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, local food in local schools. In addition, we offer schools curriculum, training, networking opportunities, and a resource-filled e-newsletter.

We also 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.

In 2019, we started a new initiative – Kauai Farm to School Hui – to bring together stakeholders across the island to develop policies and projects needed to move farm-to-school efforts forward islandwide.

In 2021, we are working to rollout the DOEʻs Garden to Cafeteria Program, which will allow for school garden produce to be consumed in school meals, working with pilot schools Waimea High, Kapaa High, and Kekaha Elementary.

If you are a teacher or school administration seeking capacity-building assistance with a school garden or sustainability project, please contact us at info@malamakauai.org or (808) 828-0685.

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School Garden & Farm to School Resources:

Malama Kauai 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
• Kaua‘i School Garden Guide (Updated 2019): a how-to and best practices for planning and leading your school garden efforts
• 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 carer pathway
• Webinar: Contracting with the DOE’s Aina Pono Farm-to-School Program for Farmers & Producers (2020): View this recorded webinar to learn about the program
• Webinar: DOE’s Garden-to-Cafeteria Pilot Program (2020): Learn about this new program to get school garden produce into meals!

Grant Opportunities:

• Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation: offers both Mini-Grants and Field Trip Grants
• Seed Money: offers a crowdfunding platform w/matching grants
• Whole Kids Foundation: variety of grants to support salad bars, bee hives, & gardens
• Project Learning Tree: offering GreenWorks mini-grants
• Annie’s: edible school gardens for youth
• Kids Gardening: multiple grants for schools gardens
• Green Education Foundation: youth garden grants
• Natures Path: grants for schools and communities 
• Action for Healthy Kids: Grants to improve health in schools
• USDA: Farm to School Grants
• The Bee Cause Project: educational hives & curriculum
• Captain Planet Foundation: mini-grants for schools
• Every Kid Outdoors: grants for outdoor projects at schools
• Seed Savers Exchange: donates seeds for gardens 
• Cornell Douglas Foundation: grants for environmental education
• National Wildlife Federation: provides free native tree seedlings
• Simply Organic: increasing access to healthy, organic foods
• Costco Wholesale: supports programs focusing on children, education & health and human services
• Atherton Family Foudnation: grants for projects in different areas for the people of Hawaii.
• The Lawrence Foundation: grants for schools
• Mitsubishi Coorporation Grants: supports sustainable projects
• Campbell Family Foundation: for non-profit organizations in different areas 
• NEA Learning and Leadership Grant
• Laura Jane Musser Fund: supports communities in rural areas in Hawaii
• Hawaii Community Foundation: young Chirldren and Youth grants
• Fruit Tree Planting Foundation: donates orchards to communities, chools, low-iincome neighborhoods
• Earth Eco Water Challenge: supports service-learning programs at schools
• Renee’s Garden Seed Fundraiser for Schools: fundraising for your project
• Kinder Morgan Grant: supports programs with the focus on education, arts, and environment
• Environmental Education Grant
• National Education Association Student Achievement Grants
• Verizon Foundation Literacy and Education Grants

Subscribe to the newsletter to see upcoming grant possibilities!

Curriculum:

• 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