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GIY Community Classroom Programme Application Open

GIY Community Classrooms Logo

Supported by the Tomar Trust, GIY Community Classrooms programme aims to establish, support and fund a network of 30 community gardens around Ireland over the next three years (2020-2023) that directly engage with primary schools and provide outdoor, living classrooms for pupils, staff and community members.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 1st May 2022

What Will Each Community Classroom Receive?

  • Development fund of €3,500 to build and run a Community Classroom as a partnership between a community group and a primary school
  • School garden growing plan and associated curriculum resources

Who Can Apply?

The Community Classrooms campaign is open to partnerships between local community groups and local primary schools who have access to a new, developing or established community/school garden. The community group/primary school partnership must meet the following criteria:

If You Are A Community Group:

  • Have a community garden, or allocated space for a new community garden, located less than a 10 minute walk from a primary school
  • Agree to allocate a minimum of four 1m x 1m raised beds for school use within the community garden
  • Agree to host a monthly school gardening club at the community garden (run by a teacher, parent or community member)
  • Agree to fundraise (with the help of the primary school) at least 25% of the funding (€900)
  • Have suitable Public Liability Insurance

If You Are A Primary School:

  • Have a school garden, or allocated space for a new school garden, that you agree to share with a local community group
  • Agree to host a monthly school gardening club at the community garden (run by a teacher, parent or community member)
  • Agree to fundraise (with the help of the community group) at least 25% of the funding (€900)
  • Have suitable Public Liability Insurance

The Programme also asks that the community/school garden has, or will use the allocated funding to develop*, the following facilities to create a suitable Community Classroom:

  • A secure storage space to store equipment
  • Easy access to a toilet (compost or otherwise)
  • Access to running water
  • A wildlife pond and/or a secure area to keep hens
  • Access to a covered space (shed, prefab, etc.) that can be used as a classroom in bad weather
  • * If you plan to use the allocated funding to develop facilities, please outline details in your application form

Further information, contact details, FAQ and Application Forms: CLICK HERE