Urban Agriculture Ambassador Program
This GrowBoston program provides one-on-one (1:1) gardening education and support for gardeners in East Boston, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury through 2025 and 2026.
The City of Boston is providing funding for four part-time gardening educators, one employed at each of four different urban farming non-profits. These educators will serve as each neighborhood's Urban Agriculture Ambassador (UAA) in order to provide gardeners, even experienced ones, with the support, knowledge, and skills they need in order to grow their own food and grow it sustainably.
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12 Channel Street 9th floor boston, ma 02210
How to Connect With a UAA Near You!
If you are interested in receiving one-on-one gardening support and connecting with your Urban Agriculture Ambassador, please contact the organization based in your neighborhood:
- East Boston: Eastie Farm, info@eastiefarm.com, (617) 419-0787
- Dorchester: The Food Project, uaa@thefoodproject.org, (617) 442-1322
- Mattapan: Urban Farming Institute, info@urbanfarminginstitute.org, (617) 989-9920
- Roxbury: Haley House, farm@haleyhouse.org, (617) 236-8132
Program History & Goals
In 2023, GrowBoston launched the Raised Bed Program using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Through this program, GrowBoston began the construction of 800 raised beds for low-income households and public facilities. This program also provided a handful of gardening workshops.
However, through our Urban Agriculture Recommendations process, we heard from residents a need for a more robust education program to support the sustainability of home and community gardens. It became apparent the importance of not only providing raised beds for residents, but one-on-one technical assistance and support needed for residents to learn how to grow their own food. A specific recommendation was published in the Urban Agriculture Recommendations Report for an Urban Agriculture Ambassador Program (see page 51, recommendation 4g.5), and our office quickly took action to make this into a reality.
GrowBoston decided to focus this program in our four priority neighborhoods, as established in the Urban Agriculture Recommendations Report. These neighborhoods include: East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
The goal of this program is to increase the capacity of neighborhood residents to participate in urban agriculture activities–including gardening at their homes, community gardens, and public facilities. The program also aims to increase the connection between residents and the Office of Urban Agriculture.
Grant Recipients
Through a grant application and selection process, GrowBoston chose four organizations to carry out the Urban Agriculture Ambassador Program (UAAP). These organizations include: Eastie Farm (East Boston), The Food Project (Dorchester), Haley House (Roxbury), and The Urban Farming Institute (Mattapan).
Program Details
The funding for this grant program will provide one part-time Urban Agriculture Ambassador (UAA) to each of the four non-profit organizations. This educator will carry out the activities listed below. The numbered items in bold are mandatory and will be standard program-wide. Each organization selected three or more bulleted items from each of the numbered categories. As a result, the specific program activities will vary based on the needs and interests of each neighborhood.
1. Provide education, technical assistance, and support for residents at home gardens and community gardens, with a focus on equity and cultural relevance. Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Provide 1:1 consultations to gardeners and offer hands-on assistance (required)
- Assist residents in conducting soil tests in their gardens
- Offer “garden office hours” to answer questions at the organization’s farm site
- Provide phone or text services to answer questions remotely
- Develop a neighborhood-based urban agriculture network to connect residents
- Develop a garden mentor program in which beginner gardeners are paired with more advanced gardeners.
2. Maintain a new or existing garden at one or more public facilities and engage residents at this site. Increase involvement in urban agriculture through entry-level gardening activities and opportunities. Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Provide regular garden care and maintenance at the public facility including watering, weeding, planting, harvesting, etc. (required)
- Conduct beginner, intermediate, or advanced gardener workshops
- Develop a seed, tool, or plant library
- Teach education programs for youth
- Host site visits to local farms or greenhouses to demonstrate growing practices
- Raise awareness about existing and potential growing spaces in their neighborhood and ways to get involved
- Host community events
3. Liaise between GrowBoston and the community. Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Participate in gatherings with all four UAAs to share lessons learned and collaborate (required)
- Participate in regular meetings with GrowBoston (required)
- Strengthen two-way communication, learning opportunities, and community relationship-building
- Share information about resources and programs GrowBoston has available to support urban growers.
- Encourage discussion and feedback from residents about needs and visions for neighborhood growing spaces
- Ensure language accessibility through translated materials and interpreters (with GrowBoston’s support)
Program Participants
The primary audience for this program include raised bed recipients and public facilities. However, the education support services provided in this grant are not solely for individuals who have received raised beds through the City. Organizations are encouraged to conduct outreach in order to provide support more broadly for gardeners (at home and community gardens) in their neighborhood.
Who's Involved:
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12 Channel Street 9th floor boston, ma 02210
