The People’s Garden

A program of The U.S. Department of Agriculture & The Rhode Island State Conservation Committee

Stay tuned for news on a new application for funding!

About The People’s Garden

The simple act of planting a garden can have big impacts -- from building a more diverse and resilient local food system to empowering communities to address issues like nutrition access and climate change.

This program empowers local partners to install community gardens or high tunnels within each of the Rhode Island Conservation Districts (Eastern, Southern, & Northern).

This project is funded by an agreement between the RI State Conservation Committee (RISCC) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS).

Funding is available for community projects - 2024 applications open soon, stay tuned for details! Contact us at info@easternriconservation.org for more information.

In the Wild

Join us on this virtual tour highlighting three Rhode Island People’s Garden Success Stories.

Recent Project Highlights

  • Aquidneck Community Table

    Island Community Farm was established in 2012 when local residents concerned about the threats of climate change, food insecurity, and a lack of sustainability, banded together to make a difference in their community.

    Community garden plots are used by community members to grow their own fresh produce. A pollinator garden provides food and habitat for local pollinating insects.

  • Norman Bird Sanctuary

    The Good Gardens is an organic teaching garden that on averageprovides nearly 2,000 pounds of produce, cut flowers, and culinary herbs to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Food Pantry in Newport, RI each year.

    Visitors can find native pollinator plants, a colonial-inspired herb garden, a vegetable garden, and more.

  • Aquidneck Land Trust

    Located at Spruce Acres on the Middletown/Portsmouth line. The pollinator garden serves as an educational garden for local residents to learn how to implement pollinator best-practices in their home gardens.

    There are twelve community gardens beds available to the community. A 1.5 mile trail is open to the public.

Past Awardees Include:

Aquidneck Community Table, Aquidneck Land Trust, Bristol Conservation Commission, East Bay Food Pantry, Hawk and Handsaw Farm, Highlander Charter School of Warren, Maher Center, Newport Tree Conservancy, Norman Bird Sanctuary, Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm, Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, St. Philomena School, Town of Barrington, Town of Warren