WIMGA Continuing Education Grants

The WIMGA awards several grants annually to MG groups to aid their efforts in community education. Applications for each of the 3 levels of funding are due by October 1 (postmark date) of each year.

Thirteen grants totaling $3,250 were awarded in 2009. The following groups were selected to receive the 2009 WIMGA Educational Grants:

$400 –	Manitowoc Co. MGA	Laptop/projector for showing presentations at meetings and events
	Portage Co. MGA	Notebook computer for Power Point presentations at meetings and events
	Sheboygan Co. MGA	Landscaping entrance to UW-Extension on UW-Sheboygan Campus
	Winnebago Co. MGA	Public Educational seminar featuring Melinda Myers
	Wood Co. MGA	Basic gardening and vegetable gardening books for local libraries
$250 –	Calumet Co. MGA	Supplies for rearing Galerucella beetles for purple loosestrife biocontrol
	Glacial Gardeners MGA	North Stars Garden Conference
	Grant Co. MGA	Plant markers, label machine and tape for plant IDs in demo garden
	Sheboygan Co. MGA	Website for 2010 WIMGA Conference
	Winnebago Co. MGA	Plant materials for Habitat for Humanity project

$3400 was budgeted for educational grants, but only $3250 was awarded. No grants were awarded in the $100 category as two counties that received a $250 grant & a $400 grant each were the only two counties that applied in the $100 category. Because the rules prohibit receipt of more than two grants per year, they were awarded the higher amounts rather than the $100 grants..

Also one more $400 grant was awarded than the 4 originally offered, as additional money was available because the three $100 grants were not awarded and there were only 4 applications for the 5 available $250 grants. All 5 applicants in the $400 category were given a grant.

In 2009, thirteen grants were offered:

$100 –	Three (3) grants available	Download the $100 application form.
$250 –	Six (6) grants available	Download the $250 application form.
$400 –	Four (4) grants available	Download the $400 application form.

Please note the following conditions for grant applications submitted in 2009:

Applications will only be accepted from WIMGA members (no outside organizations).
All grant applications must be signed and mailed; electronic applications will not be accepted.
Associations may apply for more than one grant, but may only submit one application per grant category (monetary level).
An association may not submit an application in each category for the same thing (i.e., you must be creative and submit a different project for each grant category that you are applying for).
An association that has received the largest grant available is not eligible to submit an application for that grant category in the following year.
No association will receive more than two educational grants from WIMGA per year.
The Finance Committee’s decision of grant award will be final and Associations will be notified by November 15, 2009.
Each association that receives a grant will be responsible for submitting a written report OR a poster presentation (ie. pictures and narrative) about how the grant was used. An electronic progress report or summary of the poster presentation must be submitted to the MG Program Office by July 31, 2009.
- Reports should be at least one page long, and include a description of the project, what the grant money was used for, how that enhanced the project, and how the project impacted the community. The article should preferably be written in narrative style – like a story for a newspaper – and emphasize how the grant money made a difference! Photographs are encouraged, and should be submitted as separate files.
- Posters will be displayed at the annual WIMGA Conference. If the conference is held after the report deadline, the poster itself does not have to be completed, but a summary of what the poster will include must be submitted.
Associations that do not submit a report or poster will not be eligible for grants for the following two years.
If grant money cannot or is not used for the specified project, it must be returned to WIMGA. Returning a grant will not affect eligibility for future grants.

Completed applications should be submitted to the MG Program Coordinator.

Thirteen grants totaling $3,400.00 were awarded in 2008. The following groups were selected to receive the 2008 WIMGA Educational Grants:

$400 –	Chippewa Valley MGA	Laptop and projector.
	Glacial Gardeners MGA	One day local garden conference.
	North Country MGA	Drip irrigation system for demonstration gardens at Spooner Ag Expt Station.
	Vilas Co.	Northwoods Children’s Museum outdoor teepee garden area.
$250 –	Barron Co. MGA	4-H Discovery Days.
	Calumet Co. MGA	Digital camera and photo printer.
	Clark Co. MGA	Bus tour to gardens near Minneapolis, MN (for MGVs and public).
	Columbia Co. MGA	Micro-farm wagon for growing vegetables in schools.
	Eau Claire Area MGA	Pump, pipe and trenching for rain barrel water supply system at Expo Center.
	Fond du Lac Co. MGA	One day local seminar, A Day in the Garden.
$100 –	Clark Co. MGA	Folding table top display board.
	Eau Claire Area MGA	MG sign at Expo Center.
	Vilas Co.	Library of horticulture reference books at Vilas Co. UWEX office.

In 2007, twelve grants totaling $3,000.00 were offered. The following groups were selected to receive the 2007 WIMGA Educational Grants:

$400 –	Rock Prairie MGA	Starter kits (educational materials, seeds, plant markers, gloves, tools) for community garden programs focused on low-income and underserved youth and families in Rock Co. MGVs work with gardens and participants.
	South Central WI MGA	Butterfly garden in Montesian Gardens, a small public garden
	Wood Co. MGA	Buds ‘n’ Sprout youth gardening summer program. Total program cost is $1,100 for materials and other costs.
$250 –	Columbia Co. MGA	Storm water runoff prevention program
	Grant Co. MGA	Build a natural limestone staircase bordered by native prairie flowers to stabilize a problem erosion bank in the Platteville Community Arboretum.
	Northern Lights MGA	Enhance learning opportunities for children at Harmony Arboretum in the new Children’s Garden
	Ozaukee MGA	Series of 3 Herb lectures in conjunction with Milwaukee chapter of American Herb Society
	Portage Co. MGA	Garden Visions winter conference
$100 –	Calumet Co. MGA	Horticulture books for 3 county public libraries
	Grant Co. MGA	Establish a catch basin including native wetland and mesic prairie plants adjacent to a trail in the Platteville Community Arboretum
	Taylor Co. MGA	Resource books for answering questions
	Waupaca Co. MGA	Wellness Garden – for disabled individuals

One $250 grant was not awarded, but one extra $100 grant was awarded this year.

The following groups were selected to receive the 2006 WIMGA Educational Grants:

$400 –	Bluff Country MGA	Enhancing the heritage and children’s gardens at Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center (fencing, markers, heirloom seeds, mulch).
	Northern Lights MGA	Improve signage at Harmony Demonstration Garden.
	Sauk Co. MGA	Laptop computer and projector for educational programs.
$250 –	Barron Co. MGA	Expand horticultural offerings at Barron Co. Discovery Days, an educational program geared toward 4-H members.
	Chippewa Valley MGA	“Garden rooms” demo areas of different themes.
	North Country MGA	After school 4-H program.
	Waupaca Co. MGA	Plants, seeds, garden resource book for kits to distribute through Waupaca Co. Food Pantries.
$100 –	Calumet Co. MGA	Continue funding the Emil Steiner Award for the largest true pumpkin entered at the Calumet Co. Fair.
	Chippewa Valley MGA	“Clover College” 4-H program on horticultural topics

One $100 grant was not awarded this year.

The following groups were selected to receive the 2005 WIMGA Educational Grants:

$400 –	Grant Co. MGA	Horticulture learning center at an elementary school in Hazel Green, WI
$250 –	Calumet Co. MGA	Supplies for raising Galerucella beetles for purple loosestrife biocontrol
	Glacial Gardeners MGA	Gardening books for local schools
	North Country MGA	1st Garden Expo at Spooner Ag Research Station
	St. Croix Valley MGA	Garden U Seminar
$100 –	Calumet Co. MGA	Bus Tour to Garden Expo
	Chippewa Valley MGA	Think Spring Garden Seminar
	Eau Claire Area MGA	Western District MG's continuing education series
	Waupaca Co. MGA	Clintonville Library Perennial Flower Garden

The fifth $100 grant and the two $50 grants were not awarded this year.

Four factors determine awarding of the grants:

The number of participants who will benefit from the program. Will space be available for the general public? Will there be an attempt to notify other counties about the program, including advertising in local newspapers or cable TV?
Would there be a fee charged? This would be considered positive in that an association would be trying to recharge its treasury from program via videotape or audiotape for future reuse.
Would the program be recorded via videotape or audiotape for future reuse?
What would be the quality of the program and would there be a need for the program? What are the credentials of the presenters?

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