City Commission approves Urban Agriculture Project partners for first round of funding
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids City Commission has approved the first funding awards for the City’s new Urban Agriculture Project (UAP), selecting Access of West Michigan and Jade Rabbit to launch community‑driven agriculture projects in City parks. Access of West Michigan and Jade Rabbit will receive a combined $150,000 to expand community‑driven food and gardening initiatives in city parks.
“We’re thrilled to have Access of West Michigan and Jade Rabbit as our first partners in this new project,” said Joe Sulak, parks superintendent. “The Urban Agriculture Project provides a unique way for neighbors to use City park land for agriculture with groups that have strong, community‑focused ideas to improve food access and more.”
Access of West Michigan’s $67,000 grant will support the creation of nine raised garden beds, an herb garden, an urban orchard and a native plant garden in Joe Taylor Park. The project will provide residents with space to grow their own produce and include programming on gardening, nature, conservation and preparing healthy food.
Jade Rabbit will use its $83,000 award to expand community agriculture initiatives in two parks. At Garfield Park, the group plans to upgrade raised bed infrastructure, improve irrigation and storage, enhance pollinator habitats and remove more than 1,000 square feet of concrete to increase permeable surface and growing space. The project also includes two growing seasons of education, volunteer engagement and food distribution. At Martin Luther King Park, Jade Rabbit will install new infrastructure to support events, workshops and community programming that strengthens neighborhood connection through gardening and food education.
A second round of Urban Agriculture Project funding will open this fall through a new Request for Proposals for projects planned for March through September 2027. Details will be announced on the City’s website and through the Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Led by the Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Urban Agriculture Committee, the Urban Agriculture Project supports community‑led initiatives that improve health, environmental sustainability and neighborhood connections. Park locations were selected using EGLE’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, which identifies communities most affected by environmental challenges.
UAP funding comes from an Environmental Justice Impact Grant awarded by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
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