all the subject area(s) in which you plan to incorporate Teaching Gardens.
(Check all that apply.)
 Math
 Science
 Social Studies
 History
 Health/Nutrition
 Language Arts
 Music
 Physical Ed.
 Environmental Ed.  Other __________________________________________
3. Please indicate the percentage of time, on average, that you will use the garden as an
instructional tool in your classroom(s): __________________________________________
4. Please indicate the number of years you plan to use Teaching Gardens in your curriculum:
__________ years
5. Please share which other organizations your school is currently partnering with to provide an
educational enrichment program?
SECTION 3 – SCHOOL & COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Teaching Garden School Champion
Name ______________________________________________________________________
Phone __________________________
Email ____________________________________
The Teaching Garden School Champion will serve as the primary coordinator for the garden at
the school. This person probably will be a staff member at the school and will be responsible for
leading/coordinating the activities of the Teaching Gardens Committee (as well as serving as
the primary point of contact with the American Heart Association).
Teaching Garden Committee
The Teaching Garden Committee is made up of people from the school and community,
including parents. The committee collaborates to identify concerns, set priorities and design
solutions in regard to the health environment and opportunities to offer experiential, projectbased learning in the school. The committee will act collectively to establish, maintain and
integrate the Teaching Garden into the school community. Members might include
representatives from the Parent Teacher Association/Organization, university students, high
school students, Garden Club members, 4-H members, etc. Please indicate the
names/titles/organizations and/or number of volunteers you have planned to help students in
the Teaching Garden.
Number of volunteers ________________
Name
Title
Organization
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
_____________________
______________________
__________________________
SECTION 4 – LOCATION
The location of your garden will be critical to the overall success of the program. Please note
that the Teaching Gardens are planted in multiple above-ground planter boxes that range from
approximately 4x4x3 feet to 8x4x3 feet. Planter boxes are provided to each participating school.
No digging on school grounds will be necessary. Your garden should be less than 100 feet from
a water faucet and will require about six full hours of sun each day. Slope and soil type affect
drainage; avoid picking a location in a low spot where puddles may form.
1. Please attach to this application a digital photo of proposed site locations on your school
property. It is recommended that you identify at least three proposed sites for your
garden. Label the photos in priority order (1, 2, 3, with 1 being your first choice) and
indicate the size of each area.
2. Have you tested the soil of the proposed Teaching Garden site?  Yes  No
Although most of the crops selected will not have a deep root system, it’s a good idea to
test any site you are considering for lead contamination. Contact your county health
department or cooperative extension office for information on testing. If your soil is toxic,
it will be important to include bottoms for the garden boxes, so the toxins cannot leach
into the garden soil.
3. On what type of surface will your garden boxes sit?
 grass
 dirt
 asphalt
 concrete
4. Does your school have issues with animals in your proposed garden area? If so, what
type of animals?
 deer
 rabbits
 chipmunks
 moles
 gophers
 groundhogs
 other __________________________
5. Does your school have special considerations or restrictions when making large
deliveries (i.e. time of day, location, office phone number)? The garden soil will likely be
delivered in a large truck, so please be as specific as possible with any special
instructions for deliveries.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
SECTION 5 – AUTHORIZATION
On behalf of _____________________________________________________ (school name),
we agree to fulfill the roles and responsibilities detailed above.
Principal Signature ____________________________________________________________
Principal Printed Name ________________________________________________________
Principal Email ______________________________________________________________
Date __________________________
Nothing in this Application Form shall be deemed to be a commitment by the American
Heart Association or obligation of American Heart Association funds. The American
Heart Association reserves the right to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion in
the event that it does not receive continued, sufficient external funding or for any
additional reason as decided by AHA.
AHA Use (to be completed by the AHA Staff before turning in to the National Center)
Date Received: ____________________________
Application Complete: Yes
 No
Reviewed by: ___________________________________
Funding: MHML ( circle one)
 Part of Platform
Individual MHML
 Other ____________________
 Restricted
 Unrestricted
Funder Name: ____________________________________________________
 New
 Renew
Dollar Amount Provided by the Funder:____________________________________
Number of Plantings Outlined in the Agreement:___________________________________
Dollar Amount of Expenses: __________________________________________
Name of AHA Staff Responsible for Managing the Partnership with the Funder:
_______________________________________________
AHA Staff Responsible for the Teaching Garden Implementation:
__________________________________________________________________
Building a Sustainable Teaching Garden
Beyond the American Heart Association Funding Support
The AHA Teaching Gardens Program was developed to assist the AHA in meeting the
2020 Goals in relationship to children and cardiovascular disease and stroke. The role
of the AHA in relation to Teaching Gardens is to introduce a comprehensive Teaching
Gardens Program and lay the foundation for the long term success of the program
beyond the AHA’s funding cycle for the program. There are two factors to be clear on
from the beginning of the program. These are:
A. From Day One of the program when a school becomes an AHA Teaching
Garden School it is important for the school to have a clear understanding of the
funding period that the TG will have AHA funded support.
B. From Day One of the program AHA must partner with the school to assist the
school in answering “How will we move forward to support this facet of the
program when AHA funding is no longer in place?” By having this question ever
present it will allow the school and AHA to build the long term sustainability plan.
The Components of Sustainability:
A. The Curriculum
B. The Tools and Planters
C. The Seeds and Seedlings
D. Ongoing Financial Support
Curriculum – AHA has provided access to a large approved list of curriculum providers.
Each school is encouraged to use this menu from the beginning in concert with the AHA
curriculum. These recommendations are in the Teaching Gardens Activation Kit on
pages 95 - 96 under the Manual Tab.
Tools and Planters – from the beginning of the program the composition of the
Teaching Garden Committee should include building relationships with:






Local Master Garden Clubs
University Agricultural Programs
Local Horticultural Providers
PTO/PTA
Local Garden Supply Retailers
4-H
Seeds and Seedlings
AHA is fortunate to have a partnership in place with Bonnie Plants, the largest provider
of seedlings in the United States. Bonnie Plants has agreed to provide seedlings to any
Teaching Gardens that are initiated by AHA including through the AHA funding cycle.
Our schools are encouraged to work with local providers of seeds and to use the
proceeds from their Farmer’s Market of their Teaching Garden to purchase seeds if
necessary.