By
November 21, 2011

The United States Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro’s GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Grant Awards program promotes and recognizes mayoral leadership in the development of greenscapes across the nation.

All Applications Are Due Monday, December 5

www.usmayors.org/GRO1000

Why Gardens & Green Spaces?

To help drive garden and green space development in cities across the U.S., the Conference of Mayors has established a partnership with ScottsMiracle-Gro’s GRO1000 garden and green space initiative. Through this partnership, the Conference of Mayors and its membership will help ScottsMiracle-Gro bring greenscapes to communities across the United States. ScottsMiracle-Gro launched GRO1000 in 2011, an outreach initiative designed to create 1,000 gardens and green spaces in the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2018.

The Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro are both committed to the development of gardens and green spaces across the nation. The Conference of Mayors is focused on strengthening and expanding its community garden strategy to maintain a leadership role in stewardship and development of our nation’s green spaces, to recognize outstanding leadership and innovative solutions, to identify model green space initiatives, and best practices. The Conference of Mayors Standing Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports (TAPES), currently chaired by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, has discussed and adopted a number of resolutions pertaining to cities increasing their number of green spaces, including community gardens. The mayors also have specifically called for cities to develop, grow and maintain edible gardens in parks, city hall land, and municipal community gardens.

ScottsMiracle-Gro is dedicated to a beautiful world with industry-leading lawn, garden and outdoor living products and services. Through its innovation focus, strong retailer relationships and drive to improve the consumer experience, the company has been instrumental in growing the $8 billion global consumer lawn and garden market. ScottsMiracle-Gro operates primarily in North America, along with businesses in Europe and Asia Pacific, and employs approximately 8,000 associates. The company was founded in 1868 in Marysville, (OH).

Eligibility for Participation in 2012 GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Program

Every municipality in the United States is eligible to nominate one new or substantial addition to an existing public garden, edible garden or green space development within their communities. All garden and green space projects initiated by the city government are eligible, including those developed and implemented in conjunction with community garden groups and other relevant community partners.

GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Application Criteria

Projects must address the following five priorities:

1. All projects (edible garden, public garden, or green space) must be high in visibility;

2. Must be transformational in scope;

3. A focal point for the city;

4. Significantly impact the lives of its residents; and,

5. Serve as an essential element of the city’s sustainability plan.

6. All application submissions must include a letter of support from the mayor.

What Award Winning Cities Must Do

When making the decision to participate in the 2012 program, take into consideration the following requirements of award winners:

• All GRO1000 Award-winning mayors must attend or send a designee to the awards announcement ceremony during The U.S. Conference of Mayors 80th Winter Meeting, in Washington (DC) January 18-20, 2012.

• Award recipients must hold a local dedication event following the announcement ceremony in January 2012. Local dedication events will be held from March through June 2012. U.S. Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro representatives will assist in planning the local dedication event and will be in attendance to re-present the award to the mayor.

What Award-Winning Mayors and their Cities Receive:

• GRO1000 Award-recipient mayors will be recognized at the 2012 80th Winter Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors, January 18-20, 2012.

• Five grants will be awarded to the winning cities each in the amount of $25,000 ($15,000 cash; $10,000 in-kind product);

• A local dedication event will be held at the garden or green space installation site for each of the five winning GRO1000 Award mayors.

• Press releases for winning cities as well as being the focus of a national media campaign by the Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro to publicize cities’ achievements in creating an exemplary garden or green space project.

• Publication in U.S.Mayor, the bi-monthly news publication of the Conference of Mayors, and a description of winning programs on the Conference of Mayors website.

• DECEMBER 5: Applications Due (DEADLINE EXTENDED)

• January 18-20, 2012: GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Award Winners announced in Washington (DC) at the 80th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors

• Spring- Fall 2012: GRO1000 Local Dedication Ceremonies

An independent panel of judges, comprised of former mayors and subject matter experts, will select the winners of the 2012 GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Awards. The judges will meet in early December to make their determination. The GRO1000 Awards are open to members and non-members. However, membership in good standing will be one of the factors the judges will consider.

Cities participating in the 2012 GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Awards will submit an online application (GRO1000 Gardens and Green Spaces Awards www.usmayors.org/GRO1000) due Monday, December 5.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors will notify the five winning mayors by December 16 so they can plan to attend the Winter Meeting of the Conference of Mayors. If you have any questions, contact Jocelyn Bogen at jbogen@usmayors.org or 202-861-6727.