Community Garden Leadership Program

What is the Community Garden Leadership Program?

The Community Garden Leadership Program is a comprehensive online certificate program designed to elevate current community garden leaders over the course of one year. Through a series of structured modules coupled with intentional community engagement, leaders gain the tools to create robust, sustainable community gardens. By the end of the program, leaders are well-prepared to champion their respective community gardens, and build overall capacity within the community garden sector, paving the way for more resilient and thriving local food systems.

Key Program Concepts:

Enhance your leadership style to meet the unique challenges of dynamic garden membership and volunteer management
Transform your community garden’s organizational culture and structure to maximize community engagement, leverage diversity, and foster responsible land stewardship
Communicate your garden’s purpose, vision and impact to external stakeholders and encourage new membership
Develop strategies for fundraising, organizational change, building partnerships and innovative initiatives
Identify growth opportunities based on market considerations, local policy and community needs
Engage with fellow cohort members to build a state-wide network of community garden leaders

Working with Community Gardens Across NYS

In New York, community garden’s help build healthier neighborhoods and contribute to more sustainable, resilient local food systems. Our program is designed to bolster these efforts and is supported by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Read the 2023 Community Gardens TaskForce Report

Geographic distribution of community gardens in New York State

15

community garden leaders selected per cohort

5-9

hours per week required to complete online learning

1

year to earn certificate

Looking for community garden resources? Check out these other programs at Cornell Cooperative Extension.