Grants

The Lexington Chapter of Wild Ones offers five grants of $200 each to Wild Ones members.

The criteria and application information for these grants appear below.

 

2023 LEXINGTON WILD ONES GARDEN GRANT

Overview                           

Wild Ones Lexington is sponsoring five Garden Grants to encourage the planting of native plants.

Five grants of $200 each will be awarded unless suitable applications are not received.

Grant funds can be used to create a new garden or expand an existing garden. The garden location can be a front yard, the median between the sidewalk and the street, or on property that is open to the public such as a park, public greenspace, school, library, church, and the public area of a homeowners association, a not-for-profit institution or a business with publicly accessible grounds. The location can be on private or public property as long as the garden is visible to the public.

Grants are awarded based on the proposal’s suitability to the site and long-term sustainability. If no suitable or sustainable projects are proposed, grants will not be awarded this year.

Suitability of the location is strictly at the discretion of the Wild Ones Grant Committee.

This is a reimbursement grant and receipts for purchases will be required before funds are distributed.

 

Guidelines and Restrictions

If your garden is planned for an easement or government right-of-way property, city guidelines apply and in some cases HOA rules may be a factor.  Please note, the grant applicant alone is responsible for ensuring that the planting does not violate city guidelines or HOA rules.

These guidelines include:

  • Plants must not block visibility of the street for cars pulling in and out of a driveway.
  • Plants must be maintained at or below 2 ½ feet height.
  • Plantings must be maintained so plants do not block the sidewalk.
  • Consideration must be given to people exiting vehicles parked on the street, trash cart placement, etc.
  • Allow for 10 feet of clearance around fire hydrants for accessibility.
  • Call 811 to have utility lines marked before digging. In many neighborhoods utility lines are in this area.

This is not intended as an inclusive list of items for consideration.

If the applicant is not the legal owner of the planned garden location the application must include a written project approval from the location’s owner.

The garden must contain 90% native plants.  Although non-native plants may be included in the garden, funds will not be provided for non-native plants.

 

Eligible Applicants

The applicant must be a Wild Ones Lexington chapter member or must become a member before the grant will be awarded.

Chapter members may apply on behalf of a group to which they will provide guidance and oversight to ensure the grant goals are achieved.  The Wild Ones member applicant should be involved throughout the project and serve as the grant point of contact.

 

Eligible Expenses

Grant funds may be used for native plants, native plant seeds, or garden materials such as mulch, stone, garden edging, etc. Grant funds are not to be used for labor.

 

Timeline

Applications Due March 24, 2023
Grant Recipient Announcement Date

Final Receipt Due Date

 April 10, 2023

Dec. 15, 2023

 

Ideally, planting should be completed within the calendar year.  If there are unforeseen circumstances and an extension is needed, the applicant should contact the Grant Committee Chair, Laura Cole, at [email protected].

 

Resources

The Wild Ones Lexington Chapter holds a native plant exchange the first Thursday in May, this is an excellent source for native plants.  The Chapter web page has a list of local native plan providers and native plant focused landscaping services.

The city of Lexington supports projects that beautify the city’s green spaces and provide pollinator-friendly landscaping; the city has a website, https://www.lexingtonky.gov/PlantByNumbers, to provide design suggestions, yard preparation steps, maintenance suggestions and much more.

In 2023 the Fayette County Extension Office is focusing some of the Gardener’s Toolbox classes on native plants.

The National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org ) has a native plant finder and a link to purchase bundles of native plants.

The Kentucky Native Plant Society (www.knps.org ) is also a good resource for native plant information.

 

Outcome Reporting and Distribution of Funds

We ask for a monthly picture with a brief caption of the site during the months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November of the grant year.  Pictures should be submitted with receipts as the request for reimbursement.

Before grant funds can be distributed, pictures and receipts for purchases must be submitted.  Receipts will be reviewed to be sure funds were spent as specified.

Receipts and pictures should be sent to Laura Cole, 1511 Thames Drive, Lexington, KY 40517.  Alternatively, receipts and pictures can be sent in a .pdf document by email to [email protected].

If receipts are not received by December 15 of the grant award year, the grant will be considered void.  Funds will not be distributed for receipts received after December 15 of the grant year, unless an extension has been granted.

Pictures will become the property of Wild Ones Lexington chapter and will be used to inspire future grantees.

If you have questions contact Laura Cole at [email protected].

 

Grant Application Form

 

  1. Applicant Information
  2. Name (must be a Wild Ones member)
  3. Phone
  4. Email
  5. Group or organization involved (if any)
  6. Project Description

Please provide the following information:

  1. Address and location of the garden on the property,
  2. Site preparation plan,
  3. Garden design.

III. Future Garden Management

Name the person and/or organization that will take responsibility for garden upkeep.

  1. Attach the following:
  2. A picture of the project location as it currently exists.
  3. Written approval from the location’s owner if the applicant is not the owner.

 

Submit Your Proposal

Submit your proposal one of two ways:

  1. Send a paper copy with the project location picture to Laura Cole, 1511 Thames Drive, Lexington, KY 40517.
  2. Send a .pdf document by email to [email protected].  You will receive a confirmation receipt email.  Your submission is not complete until you receive a confirmation email.

Submissions must be received by the Grant Committee (Laura Cole) by March 24, 2023.

 

Note:

Members of our Wild Ones Board are prepared to offer support and advice, when asked, prior to submission and throughout the project period. They will also continue to be available for consultation about the management of the garden after completion. Please email Dale Epperson at [email protected]  for questions.