02 Mar Powell Gardens Receives a $10,000 Grant from American Century Investments
Powell Gardens was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from American Century Investments to establish Powell Gardens as a regional learning hub for agricultural producers, private landowners, horticulturalists, hobbyists, and the general citizenry.
Funding from American Century will enable Powell Gardens to elevate the quality of adult and youth educational offerings and support three festivals, each featuring at least two workshops, one youth makers’ day, and one community activity, over the one-year grant cycle.
Festival Education Workshops and Events will address the needs of family farms, landowners, and the general public by increasing knowledge of soil health and native plant benefits. Healthy working land is the foundation of a prosperous U.S. agricultural industry, the cornerstone of environmental quality, and the core of healthy communities (USDA, NRCS, 2009). With the rise of urban living, Americans spend more than 90% of their time indoors. Contact with nature can foster social connectedness, promote increased physical activity, enhance immune function, reduce stress, and relieve mental fatigue. Powell Gardens is ideally situated to meet the educational needs of these landowners, as well as those of the general public.
As a result of the Festival Education Workshops and Events project, regional agriculture producers (who primarily work on individual- and family-owned farms), private landowners, and the general citizenry will expand their knowledge of sustainable planting practices. Local agriculture producers will gain specific and actionable knowledge to improve soil health and integrate native plantings into their farm production workflow. Agricultural producers will also see Powell Gardens as a vital community resource for expert support. Private landowners and the general citizenry will gain awareness of conservation initiatives and sustainable practices to improve the viability of the local ecosystem.
Powell Gardens primarily serves residents in and around Kansas City. The Kansas City metropolitan area is comprised of two major urban core cities across two states, Kansas and Missouri. In a ring around these two urban cores are over 80 suburban cities in 15 counties. Outside of this suburban ring is America’s heartland, the rural communities which grow our produce and raise our livestock. Powell Gardens is a valuable educational resource for local agricultural producers, private landowners, horticulturists, and the general public.