Resources

Director Mickie and Brooklyn Grange Co-founder Anastasia Cole Plakias inspect soil amendments at Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm in Sunset Park.

From community gardens to school learning gardens, urban farms, rooftop farms, and controlled environment agriculture, New York City is home to a diverse breadth of urban agriculture.

Below are current NYC resources, please keep checking as we update the website.

To find an urban farm or community garden in your neighborhood, check out the NYC Urban Agriculture Data Explorer Hub! 

Spring Funding Roundup 2025 

The Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture (MOUA) is pleased to present the NYC urban agriculture community with the following funding opportunities. Please note that MOUA is not a direct funder of these grants and does not endorse any particular opportunity. Grants presented here are for your awareness and consideration.

NYSDAM FreshConnect CSA for SNAP Grant Program

New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets CSA for SNAP grant program provides SNAP participants the access the popular Community Supported Agriculture model by partially subsidizing the cost of weekly share purchases. A total of $250,000 in funding is available until funds are depleted. Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until July 22, 2025  Learn More & Apply 

NASDA Foundation Business Builder Sub-Awards

The Northeast Regional Food Business Center Business Builder sub-award program will equip small- and mid-sized farm and food businesses with funding to develop and amplify regional supply chains. The Center anticipates distributing around $10 million and between 180 and 350 awards in the range of $15,000 - $100,000. Deadline: April 7, 2025  Learn More & Apply

Citizens Committee NYC Grants

Citizens NYC directs cash grants to hundreds of New Yorkers each year who have ideas to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. The Community Leaders Grants support projects with grants of up to $5,000. The Neighborhood Business Grants support local businesses with grants of up to $5,000. Deadline: Second grants cycle opens May 5th & the application deadline is July 25, 2025  Learn More & Apply 

North Star Fund Grants

The North State Fund has various grants support organizations and programs within the five boroughs of New York City and the Hudson Valley that elevate community-led solutions to problems caused by racism, gender oppression and greed. Check out their website for more information on the grant options, process, and deadlines. Deadline: Various  Learn More & Apply

Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program

The NYSDAM Farmer’s Market Resiliency program aims to provide the opportunity to build long-term food system resiliency through New York State’s Farmers’ Markets. Projects that will help enhance current food system resiliency through farmers’ markets, including projects aimed at the development and enhancement of farmers’ market infrastructure, online infrastructure, marketing and outreach efforts, and/or delivery capabilities across the state are eligible. Deadline: May 27, 2025  Learn More & Apply  

2025 J.M.K. Innovation Prize

J.M.K. identifies and supports bold problem-solvers leading transformative, early-stage projects in the fields of heritage conservation, the environment, and social justice. This prize round will award up to 10 Prizes, each including a cash award of $150,000 over three years and $25,000 in technical assistance funds. Deadline: April 25, 2025  Learn More & Apply 

Community Gardens

GreenThumb, the community gardening program of NYC Parks, has been supporting community gardens and farms across New York City since 1978 with technical assistance, workshops, programming and material support. Currently supporting over 550 community gardens and 20,000 volunteer community gardeners, GreenThumb is ready to help you with your community-focused urban agriculture project. To connect with GreenThumb, please visit our Contact page. 

Farms at NYCHA

Farms at NYCHA is part of Building Healthy Communities, a city-wide partnership designed to improve health outcomes in 12 neighborhoods in New York City. Through the initiative, young public housing residents are building and maintaining farms on public housing properties across the city to serve fellow residents, with local partners. The Farms expand healthy food access, provide youth workforce and leadership development, and promote sustainable and connected public housing communities. 

Visit Farms at NYCHA

Commercial Farming

For information about opening an urban agriculture business in New York City, visit the Urban Agriculture Guide on the NYC Business Portal. This guide includes tips on creating a business plan, registering and financing your business, finding and planning your space, hiring a team, preparing to open, and operating your business.

The NYC Zoning Resolution regulates and establishes limits on the use of land and buildings size, shape, height, and setbacks. As a result of Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Economic Opportunity initiative, zoning now allows expanded urban agriculture activity in more areas of the city than ever. For more information about the proposal details adopted by the New York City Council, please visit City of Yes for Economic Opportunity – Adopted Details. 

For up-to-date information about zoning and related information for New York City, visit ZoLa, the Department of City Planning’s web-based zoning and land use application.

Cornell Cooperative Extension's Urban Agriculture Program provides support for farmers in all five boroughs of New York City. With an emphasis on growing for market, the program serves urban farmers through educational programming, technical assistance, and research. The program areas include production, marketing, regulations, food safety, and urban agriculture's social and environmental impacts. Visit the program’s website or @urbanag.nyc on Instagram for more information.

Food Policy

The Mayor's Office of Food Policy works to advance the City’s efforts to increase food security, promote access to and awareness of healthy food, and support economic opportunities and environmental sustainability in the food system.

DOE Sustainability

Nearly 70% of our school buildings have access to school gardens. These range from indoor windowsill gardens and hydroponic towers to outdoor raised beds. For more information on School Gardens and making NYC Schools more sustainable, please visit NYC DOE Office of Sustainability.

For more resources, please visit: Sustainability Hub (google.com)

Organics Collection Services

One third of what New Yorkers throw away is yard waste and food scraps, also known as organics. The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) now provides organics collection services to help reduce waste and create soil or renewable energy. Learn more about the organics collection program from the DSNY Food Scraps and Yard Waste webpage.