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According to the National Garden Bureau’s announcement, the bureau and three sponsors selected five therapeutic garden programs for 2026 grants totaling more than $7,500. Rising Light Project received $3,000 for first place, while the other four recipients will receive grants of $1,000 or $1,500.
According to the National Garden Bureau’s announcement, five therapeutic garden programs have been selected to receive grants totaling more than $7,500 through its 2026 program with American Meadows, Ball Horticultural Company and Sakata Seed America. The bureau says the public chose the winners in a two-week online voting period. The grants support programs serving adults and people with disabilities, cancer or mental illness.
The National Garden Bureau’s announcement names Rising Light Project in St. Charles, Illinois, as the first-place recipient of $3,000. According to the project description included in the announcement, its educational day program serves adults aged 22 and older with disabilities who have aged out of traditional support services. The project describes its garden as an outdoor classroom where participants learn horticulture, sustainable gardening, biodiversity, nutrition and environmental stewardship, while building social, vocational and life skills.
The announcement lists Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida, in Fort Myers, as the second-place recipient, with a grant of $1,500. The organization describes its Urban Garden of HOPE as part of a structured, member-driven program focused on recovery, wellness and workforce readiness. It says garden work helps members practice communication, time management and responsibility, alongside peer support and activities intended to improve nutrition and overall wellness.
The bureau says the three runner-up programs will each receive $1,000: Eagle Mount in Bozeman, Montana; Homesteads for Hope in Rochester, New York; and The Farm at Penny Lane, part of the NC Botanical Garden, in Pittsboro, North Carolina. According to the program descriptions in the announcement, their work includes year-round horticulture for people with disabilities and cancer, an accessible sensory garden, and community-based therapeutic horticulture for adults living with severe and persistent mental illness.
Where the Grant Funds Will Go
The awards provide direct funding to five established programs that use gardening as part of educational, social, wellness or therapeutic activities, according to the National Garden Bureau’s announcement. The recipients serve groups that can face barriers to participation in work, community life and outdoor spaces, including adults with disabilities and people living with mental illness or cancer.
The organizations’ descriptions cited in the announcement identify practical outcomes alongside time spent gardening: participants may develop work-related and daily living skills, engage with peers, or take part in accessible activities involving plants and nature. These are the organizations’ descriptions; the announcement does not report independent evaluations or measure health outcomes. The grants provide support to the recipients, though the announcement does not specify how each organization will use its award.
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A Public Vote and Five Finalists
The National Garden Bureau says it has provided resources for therapeutic gardens for 13 years. For the 2026 program, the bureau worked with sponsors American Meadows, Ball Horticultural Company and Sakata Seed America. According to the bureau’s announcement, judges reviewed applications and narrowed the field to five finalists before the public voting period.
The announcement lists judges affiliated with Sakata Seed America, Ball Horticultural Company and American Meadows, as well as horticultural garden professionals and an independent floral business owner. The bureau says it recognizes the five winning gardens and thanks all applicants. It also encourages support for therapeutic gardens from the horticulture industry, local communities and individuals. Further information about each recipient is available through the National Garden Bureau.
Grant Spending and Program Results
The National Garden Bureau’s announcement does not specify when the grants will be paid, how long recipients have to use the funds, or whether the money is restricted to particular garden expenses. It also does not provide application totals, voting figures or the vote share for any winner, so the margin between placements is unknown.
The announcement does not include details about how each organization plans to use its award or whether the grants will add new activities or sustain existing ones. Program descriptions are supplied by the organizations and do not include independently assessed evidence of health or employment outcomes. The bureau describes the total as more than $7,500; the five stated award amounts add up to $7,500, and the announcement does not explain the difference.
Recipients Put Awards to Use
The National Garden Bureau has announced the five organizations as recipients of its 2026 awards. The bureau says additional details about the gardens can be found on its website, but its announcement gives no schedule for grant distribution or reporting on how the funds are spent.
Updates from the recipients or the bureau may clarify planned purchases, garden improvements and program activities. For now, the confirmed information in the announcement is the selection of five programs, the amounts assigned to each, and the organizations’ descriptions of their work.
Key Questions
Which garden received the largest grant?
The National Garden Bureau’s announcement names Rising Light Project in St. Charles, Illinois, as the first-place recipient of $3,000.
How much funding was awarded?
The National Garden Bureau’s announcement says the grants total more than $7,500. The five individual awards listed—$3,000, $1,500 and three grants of $1,000—add up to $7,500; the announcement does not explain the difference.
Who selected the winning gardens?
According to the National Garden Bureau, the public selected the five winners through a two-week online vote. The bureau says a panel of judges reviewed applications and narrowed them to five finalists before the vote.
What types of programs received grants?
The program descriptions included in the National Garden Bureau’s announcement say the recipients run garden programs for adults with disabilities, people with cancer, and adults living with severe and persistent mental illness. Described activities include horticulture education, accessible sensory gardening and supported group work.
When will the grants be distributed?
The National Garden Bureau’s announcement does not provide a payment schedule or deadline for spending the awards.
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