Hillview Urban Ag. Grant

Dear HillView Urban Agriculture Center,
It has been our pleasure working with your organization and learning more about the
great initiatives you are doing in our community. Thank you for this opportunity to look for
funding for your equipment and supplies that are necessary for the work of your organization. In
this binder we have included the final grant application and proposal to the People’s Co-op
Community Fund, other potential funding sources, a literature review, and supporting materials.
The application form & proposal is due on April 15, 2016. This should be mailed to PFCCF
Grant Committee, ℅ People’s Food Co-op, 315 5th Avenue South, La Crosse, WI 54601. If you
have additional questions about the grant process, contact Lizzy Haywood, People’s Food Co-op
General Manager, at 608-784-5798 x1000 or liz.haywood@pfc.coop. Lastly, if your organization
is awarded, the funder requires that you provide a 12 month follow-up success report that
summarizes the outcomes of the project/program and evaluation results. For more information,
this is found in section III of the application.The best way that your organization can stay in
contact with us is by email. You can reach Caela Pereiro at pereiro.cael@uwlax.edu, Tierney
Wittmann at wittmann.tier@uwlax.edu, and Mai Mao Yang at yang.maim@uwlax.edu. We
would love to hear about any updates concerning the grant after it is submitted. Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions. Again, thank you for this opportunity
to work with your organization it has been our pleasure to do so!
Sincerely,
Caela Pereiro, Tierney Wittmann, Mai Mao Yang

Table of Contents
Potential Funding Sources ……………………………………………………………………. 2
Literature Review……………………………………………………………………………… 4
Statement of Need……………………………………………………………………………… 12
People’s Food Co-op Community Fund Proposal……………………………………………… 16
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Potential Funding Sources
1. Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program
a. Funder: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
b. Estimated Total Program Funding: $8,640,000 (Cost Sharing/Match required)
c. Deadline: November 30, 2015
d. Contact Information:
i. Jane Clary Loveless- electronic@nifa.usda.gov
ii. Website:http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/community-food-project
s-cfp-competitive-grants-program
Description: Intends to fund Community Food Projects, Planning Projects and
Training and Technical Assistance Projects. The primary goals include meeting the food
needs of low income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist
in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as
part of a comprehensive service; increase the self-reliance of communities in providing
for the food needs of the communities; promote comprehensive responses to local food
access, farm, and nutrition issues; and meet specific state local or neighborhood food and
agricultural needs including needs relating to: equipment necessary for the efficient
operation of a project, planning for long-term solutions; or the creation of innovative
marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural produces and low income
consumers.
Non-Profit
1. Blooming Prairie Foundation Grant
a. Funder: Blooming Prairie Foundation
b. Estimated Total Program Funding: Awards $2 million a year
c. Deadline: 2015 deadline closed
d. Contact information:
i. Stephanie Ricketts- bloomingprairiefoundation@gmail.com
ii. Website: http://www.bloomingprairiefoundation.org/
Description: Blooming Prairie Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to
promote innovative ideas, practices and procedures in the area of organic and natural foods in
order to further the health of the people, the health of the environment and cooperative ideals.
This organization gives grants to nonprofit, charitable organizations that conduct the following
activities: Developmental, research and educational efforts in the organic industry and the
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cooperative community, the development of organic and natural products, and cooperative
development in the natural products industry.
2. Robert & Eleanor Franke Charitable Foundation
a. Funder: Robert & Eleanor Franke Foundation
b. Estimated Total Funding: $1000-$25,000
c. Deadline: Reviews proposals quarterly: November, February, May and August
d. Contact Information:
i. Person: Melvyn Hoffman: 608-789-4357, director@frankefound.org
ii. Website: http://frankefound.org/index.html
Mission Statement:
The Foundation is organized and shall at all times be operated exclusively for the
benefit of, to perform the functions of and to carry out the purposes of the Supported
Organizations, namely, the La Crosse Community Foundation, Inc., the Diocese of La
Crosse and Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, formerly Franciscan Skemp
Healthcare, and the wishes of the Franke’s as expressed in Mr. Franke's Last Will and
Testament, and its activities shall be limited to such Charitable Purposes as will benefit,
carry out the purposes of or perform the functions of the Supported Organizations.
Vision Statement:
To act as an agent of collaboration between and among non-profit organizations,
and others, which benefit La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and to provide grants to
nonprofit organizations whose missions and purposes fall within the Foundation’s
grant-making criteria, for projects that enhance the quality of life for people who may be
physically, mentally, socially or economically disadvantaged.
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Literature Review
Okvat, H. A., & Zautra, A. J. (2011). Community Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual,
Community, and Environmental Resilience. American Journal Of Community Psychology,
47(3/4), 374-387. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9404-z
This article examined if community gardens could positively benefit individuals and
neighborhoods as well as the environment. This article researched past scholarly studies that
were submitted and wrote what the results were from most of the studies. One study showed how
kids diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) could decrease their
symptoms just by engaging in more outdoor activities like going to a park, farm, or garden. A
similar study looked at the exact effects of gardening and its impact on dementia. The study took
over 2,000 at risk dementia individuals over the age of 65 and found that by gardening it can
decrease one’s chances of getting dementia by 50%! I think that is an astonishing study because
alzheimer’s and dementia patients keep increasing this is a great way to prevent it! Another study
they interviewed about 100 gardeners and found that people rated gardening as one of the most
relaxing, beneficial, and sense of accomplishment activity they could do. Domestic abuse
programs also tested to see if victims could benefit from gardening. The results were almost
unreal. It stated that gardening helped them relieve stress, adjust to the shelter easier, motivate
them, and escape daily pressures. Community gardens can also showed benefits of bringing
neighbors together, sharing individual knowledge and skills, decreased social isolation, and can
help deal with stress. When looking at how gardening affects nutrition, one study showed that
gardening can promote healthier eating, decrease expensive grocery purchases, individuals are
more likely to eat the food they grow, and provides some physical activity when getting outside.
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Farrell, M. (1997). Teaching children about vermicomposting. Biocycle, 38(6), 78.
This article talks about the program going on in Maine called “Healthy Foods from
Healthy Soil” where two teachers installed small worm bins in about 25 classrooms so students
can get hands-on experience with a vermi-compost. The worms were fed leftovers from the
students lunches and snacks. Since the worms can only digest fruits and vegetables, the teachers
have noticed that students have been bringing in much healthier snacks. The classrooms then
gathered all the soil the worms produced and created a vegetable and herb garden located right at
the school or at a community garden. The two teachers said that this program has been such a
success that USDA (organization that funded them) might continuously fund them as want to
expand the programs to schools throughout the United States.
Mecham, N. A., & Joiner, L. R. (2012). "Even if we never ate a single bite of it; it would still be
worth it:" College students’ gardening experiences. Journal Of Ethnographic &
Qualitative Research, 6(4), 231-242.
This study that I found discussed how elementary students benefit greatly from gardening
experience (by eating more fruits and veggies as well as learning positively about the
environment) and they wanted to see if college students could also benefit. The study had about
20 college kids who were able to get a small space at a garden to grow produce. The results
showed that the college students enjoyed gardening because they were able to eat fresher and
healthier produce. Most of the gardeners also experienced positive emotions to help them relieve
stress and relax, which having to handle school exams, homework, jobs, and a social life can be
quite helpful for them. Also, most of the students felt that gardening was rewarding and
experienced a sense of accomplishment when they were able to grow fresh produce. They also
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had a boost in self-esteem and confidence when the food began sprouting. Even when some of
the gardens failed, the students still said it was a beneficial experience because they learned a lot
and know what to do better next time.
Yoshitaka, I., Messina, E., Shank, J., & Coyle, C. (2015). Role of Leisure in Meaning-Making
for Community-Dwelling Adults with Mental Illness. Journal Of Leisure Research,
47(5), 538-555.
This article was a literature review looking at past studies done to see if gardening can
serve as a mental health intervention. The author found ten papers that all showed benefits to
mental health when participating in gardening activities. Results showed decreased symptoms of
depression and anxiety and received benefits in a variety of domains including: physical,
spiritual, emotional, and social. In conclusion, most of the literature found supports gardening for
mental health benefits, however might be helpful to run experiments in a randomized-controlled
setting.
Carney, P. & Hamada, J. & Rdesinski, R., et al. (2012). Impact of a community gardening
project vegetable intake, food insecurity and family relationship: A community-based
participatory research study. Journal of Community Health, 37(4), 874-881, doi:
10.1007/s109000-011-9522-z
The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of a community gardening project on
vegetable intake, food insecurity and family relationships. The study included a
community-based participatory approach meaning the residents in the community were actively
involved throughout the research process. They used education techniques to support and
educate Hispanic farm worker families in planting and maintaining organic gardens. The
participants who enrolled in the study consisted of a total of forty-two families. Before the
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gardening season, the sum of the frequencies of “Sometimes” and “Frequently” worrying in the
past month that food would run out before money was available to buy more was 31.2% and the
sum of these frequencies dropped to 3.1% during the post garden period (Carney, 2012). In
addition, through key informant interviews and text responses, it showed that there were several
benefits to the families health such as physical, mental and economic. The benefits existed
primarily because the families often worked in their gardens together. The conclusion was that a
community gardening program can reduce food insecurity, improve dietary intake and strengthen
family relationships (Carney, 2012).
Berg, C.(2013) Sustainable campus dining: How campuses are targeting sustainability and
engagement through dining services initiatives. Sustainable Endowments Institute.
This article consisted of an analysis on sustainable food and dining projects at eight
different college campuses in the United States. As this becomes a more popular topic, research
shows that these types of projects are ideal funding candidates inside the green revolving fund
model as they coincide with the fund’s common goals of reducing resource use and engaging the
community (Berg, 2013). Specifically, one of the ways that Iowa State University is
incorporating sustainability initiatives is through composting. In 2009, the ISU Dining Services
they learned that sending food scraps through the garbage disposal could result in fines from the
City of Ames water treatment plant (Berg, 2013). In efforts to reduce waste and avoid fines, they
installed a compost system that would eliminate the issue (Berg, 2013). Throughout the article,
several other college campus sustainable food initiatives are explained in further depth. This area
is definitely a growing area of research and investigation for Green Revolving Fund to look into
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for financing food and dining initiatives. This is a unique opportunity to experience cost savings
for Universities as a whole as well as can provide educational opportunities for students.
Weltin, A., & Lavin, R. (2012). The Effect of a community garden on HgA1c in diabetics of
Marshallese Descent. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 29(1), 12-24 13p. doi:
10.1080/07370016.2012.645724 Retrieved from:
This article focused on an intervention study that was created to see if community
gardens could be used to improve diabetes control. The group of participants studied were
members of a Midwest community of immigrants from the Marshall Islands. Diabetes is the
most prevalent health concern and leading cause of death for the members in the Republic of the
Marshall Islands community. This population experiences many barriers to a healthy lifestyle so
the researchers in this study wanted to see whether a community garden could improve both
physical activity and access to healthy food choices. A plethora of evidence has shown that diet
and exercise are instrumental in the prevention and treatment of diabetes (Weltin et al, 2012).
This research explored the connection between community gardens, nutritious food sources,
physical activity and HgA1c levels. Researchers also gathered data on their food perceptions,
cultural norms, beliefs and barriers they face to healthcare in order to identify the impacts this
has on diabetes outcomes (Weltin et al, 2012). There were 17 participants that helped out at a
local community garden for 6 months and assisted with tilling the soil, pulling weeds, planting
seeds and harvesting the produce. Results showed that those who participated in a community
garden had significant reduction in their HgA1c post intervention, compared to persons who did
not participate actively (Weltin et al, 2012).
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Buckingham, S. (2003). Chapter 9: Allotments and community gardens: a DIY approach to
environmental sustainability. In Local Environmental Sustainability (pp. 195-212).
Woodhead Publishing Limited.
This article refers to the book Local Environmental Sustainability and takes a look at how
community gardens and land allotments impacts environmental sustainability in Great Britain.
Allotments are small tracts of land generally rented from a local authority for a nominal rent and
usually worked by an individual, family or small groups of friends (Buckingham, S., 2003). Not
only can they be a great source of fresh fruits and vegetables, but studies show that they offer
environmental, social and economic advantages for individuals, families and the community as a
whole. A few environmental factors include increased biodiversity and reduction of consumption
of food miles. Social factors include physical exercise, healthier diets, community building
empowerments, healing and rehab for vulnerable groups, and educational opportunities for
children and schools. Economically, community gardens provide a healthy diet at an affordable
price and reduces food poverty. This article compromises of reasons, research and benefits as to
why community gardens and land allotments are so beneficial to communities in Great Britain
and for Great Britain as a whole.
Wagner, C., & Sclar, C. (2010). COMPOSTING INTEGRAL TO PUBLIC GARDEN. Biocycle,
51(1), 30-33.
Location: Kennett Square, PA - Longwood Gardens (non-profit org). This article
emphasizes on different benefits compost have on public gardens. The goal of Longwood
Gardens is to generate quality compost for their own gardens, educational purposes, and for the
community. Their mission is to inspire people/community members to garden. Recycling
operations includes leaf mulch as a type of compost, and are from the local community. A high
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demand for compost led to Longwood Gardens to open a composting facility, which then
generate more garden space.
Huxta, B. (2014). Vermicomposting. Organic Gardening, 61(3), 64-66.
This article helps break down step by step of vermicomposting, also known as worm
compost. Vermicompost is usually a mix of of worm castings and decomposed organic matter. It
also talks about how common kitchen waste and coffee grounds can generate into great soil with
the the help of red wriggler worms. Benefits of vermicompost includes longevity of plant’s life,
and worm gives off more nutrients to plants. The red worms helps break down organic matter. If
done right, the environment can be greatly benefitted by vermicompost it helps reduces landfills
while generating nutrient dense soil.
Cooper, H. (2015). the DIRT on GARDENING. Alive: Canada’s Natural Health & Wellness.
Gardening has many benefits for individuals such as mental and physical health. The
article went in depth to further discuss that gardening eases one’s mind and get us in touch with
nature. Gardening benefits across ages and culture. Kids who actively engage in gardening are
more likely to try new and nutritious foods. The article emphasis that gardening is good for
mental health such as depression, because it reduces stress.
The Farm at St. Joe’s grows a healthier community. AHA News. December 19, 2014; 50(25):7.
This article emphasizes the benefits of community gardens and hoop houses for hospital
patients. St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan wanted to encourage patients to eat
healthier foods. To do so, the hospital converted 25 acres of vacant hospital land into an organic
garden for their patients. The garden help patients get outside, stay active, and brings healthy
10

vegetables to hospital cafeterias. The hoop houses allows vegetables to grow all year long,
providing fresh produce for community members, patients, and the hospitals. Majority of the
work done in the hoop house was by community volunteers and hospital patients. The hoop
house helped generated 17,000 pounds of food. Community and hoop houses are examples of
promoting wellness and healthy communities.
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Statement of Need
The Issue of Food Insecurity & Access
Food insecurity and hunger are certainly not new issues that the United States is dealing
with. According to the USDA, 14% of U.S. households (17.4 million) were food insecure at
some time in 2014 (USDA Economic Research Service, 2015). Although in previous years, the
rates of food insecurity were higher than in 2014, this issue is still affecting many individuals
and families. In 2014, 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households including 32.8
million adults and 15.3 million children (Feeding America, 2015) In addition to food insecurity,
several Americans are living in places also known as food deserts. The USDA's Economic
Research Service estimates that 23.5 million people live in food deserts and more than half of
those people (13.5 million) are low income (USDA, n.d.). Food deserts are defined as urban
neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food
(USDA, n.d.). Typically, access is limited to fast food restaurants and convenience stores which
don't usually offer many healthy options. This lack of access can severely impact a person's life
leading them to have an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, higher levels of obesity and
other diet-related issues. In addition to the individual burdens of hunger, there is a significant
economic cost of this issue on our nation. Hunger costs our nation at least $167.5 billion due to
the combination of lost economic productivity per year, more expensive public education
because of the rising costs of poor education outcomes, avoidable healthcare costs, and the cost
of charity to keep families fed (Shepard, Setren, & Cooper, 2011). With that being said, there is a
need for policies, programs, initiatives, and community/organizational collaboration to address
12

this issue. Currently there are several ways this is being done, one of which is through food
sustainability programs and urban agriculture.
Food Sustainability & Urban Agriculture as the Solution
Food sustainability and urban agriculture serves as a solution to increase access to
healthy food in the La Crosse community while reducing the carbon footprint. Food in the
supermarket travels from a couple miles to hundreds of miles to get to the stores so that people
can have “fresh” produce. This process creates a huge carbon footprint and is not sustainable for
the environment since so much transportation is needed. Community gardens like Hillview,
allows community members to grow food in their own backyard. Community gardens in an
urban setting allows community members to garden at a lower cost and to have access to a
garden within walking distance. This means less time traveling and more time being surrounded
in Mother Nature. There is a sense of empowerment in growing, tending, and harvesting your
own food to help individuals have a greater appreciation for their food. The food we eat greatly
impacts our daily life and health overall.
Why is it important?
The proposed project from Hillview is important because it will help create food access
to the community, increase physical and mental health, and help educate students, individuals
and families about the benefits of growing your own food. According to Journal Of Ethnographic
& Qualitative Research, college students benefit from gardening because it gave them a sense of
ownership to their health. This was seen through the positive experience of growing and
harvesting their food. Having access to gardening facilities like Hillview will help increase
mental health by reducing anxiety and depression as well as increase the longevity of life. Hoop
houses have proven effective in extending the growing season and creating fresh produce all year
13

long. It is important to have adequate materials and equipments for the hoop house so that it can
continue to provide services to the La Crosse Community. Community gardens are important
because they create more access to food, promote healthy communities, and help bring
community members together.
Purpose of Proposal & Project
Hillview and People’s Food Co-Op is a great match for a partnership because they both
have very similar missions, both centered in the La Crosse community. HillView believes that
healthy, local food should be accessible for all and they provide educational programs for all
ages and all income levels on how to grow and prepare nutritious foods. Hillview generously
donates the majority of their produce and gives back to the community aiming to decrease the
food deserts. On the application for the People’s Food Co-Op grant it states how they focus on
developmental projects more specifically about nutrition, health and well-being, sustainability,
food systems, and social change. Just by educating the public and doing vermicomposting and
gardening demonstrations they are able teach others about the whole food cycle beginning with
composting leftovers to create nutritious soil, to help grow delicious plants, and how to eat the
foods to recycle once again. Through this cycle individuals learn about sustainability and reusing
food scapes, how to eat more healthy by eating food right in your backyard, and the importance
of consuming certain nutrients. Lastly, by targeting food deserts and climate change, HillView is
working towards social change. For all these reasons listed above, we thought People’s Food
Co-Op was the perfect funder to apply to because they are both working towards the same goals.
14

References
Feeding America. (2015). Hunger and poverty facts. Retrieved from:
http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/
hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html
Mecham, N. A., & Joiner, L. R. (2012). "Even if we never ate a single bite of it; it would still be
worth it:" College students’ gardening experiences. Journal Of Ethnographic &
Qualitative Research, 6(4), 231-242.
Shepard, D., Setren, E., & Cooper, D. (2011). Hunger in America: Suffering we all pay for.
Center for American Progress. Retrieved from:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/report/2011/10/05/10504/hunger-in-am
erica/
United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.) Food deserts. Retrieved from:
https://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/fooddeserts.aspx
United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. (2015). Food security in
the U.S.: Key statistics & graphics. Retrieved from:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-stati
stics-graphics.aspx
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People’s Food Co-op Community Fund
Proposal
16

Hillview Urban Ag. Grant

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