Urban agriculture capital improvements

Eligibility

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  Eligibility for up to $2,000

  To apply for funding, the urban agriculture initiative must:

  • Be located in Vancouver
  • Be operated by either:
    • A registered Vancouver-based non-profit society
    • A co-operative in good standing with BC Registry Services
    • A charitable organization
    • Xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, or səlilwətaɬ First Nations Band Council
    • An Urban Indigenous non-profit society
  • Be a community garden, an urban farm, an Indigenous-led land-based initiative, or urban agriculture initiative such as a yard share program or neighbourhood house garden
  • Be an existing initiative or, if in its first year of operation, must have already secured land
  • Be focused on growing food or medicine
  • Have a membership policy that allows public participation
    Important note Initiatives that are affiliated with a residential building such as a co-op or condominium and only open to building residents are not considered to meet this criteria.
  • Be prepared to complete approved projects by October 30, 2025
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  Eligibility for up to $4,000

  Initiatives that demonstrate alignment with the City and Park Board’s equity and Reconciliation commitments may be eligible for up to $4,000 if they meet all of the criteria for the eligibility for up to $2,000 above, and meet at least 1 of the following criteria:

  • Indigenous-led 
  • Led by or predominantly serve equity-denied residents through its programming
  • Linked to or supports complementary food literacy or capacity-building programming such as workshops, community kitchens, or mentorship
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  Funding priorities

  Our priority is to fund initiatives that align with the Vancouver Food Strategy and the Local Food System Action Plan, for example, initiatives that:

  • Are led by Indigenous residents or demonstrates that it takes meaningful and purposeful steps to advance reconciliation
  • Are by equity-denied residents or demonstrates that it takes meaningful and purposeful steps to advance equity through its programming, including racialized residents, persons with disabilities, or other groups
  • Provide greater opportunities for members of the public to get involved
  • Are located on public land or have long term tenure on a privately owned site

Eligible project expenses

You can use the funding for capital costs that support food and medicine growing programs. Information icon It does not cover operating costs like salaries.

Proposed improvements and the activities they support must be consistent with applicable regulations and by-laws (for example, Vancouver Building By-law).

Projects located on City land must also meet the Community Garden Guidelines PDF file (186 KB). Projects located on Park land must meet the Urban Agriculture Policy for Parks PDF file (130 KB).

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  Examples of eligible expenses

  • Material or supplies to build, replace, or repair garden beds, pathways, fencing, storage, or composting systems (for example: lumber, fasteners, or paint)
  • Purchase of new pre-fabricated infrastructure such as a storage unit, picnic table, composter, or rain barrels
  • Soil or compost
  • Materials or supplies required to improve accessibility by all ages and abilities
  • Infrastructure for seating or picnicking, to enable community use of the space and sharing the harvest
  • Infrastructure to support processing of the harvest (for example: wash stations or cooking infrastructure)
  • Educational material or signage
  • Garden tools or equipment for shared use
  • Infrastructure to support native pollinators (for example: mason bee lodges)
  • Irrigation equipment or supplies to reduce water consumption
  • Infrastructure to protect crops or extend the growing season
  • Perennial plants for shared community harvest or to support pollinators
  • Contractor costs (for example: for installation)