The Kauai School Garden Network was established in 2010 and supports all schools, PreK-12, on the island of Kauai. We provide assistance with funding, technical and volunteer support for school gardens, school sustainability initiatives, and local food in local schools. We also offer schools curriculum, training, networking opportunities, and a resource-filled e-newsletter.
We led Kauaiʻs 1st farm-to-school pilot, Māla‘ai Kula, at Kawaikini NCPCS and Ke Kula Niihau PCS to support the creation of culturally-relevant school garden and food program models serving Hawaiian keiki and youth.
If you are a teacher or school administrator seeking capacity-building assistance with a school garden or sustainability project, please review the resources below and contact us with any questions at info@malamakauai.org or (808) 828-0685.
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Kauai School Garden & Farm to School Resources:
Malama Kauai Farm to School Resources:
- Kaua‘i School Garden Network Facebook Group: a great way to stay connected and get the latest real-time news on opportunities
- Kaua‘i School Garden & Farm-to-School Hui e-Newsletter: stay up to date with this quarterly email newsletter that highlights various resources and opportunities for Kauai school & educators
- Kalo to Kula Program: (SY24-25) Get access to grants for field trips, kalo product donations for youth activities, Kalo Recipe Guidebook, teacher and cafeteria worker training workshops, and more!
- Kauai School Garden Guide (2024): an in depth resource to get your garden dreams turned into a realistic plan. Along with some other helpful opportunities within reach.
- Garden to Grindz Farm to ECE Recipe Guidebook (2022): This recipe guidebook features CACFP compliant recipes for use in early childcare centers and daycares.
- Natural Resources Career Pathway Guide (2015): A resource guide for Kauai educators, parents, and students offers over 40 community resource profiles offering assistance to students seeking future careers in the Natural Resources career pathway.
Assessment & Readiness Resources:
- Farm to ECE Self-Assessment: a great tool to starting a Farm to ECE plan
Grant Opportunities:
- Hawaii Community Foundation: young Children and Youth grants (Deadline 11/10/25, 12/19/25)
- Seed Money: offers a crowdfunding platform w/matching grants (Deadline 11/13/25)
- Captain Planet Foundation: mini-grants for schools (Deadline 11/15/25)
- Kids Gardening: multiple grants for schools gardens (Deadline 12/12/25)
- Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation: offers both Project Grants (Deadline 1/31/26) and Field Trip Grants (Deadline 3/26/26)
- Whole Kids Foundation: variety of grants to support salad bars, bee hives, & gardens (Applications Accepted Year Round)
- Fruit Tree Planting Foundation: donates orchards to communities, schools, low-income neighborhoods (Applications Accepted Year Round)
- Project Learning Tree: offering GreenWorks mini-grants
- Green Education Foundation: youth garden grants
- Natures Path: grants for schools and communities
- Action for Healthy Kids: Grants to improve health in schools
- The Bee Cause Project: educational hives & curriculum
- Every Kid Outdoors: grants for outdoor projects at schools
- Seed Savers Exchange: donates seeds for gardens
- Earth Eco Water Challenge: supports service-learning programs at schools
- Annie’s: edible school gardens for youth
- Renee’s Garden Seed Fundraiser for Schools: fundraising for your project
Subscribe to our e-newsletter to see upcoming grant possibilities!
Curriculum:
- Hawaii Farm to School Toolkit: a collection of resources and activities on Youth Leadership & Service Learning, Garden to Cafeteria, Harvest of the Month, and School Garden & Food Safety
- National Farm-to-School Network: a massive online database of resources for farm-to-school efforts for all ages.
- Kōkua Hawai`i Foundation:`ĀINA in Schools, culturally-relevant K-6 curriculum on composting, nutrition, and gardens.
- Project Learning Tree: Offers GreenSchools Certification, and a variety of curriculum covering environment, energy, waste, and more.
- Bishop Museum Online Learning Center: digital educational resources in STEM, art, literacy, & culture for K-12, higher ed & informal ed.
- Green Living Project: “Students Connecting to Global Sustainability” uses multimedia and technology to bring sustainability to K-12.
- Kohala Center School Garden Curriculum Map: Extensive listing of various curriculum resources.
- Life Lab: A great mainland-based resource for a variety of curriculum, ECE to Grade 5.
- Farm to Keiki: Garden and nutrition curriculum for preschool/ECE.
School Garden Safety Resources:
- Hawaii DOE’s New Garden-to-Cafeteria Program
- Hawaii School Garden Safety FAQs
- USDA Safety Tips for School Gardens