school garden support
organization network

The SGSO Network is an open peer-to-peer learning network with the goal of growing,
sustaining and elevating a movement of equitable garden-based education.

We provide professional & leadership development, resources, and platforms to
connect for members serving at a school, district, regional, state, or national level.

We Facilitate Peer to Peer Learning

Promising Practices

500+ resources, shared by SGSO Peers, on Key Activities related to managing school garden programming.

Online Forum

A forum of 900 members discussing topics related to running school garden programs.

Webinars

Since 2017, presenting an average of 10 webinars per year with an average live viewership of 180.

In-Person Gatherings

Growing School Garden Summit, Leadership Institute, & conference meetups

For the Purpose of Growing

We facilitate peer-to-peer learning in order to build more school gardens, allow students and teachers to use and engage in

school gardens, and implement more policies and commitments from institutions to incorporate school gardens.

We Operate with Mission-Driven Values

Structure

We are a network of school garden professionals, serving programs at any level, from individual school gardens to School Garden Support Organizations (SGSOs) who support multiple school gardens.

Staff

Staff Members manage day-to-day operations and interact with members, Peer Learning Communities & the Governance Board to enact our strategic goals.

Governance

Our Governance Board meets monthly to enact the Strategic Plan, while also serving on Peer Learning Communities. We work to ensure that the Governance Board reflects the level of diversity within our network

Peer Learning Communities

Peer Learning Communities accomplish a mix of ongoing and time-limited tasks & projects and are carried out by the Governance Board and members. The Network welcomes task & project ideas from all members

Members

Membership is free and open to anyone looking to advance their school gardening efforts, whether at an individual school garden or across many school gardens.

About our Members

We are a network of school garden professionals, serving programs at any level, from individual school gardens to School Garden

Support Organizations (SGSOs) who support multiple school gardens.

Currently, our network consists of over 4,200 individuals representing more than 2,000 organizations or
schools that support tens of thousands of gardens.

How our Members Describe Us

Word Cloud

2021 Impact Report

Impact From 2014-Today

Strategic Plan

Our 2021 Strategic Plan sets forth
the following 3-year high-level vision
and strategies for our network.

Vision

Support the growth and sustainability of an equitable school garden movement.

Programs & Services

Relevant, collaborative, member-valued, and data-driven programming focused on furthering the collective mission of the Network and that of the school garden movement.

Membership

Engaged members who are committed to peer-to-peer learning, networking, and collaboration, and have agency within the network to participate in how best serves each unique need.

Operations & Infrastructure

Clear and organized infrastructure that provides support while allowing for the emergent, organic, vibrant, and collaborative leadership that makes the Network unique.

Finances

A fiscally sustainable organization with long term plans for support via diversified funding and revenue streams.

Strategies for Success

SGSO Network Timeline