I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3225 
To help provide funds for community gardens, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 15, 2009 
Mr. INSLEE (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. 
MORAN of Virginia, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. BORDALLO, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, 
Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LEE of Cali-
fornia, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Ms. WOOLSEY, and Mr. CLEAVER) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ag-
riculture 
A BILL 
To help provide funds for community gardens, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Gardens 
Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to establish a program 
to— 
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(1) establish community gardens to enhance the 
availability of fresh fruits and vegetables and help 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 
(2) promote healthy lifestyles; and 
(3) educate and train the public on the impor-
tance and value of community gardening. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘community garden’’ means a 
garden for individuals in a local community. 
(2) The term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means— 
(A) a non-profit organization; 
(B) a public entity; 
(C) a community development organiza-
tion; 
(D) a Native American or tribal group; 
(E) a technical, educational, or outreach 
institution; 
(F) a State or local government; or 
(G) a State or local governmental organi-
zation. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS. 
The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter in this Act 
referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) may make grants, with 
such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines ap-
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propriate, to eligible entities for activities under section 
6. 
SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS. 
In order to receive a grant under this Act, an eligible 
entity shall submit an application in such form and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require, in-
cluding the costs associated with a community garden for 
which the eligible entity will use the grant. 
SEC. 6. ACTIVITIES. 
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act 
may use that grant to engage in activities to establish, 
build, or operate community gardens. Such activities may 
include any or all of the following: 
(1) Acquiring any interest in real property. 
(2) Construction. 
(3) Community outreach. 
(4) Operations. 
(5) Any other appropriate activity. 
SEC. 7. ALLOCATION OF GRANTS. 
In making a grant under this Act, the Secretary shall 
consider the following: 
(1) Geographic diversity among grantees. 
(2) The number of individuals in a local com-
munity that are likely to participate in a community 
garden. 
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SEC. 8. GRANT RECIPIENT TO ENSURE TIMELY OPENING 
OF COMMUNITY GARDEN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The eligible entity that receives 
the last grant made under this Act for a community gar-
den shall ensure that the community garden is operational 
not later than an opening date that is 2 years after the 
grant, unless the Secretary provides an exception. 
(b) SUBSEQUENT GRANTS TO VIOLATORS.—The Sec-
retary shall treat as an exception a failure by the eligible 
entity to ensure that the community garden is operational 
not later than the opening date if the eligible entity re-
ceives a grant under this Act for the community garden 
on or after the opening date. 
SEC. 9. LIMITATION ON USE OF REAL PROPERTY AC-
QUIRED WITH GRANT. 
An eligible entity receiving a grant under this Act 
that acquires an interest in real property for a community 
garden using the grant shall ensure that the interest in 
real property is used for the community garden for a pe-
riod of not less than 10 consecutive years, beginning on 
the opening date. 
SEC. 10. FEDERAL SHARE OF COSTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A grant under this section may 
not exceed 80 percent of the costs specified in the applica-
tion and associated with all community gardens assisted 
with the grant. 
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(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY CONTRIBUTIONS.—An eligible 
entity may cover any of those costs that are not covered 
by the grant using cash or an in-kind contribution. 
Æ 
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