Trust For Public Land
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has been creating parks and protecting land for people since 1972. TPL has been instrumental to the effort to save community gardens in New York City. In 1999, TPL helped save 69 community gardens as permanent open spaces and catalyzed the founding of BQLT and other local land trusts to steward these gardens in perpetuity.
Land Trust Alliance
The Land Trust Alliance (LTA) is a national land conservation organization that represents more than 1,000 member land trusts, including BQLT. Targeted funding from LTA has enabled BQLT to evolve into the vibrant, grassroots land trust that it is today.
Green Thumb
GreenThumb provides programming and material support to over 500 community gardens in New York City, including BQLT gardens.
Citizens Committee for New York City
Citizens Committee helps New Yorkers--especially those in low-income areas--come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Citizens Committee provides small grants to community groups and, through its uniquely accessible funding model, has enabled many BQLT gardens to carry out community-driven projects with real, local impact.
GrowNYC
GrowNYC improves New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs that transform communities and empower New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment. Many BQLT gardens have benefited from GrowNYC’s support on major build days and from its annual spring plant sale.
Brooklyn Public Library
BQLT has partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library since 2016 to document stories behind BQLT’s gardens via the oral history project, “Our Streets, Our Stories.” BQLT’s gardens represent an extraordinary group of racially, culturally, and economically diverse people who share recognition of the worth of public, open spaces to improving the quality of city life. Listen to BQLT garden leaders tell their stories here!
Cooperative Economics Alliance of New York City (CEANYC)
CEANYC strengthens and expands community-led, democratically-controlled initiatives—from worker, financial, and consumer co-ops to community land trusts and gardens, mutual housing, and low-income housing co-ops. BQLT has partnered with CEANYC since early 2018, ensuring that BQLT gardens are connected to cooperative initiatives across New York City’s solidarity economy.
NYC Urban Soils Institute
The NYC Urban Soils Institute (USI) works to advance scientific understanding and promote the conservation and sustainable use of urban soils. BQLT has partnered with USI since 2016 to test the soil at select BQLT gardens for lead and other heavy metals.
Haiti Cultural Exchange (HCX)
HCX is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that develops, presents, and promotes the cultural expressions of the Haitian people. BQLT has partnered with HCX since 2017 to bring Haitian arts and culture into BQLT gardens.
The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA)
Through exhibitions and programming, MoCADA incites dialogue on pressing social and political issues facing the African Diaspora and fosters a dynamic space for the creation and continuous evolution of culture. BQLT has partnered with MoCADA since 2016 to bring arts and cultural events into BQLT gardens.
New York Cares
New York Cares meets pressing community needs by mobilizing caring New Yorkers in volunteer service. Many BQLT gardens have benefited from the energy and hard work of New York Cares volunteers.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden connects people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment. Many BQLT gardens have benefited from the education and resources provided by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, especially its Community Garden Alliance.
New York Restoration Project
Since its founding by Bette Midler in 1995, New York Restoration Project (NYRP) has planted trees, renovated gardens, restored parks, and transformed open space for communities throughout NYC’s five boroughs. Several BQLT gardens have been built out with support from NYRP.
Bronx Land Trust
The Bronx Land Trust protects 18 community gardens throughout the Bronx.
Manhattan Land Trust
The Bronx Land Trust protects 14 community gardens throughout the Manhattan.
Green Guerillas
Green Guerillas uses a unique mix of education, organizing and advocacy to help people cultivate community gardens, sustain grassroots groups, grow food, engage youth, and address issues critical to the future of their gardens.
American Community Gardening Association (ACGA)
The ACGA builds community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the U.S. and Canada.
