Why Community Gardens?
Community gardens are parcels of land located on public or private property on which a group of community members cultivate their own individual or family plot while collectively caring for the common space. Community gardens are ideal for multi-family housing developments or corporate campuses seeking to add a high value amenity
Increasingly, city planners, developers, property managers, and management companies are recognizing the value of community gardens, acknowledging that they have an extraordinarily high ROI, enhancing property values, resident satisfaction, engagement, and tenure.
What benefits do community gardens offer?
- Actively build and strengthen bonds between neighbors by sustained, aligned, apolitical collaboration and cooperation in pursuit of a common goal: community
- Present an opportunity to make a positive contribution to climate health by using regenerative practices that rebuild soil, capture carbon, retain water, increase biodiversity, and reduce the carbon footprint created by industrial-grown produce
- Build resiliency by giving community members the agency to grow their own food, providing for themselves and their families with culturally-relevant foods, which leads to better nutrition and overall better health
DUG now supports community gardens in private developments with our new ‘Community Collaborator’ program.
We work directly with developers, property managers, and city planners to offer design consultation and management support for your private community garden. We currently offer two package options: Garden Design Consultation and Human Infrastructure Design & Support.
Garden Design Consultation
$10,000 ONE-TIME FEE
You’ve decided to invest in a community garden for your property – nice choice! DUG is here to offer our expert guidance on the layout, design, and amenities of your new garden, from initial blueprints to the finished product.
We design, you build.
Site Visit
The DUG Garden Operations and Development team will visit the site with the Commercial Collaborators team and partners. We will advise on considerations in terms of access, water line placement, plot size and overall design for optimal usage and community flow.
Advise on the Initial Plans
Following the initial site visit, the DUG team will work with the landscape design company to refine initial plans to ensure optimal plant and tree assortment, layout, access and other considerations unique to a well-functioning community garden. This may result in a significant redesign of the garden.
Review Final Plans
Once the changes have been made to the initial plans, the DUG team will do a final review before construction begins.
Final Walkthrough
Once the garden is built and before it opens up to residents, the DUG team will do an on-site walk-through to ensure accurate execution of the design and ultimate garden success.
Formal Presentations to Decision-Makers
If needed, DUG will present at City, County or Board meetings to share the benefits of community gardening as a necessary neighborhood amenity.
Human Infrastructure Design and Support
$15,000/YEAR FOR 5 YEARS
Hurray! You have a community garden! Now what? DUG has been building community through gardening for more than 35 years. Let us activate your space with the human power needed to make a garden thrive. We’ll support the stewardship of your space so it’s off your hands and into ours.
We manage, you own.
Garden Leadership
- Community interest meetings (1 in person, 1 in zoom) with email follow up.
- Community is the cornerstone of success for your garden. Starting it right is DUG’s secret sauce! All stakeholders including the management team are invited to attend. You know your community best. Join us to optimize success.
- If the design is available before the meeting, it can be used for activation and interest. If design is not available, DUG is available to lead a garden design meeting with the landscape designer
- DUG can suggest vetted, local landscape design partners if needed
- Identification, training and ongoing support of volunteer Garden Leaders and a Leadership Committee. This must include one representative from the management team to ensure buy-in and continuity.
- Hold training sessions for garden leaders on:
- Community engagement
- Gardener responsibilities
- Landowner requirements
- Connect with Master Gardener-CSU extension
- Provide garden leadership team with DUG’s Leadership Manual
- Invitation to annual The DUG Symposium, Garden Leader Trainings, Continuing Education classes and the end-of-season Harvest Happy Hour
Garden Administration
- Plot applications for signing up and tracking gardeners and access to the list of gardeners who have signed up.
- Assistance with conflict resolution should irreconcilable gardener conflicts arise.
- Welcome package for all new community collaborators at the beginning of the partnership:
- Canvas bag to present the welcome package to the management team
- Welcome Package with DUG swag and educational resources
- DUG Sign Package
- Info on bees in the garden and additional options as requested
Full Access to DUG Network Benefits, Events, and Resources
- Invitation to all DUG plant sales – Spring & Fall (Separate list for personal invite)
- Access to DUG’s community newsletter, Underground News with invitations for DUG classes & workshops and all Micro Network events
- Complimentary access to Jungle Judy’s Masterclass videos-Intro to Organic Gardening, Food Waste, Pest Management, Preserving, Putting the Garden to Bed and Compost 101.
Free access to DUG Online with an option for a customizable Community Garden circle on the platform.
Beneficial Marketing and Promotion of Partnership
- Logo on DUG website as Corporate Partner
- Annual social media post highlighting your community garden
- We ask that Community Collaborators put the partnership on their website
Please Note:
- DUG’s design advice only pertains to community garden design. Any local/state/federal regulations pertaining to building design and maintenance are the sole responsibility of Community Collaborators and their affiliates.
- DUG is not liable for any damage or injury incurred during construction or ongoing operation of the community garden.
- In DUG community gardens, all gardeners pay plot fees to the garden for basic garden operations and upkeep. This encourages buy-in to the overall undertaking. Suggested amounts are $20/$40/$60, depending on size. We suggest that the gardeners pay this fee directly to DUG who will hold and track the account as part of the service contract.
- Management will provide the garden with compost, tools, and all other materials needed for the basic operation of the garden. DUG will provide connections for ordering resources.
- DUG will provide an acknowledgment letter as a charitable contribution for tax deduction purposes.
- If you are a nonprofit, we can provide technical assistance for grant applications.
- DUG does not handle irrigation with our Community Collaborator partners due to needs of facilities managers and maintenance is the responsibility of the partner.
