SEED GRANTS

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has partnered with Native American Seed to provide Seed Grants to Texas schools and other educational organizations serving PreK through grade 12 to create outdoor areas that will facilitate learning and deeper connections to nature on their campuses. This grant should create new wildflower plantings or enhance existing wildflower plantings. Seed Grants will not be awarded to private residences.

Seed Grants provide recipients with a gift certificate of $100 to purchase native wildflower and/or grass seeds from Native American Seed.

A short application is required (see below).

Seed Grant Criteria

  • Grants are only for Texas schools and educational organizations serving PreK through 12th grade students.
  • Grant applications must be approved by a school principal or supervisor (if another type of organization) before submitting.
  • The planting area should be at least 500 square feet (1,000 square feet is recommended). An average pound of wildflower mix easily covers 1,000 square feet. A $100.00 grant covers a pound of native wildflower seeds.
  • Project area must be on the campus.
  • Seed Grant recipients agree to submit a project report, that students should be involved in the development of, within one year of the date of the award, including:
    – Before and after pictures of the planting area
    – How the planting area was cleared
    – Location of the planting area
    – Method of seed dispersal
    – Success rate of germination
    – Who helped prepare and create the garden
    – Who benefits from the garden
  • If a report is not received, recipients will not be eligible to apply for another Seed Grant until a report has been received.
  • Only one seed grant application per location can be submitted in one calendar year.

Recommendations for Success

For a Seed Grant project to be successful, we recommend the following:

  • The project leader should be knowledgeable and committed.
  • Applicants for Seed Grants should establish a mentoring partnership with a member of Texas Master Naturalists, the Native Plant Society of Texas or some other local environmental organization.

To Apply

Applications will be considered year round provided there are funds in the Seed Grant program. Improperly submitted applications will not be considered for Seed Grants.

How Are Seed Grants Funded?

Lady Bird Johnson in field of sunflowers PHOTO John D. Smithers

Lady Bird Johnson in field of sunflowers PHOTO John D. Smithers

Seed Grants are funded by purchases of Native American Seed’s Lady Bird Johnson Legacy Mix, a selection of Central Texas wildflower seeds that was developed in collaboration with the Wildflower Center. A percent of seed sale proceeds goes to the grant program. The annuals and perennials included in the mix are among Mrs. Johnson’s favorites and are well-suited to Central Texas. View a list of the plants included in the mix here.