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2026 SeedMoney Challenge

Apply for Funding

Raise money from your community for your food garden project — and earn additional grants based on what you raise.

Applications for the 2026 SeedMoney Challenge open in late June.
Join hundreds of school gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and food bank gardens from around the world.

How It Works

The SeedMoney Challenge is a group crowdfunding competition open to any public food garden project located anywhere in the world. Participating projects include youth gardens, community gardens, community farms, and food bank gardens.

Projects keep 100% of what they raise and compete for challenge grants of $100 to $1,000. The more your project raises, the larger the grant it qualifies to receive.

Once accepted, your project is automatically considered for every grant type it qualifies for — no separate grant applications needed.

3,200+ Garden projects funded since 2003
60+ Countries with SeedMoney gardens
$3M+ Channeled to food gardens worldwide

Key Dates

From application to awards — here’s the 2026 timeline

Late June
Applications Open
Submit your garden project, tell your story, and set your fundraising goal.
Early November
Applications Due
All applications must be submitted by this date to be considered.
November 15
Challenge Begins
Approved campaigns go live. Share your project and start raising money from your community.
December 15
$ $ $ $
Challenge Ends
Fundraising wraps up and grants are awarded based on final rankings.

Challenge Grants

The more your project raises, the bigger the challenge grant it earns

1 grant
$1,000
1 grant
$900
1 grant
$800
6 grants
$600
9 grants
$500
18 grants
$400
36 grants
$300
72 grants
$200
144 grants
$100

Every qualifying project earns a challenge grant — raise more to move up the pyramid

288
Challenge grants
$57,600
Available in challenge grants
$81,000
Total across all grant types

All Grants Available

Accepted projects are automatically considered for every grant type they qualify for — no separate applications needed

Grant type Amount # Grants Total
Challenge grants (CG)
Project ranked #1$1,0001$1,000
Project ranked #2$9001$900
Project ranked #3$8001$800
Projects ranked 4–9$6006$3,600
Projects ranked 10–18$5009$4,500
Projects ranked 19–36$40018$7,200
Projects ranked 37–72$30036$10,800
Projects ranked 73–144$20072$14,400
Projects ranked 145–288$100144$14,400
Subtotal288$57,600
Strong start & strong finish grants
Strong start (top 50, first week)$10050$5,000
Strongest start (top in first 24 hours)$4001$400
Strong finish 1st (top in last week)$5001$500
Strong finish 2nd (last week)$3001$300
Strong finish 3rd (last week)$2001$200
Strong finish 4th–23rd (last week)$10020$2,000
Subtotal74$8,400
Geographic interest grants (GIG)
International (developing countries)$15040$6,000
Maine$30030$9,000
Subtotal70$15,000
Total grants available432$81,000
How total payouts work: A project’s total payout equals the amount it raises in crowdfunding plus any grants it qualifies for. For example, a project that raises $3,000 and earns a $400 challenge grant, a $100 strong start grant, and a $100 strong finish grant would receive a check for $3,600.

Start Planning Your 2026 Campaign

Join our mailing list to be the first to know when applications open and to get tips and reminders about the 2026 SeedMoney Challenge.

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