All schools, kindergartens, day-care centres and youth groups across Australia are being invited to apply for one of 250 Coles Junior Landcare Garden grants of up to $1,000, to build a garden or improve an existing one in their grounds or wider backyard.
The 2015 Coles Junior Landcare Garden Grants, providing funding of a quarter of a million dollars, coincides with the launch of Landcare into the Australian Curriculum in time for the 2015 school year. This program of free educational resources for students and teachers enables schools to link outdoor Junior Landcare activities, such as building a school garden, with lessons in the classroom.
Since it began in 2008, this year’s round will bring the total number of grants distributed through this program to more than 2000, continuing to encourage students to get involved in learning where their food comes from, and getting their hands dirty by helping prepare soil for planting and harvesting their garden’s crop.
Last year, community groups and schools undertook a broad range of projects – from creating water-wise gardens and worm farms to swapping produce or donating it to their canteen. Lower King Community Kindergarten in WA prepared “long table lunches” for family and community members with the produce grown from their newly-established garden.
Applications for the Coles Junior Landcare Garden Grants close on Friday 27 March. Details are at www.juniorlandcare.com.au.
 Information on the curriculum resources is at juniorlandcare.com.au/curriculumresources