By Jim Charlier
This year, Gardens Buffalo Niagara granted $39,695 in Lunenfeld Beautification Grants to 33 block clubs and community groups for garden projects across Buffalo.
Since the program launched in 2004, more than $200,000 has supported more than 300 projects—a living tribute to Marvin Lunenfeld, founder of Garden Walk Buffalo, who passed away in 2012.
The grants, up to $1,500 each, fund community gardens, street-side planters, rain gardens, raised-bed gardens, hanging baskets, and more.
To be eligible, projects had to be located within the City of Buffalo, visible from the sidewalk, publicly accessible, and have access to a water source. Applicant organizations were—or were sponsored by—a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
A committee of volunteers and experienced gardeners reviewed all applications and prioritized projects that were creative, fostered community participation, and made a positive environmental impact. Pollinators, native plants, and water conservation are among the factors considered.
As a bonus, grant recipients received complimentary one-year memberships to the Tool Library, giving groups access to the equipment they need to bring their visions to life.
“From street planters to healing gardens, it is inspiring to see how communities are transforming their neighborhoods,” says Mara Montante, Chair of the Lunenfeld Grant Committee. “Community gardens have a unique way of bringing people together, and that work is at the heart of our mission at Gardens Buffalo Niagara.”
The projects will be completed by mid-July and will be featured on the East Side Garden Walk and Garden Walk Buffalo if they fall within the footprints of the tours. Grants are funded by revenue from Gardens Buffalo Niagara donors, sponsors, events, and the Buffalo Together Community Response Fund.
Is your group dreaming of a neighborhood garden beautification project?
Mark your calendar: applications open each January with a March 15 deadline. Watch here for details.
Read more about this year’s Lunenfeld recipients.
See past recipients going back to 2005.
Jim Charlier is co-author of Harry Potter, Herbology Magic (Insight Editions, 2023) and Buffalo-Style Gardens (St. Lynn’s Press, 2019). He is a speaker on garden tourism and design, a member of GardenComm International, and a longtime garden blogger at ArtofGardening.org. He is a co-founder and former VP of Gardens Buffalo Niagara (GBN), Chair of GBN’s Garden Art Sale, and a past president of Garden Walk Buffalo. His photography has appeared in dozens of garden magazines and books.
