Community Garden Leadership Academy

Join a cohort of dedicated Community Garden Leaders, gain valuable community organizing and leadership skills, and connect with other leaders in your community!

The Community Garden Leadership Academy is created and taught in partnership with Cooperative Extension at N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University, N.C. State University, and local community leaders. Our goal is to create more garden leaders in North Carolina and strengthen the statewide community garden network.

This 2- day training focuses on the “people part of the garden” by covering 10 hours of instruction to include the history of community gardening, the role of N.C. Cooperative Extension services, asset-based community development, asset mapping, forming reciprocal relationships, leadership development, garden management, and visioning.  Contrary to popular belief, a successful garden doesn’t rely on sowing, weeding and harvesting. A successful garden must grow and nurture relationships between people- and together we can change the world, one garden at a time.  

The CGLA is for people working and living in food insecure areas, Cooperative Extension agents, community garden leaders, new community & school gardeners, master gardeners, and others interested in mentoring and supporting community gardens. This is highly participatory training designed to include the experiences of each participant. We will introduce techniques and strategies to work effectively with diverse groups by focusing on the ‘community’ part of community gardening. There is also an outdoor garden learning component because we are gardeners after all and need to spend more time in the dirt.   

The training will be 10 hours of instruction, and 3–4 hours will be outdoors in local gardens. Participants will receive a binder for the training. The participant guide is designed to support you during the training and be used as a resource in your communities. Upon completion participants will have the leadership, organizational skills and connections to support their garden.

Reach out to Morgan Malone, Community Gardens Coordinator, to find a training course near you.