City Farms Garden Program

Through this program, your urban agriculture project could include a: 

• Pollinator garden – planned, intentional, and maintained landscapes of plant species native to Pennsylvania that are meant to promote biodiversity as well as attract and feed birds, butterflies, bees, and other important members of our ecosystem. 
• Edible garden – a garden containing annual and/or perennial flowers, herbs, seeds, berries, vegetables, fruit, and other plants that you can eat.
• Flower garden - a garden containing displays of annual and/or perennial plants.
• Orchard/food forest – a grove of community-stewarded fruit and nut trees available for public consumption
• Allotment garden – a garden with subdivided plots for individual use; overseen by a garden manager
• Cooperative/community garden – one shared garden area (without plots for individual use) that is stewarded collectively
• Beautification project – a garden established with the intent to beautify the community, not to harvest (e.g. flower garden)
• Therapeutic/medicinal garden – a garden designed for healing and wellness

The following steps walk you through an overview of the application process, which is estimated to take two to three months from intake to an executed agreement; although, this is highly dependent on how long it takes for applicants to submit the required materials. If you need help along the way, don’t be afraid to ask!  Please note that garden agreements are facilitated on a first come, first served basis.

1. Identify a Site(s) - Visit the City Farms Garden Program website to access a web map of pre-selected potential garden sites on permanently City-owned property. We strongly recommend visiting the site to note its physical characteristics. Community engagement is necessary to determine site viability. 
2. Submit an Intake Form - Identify the park or greenway name as well as the parcel number(s) on the Allegheny County Real Estate Portal and include them in your inquiry. For example: 2-J-2 or 0002-J-00002-0000-00
3. Initiate Community Notification & Support - Prior to submitting your application, the applicant will be required to notify their registered community organization(s) (RCOs) and engage residents in a public community meeting to garner support. 
4. Submit an Application - This includes a narrative, site plan, budget, a certificate of insurance, and maintenance plan.
5. Sign your Garden Agreement - Once all application materials are received and approved, your agreement package will be assembled and submitted to the Law Department. Law will then route this agreement for your electronic signature via DocuSign.
6. Optional: Apply for Zoning Approvals and Permits via OneStop PGH - Submit a Building and Development Application with your site plan and proposed site improvements, if necessary. 

The City Farms program also provides assistance to the Pittsburgh's urban farms and gardens through a variety of support initiatives:

• Providing direct support to gardens and farms located on City property by way of planning, technical assistance, and material support (e.g. tools, compost, deer fencing, plants, seedlings)
• Connecting urban food producing gardens and farms to City resources
• Fostering connections between the network of local food growers and partner organizations
• Assisting with efforts to connect growers to land through the City’s Adopt-A-Lot Program and other opportunities
• Supporting opportunities for residents to engage in local food production through education or experience
• Providing a grower’s perspective to conversations internally at the City.

Allegheny County Conservation District is an urban conservation district that engages and leads through partnerships, innovation, and implementation to conserve, promote, and improve Allegheny County’s natural resources. On top of providing free soil lead testing for garden sites, they also offer technical assistance for urban farmers working to establish their business. 

Grow Pittsburgh is a non-profit committed to equipping people of all ages with the skills and resources needed to grow food and highlighting the positive impact of gardens on communities. Grow Pittsburgh works with communities through school gardens, community gardens, and urban farms to teach and promote farming as well as strengthen community connections, improve food access, and empowers people through hands-on education. They operate and manage a Garden Resource Center, Community Gardens Network, and offer technical assistance throughout your growing journey. Growers can enroll in their group liability insurance policy to fulfill program insurance requirements. 

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture is a nonprofit that supports sustainable farms and equitable food systems through farmer-driven education, research, and community. If you are an urban farmer interested in integrating sustainable practices in your business, they offer resources and technical assistance to help you through your sustainable farming journey.

Pittsburgh Water - Water for Gardens Program provides free water access to community gardens up to $500 or approximately 25,000 gallons of water annually. If a garden exceeds this limit during the growing season, they will be billed at the residential rate.

Pittsburgh Food Policy Council mobilizes people through listening, educating and advocating for policies and programs that shift power, expand access to resources, and strengthen the Greater Pittsburgh Food System. Visit their website to learn how to get involved.

Grounded Strategies works to improve the social, economic, and environmental health of distressed and transitional communities by building capacity to reactivate vacant and underutilized land. Their Lots to Love site helps stewards learn valuable information about vacant lots near them, and through their Mobile Toolbox, provide tools to community stewards to keep green space vibrant and maintained. 

UpstreamPgh works to restore and protect the city's watershed ecosystem by implementing green stormwater infrastructure projects, including rain gardens. If you are interested in creating a rain garden on a vacant lot, reach out to Upstream for guidance or technical assistance to help you get started! 

In addition to material support provided through City Farms, the City also provides two annual grant funding opportunities available to support urban agriculture projects!

The Love Your Block Program is a City of Pittsburgh program that brings neighbors together to improve our communities by combating blight, creating assets, and building resilience, block by block.  Community organizations across Pittsburgh are invited to apply for $500, $1000, or $1,500 reimbursement grants. 

The Food Justice Fund (FJF) was created to increase public investment in a just, equitable, and sustainable food system that supports Pittsburgh neighborhoods, our local economy, and the environment. The FJF aims to support grassroot creative efforts by increasing opportunities to grow, learn about, and eat healthy, affordable, and culturally-relevant foods. Funding selections prioritize projects serving City of Pittsburgh communities of higher need, with strong connections to the communities they serve.