NCCGP 2nd Annual Members Meeting

November 9, 2013 • 12:30-1:15pm

• June 25, 2008 • JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU• Sponsors: NC Division of Public Health;

NC Cooperative Extension

Outcome: 40 attendees came to a consensus that gardeners would benefit from networking and garden planning tools as well as coordinating efforts on a statewide and regional basis

Moving Community Gardening Forward in NC -- Statewide Action Planning Retreat Moving Community Gardening Forward in NC -- Statewide Action Planning Retreat

Photos courtesy of Diane Beth

Adapted from Partnering Up: Growing State Level Capacity for Community Gardening ~Diane Beth

NC Farm to Fork Summit (2009)

Adapted from Partnering Up: Growing State Level Capacity for Community Gardening ~Diane Beth

Recommended Action #5: Cultivate community gardens statewide

“The goal is a community garden in every community in the state.”

Released April 2010

Adapted from Partnering Up: Growing State Level Capacity for Community Gardening ~Diane Beth

Approx $300,000 provided (2010-2013)

to fund new or existing community gardens across NC!

Adapted from Partnering Up: Growing State Level Capacity for Community Gardening ~Diane Beth

The Organization Today

• As of Oct 2011 NCCGP is a nonprofit membership organization made of partners across the state interested in “growing” community gardens.

• Fiscal Agent:

• Vision: Increase the quantity, quality and sustainability of community gardens in North Carolina.

• Personnel: currently no staff, working Board of Directors (since Jan 2013), volunteers, members

• Structure: 11 directors from across NC and 6 leadership committees working towards accomplishing objectives

NC Growing Communities Workshop October 2012

• Over 880 people connected and sharing information about NC community gardens

• 425 -- NCCGP Facebook • 290 -- NC community garden

listserv• 165 -- NCCGP Twitter

• Increases visibility of NC community gardens

Connecting People Online

NC Community Garden Listserv

www.facebook.com/NCCGP

@NCCGP

www.NCCGP.org

North Carolina Community Garden Directory

www.NCCGP.org

Looking ahead…

• Webinar series • Annual members meeting +

fall event?• Garden directory & online

resources • Engage members!• Identify best practices (ex. land use

ordinances) to support community gardens• Funding for gardens, programs and staff

In the future…

• National (ACGA) conference in NC?

• Regional hub gardens to serve as educational/resource centers?

• Regional or statewide community garden tours?

Why “Partner Up”• Sharing successes and lessons learned• Avoiding recreating the wheel• Funding opportunities• Strength in numbers• State organizational policy and procedure

changes• Folks want a clearinghouse of resources and

communications• Integration with related initiatives (Farm to

School, etc)• Local/community voices needed in state

conversations• Sustaining the momentum

Adapted from Partnering Up: Growing State Level Capacity for Community Gardening ~Diane Beth