2026 Urban Farmer Grant Awardees
Jones Valley Teaching Farm and the City of Birmingham announced 10 recipients of the Urban Farmer Grant Program. This initiative is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is designated to provide financial relief. The funds will be used to address operational shortfalls that urban farming entities experienced due to the pandemic, and before that, longstanding inequities in economic opportunity and investment.
The program awarded $10,000 each to the following organizations:
A Beautiful Life Enterprises (ABLE)
The VISION of A Beautiful Life Enterprises (ABLE) is for communities to Eat Well and BE Well. Our MISSION is to serve as a resource for community Well-BEing through Whole Food Plant-Inspired culinary experiences and food education. Our ‘Herban’ Homestead (House of The Beloved, ‘Herban’ Homestead, Healing Gardens & Teaching Kitchen) serves as a model of self-sufficiency and self-reliance while supporting mental, physical, and nutritional well-being through community food experiences and community food education sessions.
Birmingham Eastside EcoGardens (B.E.E.)
For over a decade, Birmingham Eastside EcoGardens (B.E.E.) mission has been to serve as a vital community hub that improves both mental and physical wellness by increasing equitable food access, fostering environmental stewardship and providing hands-on opportunities to reconnect people with nature and each other. They plan to expand their food-growing capacity and improve infrastructure at B.E.E. to better serve East Birmingham residents.
Birmingham Urban Gardeners
For the last 5 years Birmingham Urban Gardeners, a group of volunteers have been running District 1 Community Garden, located on the grounds of East Pinson Valley Community Park. BUG’s goal is to educate individuals and families on how to grow their own food, expand access to fresh produce, and inspire communities to explore the idea of food sustainability.
Bush Hills Connections Inc.
Bush Hills Connection Inc. is a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing the Bush Hills neighborhood by transforming the historic Wilson School into a hub for education, health, wellness, and economic opportunity. Through their USDA-certified urban farm, wellness programs, youth engagement initiatives, and built environment program, they empower residents, strengthen neighborhood pride, and create a vibrant, thriving neighborhood that serves as a scalable model for community-driven transformation in Birmingham and beyond.
Christian Service Mission
Christian Service Mission (CSM) connects resources with needs to strengthen communities across Birmingham. Their Garden Center will directly strengthen food access by increasing the amount and quality of produce grown in their small urban garden and distributed through church and non-profit partners. By supplying seedlings, soil, and resources to partner gardens, they extend this impact and help neighborhoods begin growing their own food locally.
East Lake Recovery Center
East Lake Recovery Drop in Center’s mission is to support, celebrate, and empower people with substance abuse disorders through connecting them to resources, building the social, human, and physical recovery capital of individuals and organization and providing peer-based support. The “Bloom Where You’re Planted” initiative is a flagship program that cultivates healing, purpose, and connection by engaging unhoused and recovering individuals in seasonal gardening cohorts.
The Flourish
The Flourish Alabama’s mission is simple yet powerful: to help artists bloom. Rooted in Ensley represents a bold extension of this mission into food sovereignty and community wellness. In partnership with herbalist Courtney Riles of Herbs and Happiness and local artist and gardener Derrick Lilly Jr, the garden will activate underutilized space in the Black Arts District and transform it into a living classroom and food source.
LiftUp Alabama Foundation
LiftUp AL Foundation is a nonprofit volunteer organization with the mission of lifting up Alabamamians through educational, enrichment and advancement programs and opportunities. Through their YEL Earth program, they will continue to establish an outdoor classroom at Booker T. Washington K-8 School that combines food production, environmental stewardship, and hands-on student learning.
Magic City Mushrooms
Founded in January 2020, Magic City Mushrooms’ goal has always been to bring fresh, organic mushrooms and produce to the greater Birmingham community. With this, their mission is to continue educating the public about the health benefits of mushrooms through teaching classes on mushroom cultivation, composting, and wild food foraging.
Reviving Our Neighbor Community Development Corporation
Reviving our Neighbor Community Development Corporation is a charitable non-profit whose mission is to promote economic development, enhancing access to affordable housing, healthcare, and education while promoting social equity through strategic partnerships, community-driven initiatives, and holistic support. Their garden, Eden in Ensley, plans to expand their service to a larger portion of the Tuxedo neighborhood by significantly increasing produce production, while highlighting a variety of methods for growing produce.