Attachment A
Community Garden: 222 NW 3rd Ave, Visalia, CA 93291, APN 094-053-029 RPC and its programming partners shall have exclusive use of the premises and shall actively and continuously use and operate the premises for the limited purpose of operating and maintaining a community garden asset for programming participants’ use for the production of agricultural products. Below is a detailed Operational and Maintenance Plan for the Community Garden:
1. Prospective Funding Sources Beyond the CSET NBS Grant To ensure the Visalia Community Garden remains financially viable beyond the initial Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) grant that CSET is pursuing, RPC and partners will pursue the following additional funding streams:
State & Federal Grants:
USDA Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grant
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Healthy Soils Program CalFire Urban Forestry and Green Schoolyard grants
Private and Foundation Grants:
Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California Foundation (community health & wellness) California Wellness Foundation (food access and health equity) Clif Family Foundation (sustainable food systems)
Tulare County Farm Bureau mini-grants
Collaborative Partner Support:
CAFF will contribute technical assistance and funding linkages through its Small Farm Tech Hub and Farm-to-School network.
A.L.M.A.A. will engage high school youth volunteers, develop bilingual educational content, and apply for youth civic engagement microgrants.
Parent University and Los Promotores Comunitarios will co-lead fundraising events (plant sales, harvest dinners, crowdfunding).
FoodLink and College of the Sequoias will help secure food recovery and educational funding support.
Earned Income & Sponsorships:
“Sponsor-a-Plot” program for families, schools, and local businesses Seasonal Garden Stand with SNAP/EBT access
CSA-style subscriptions and value-added product sales (salsa, teas, jams) Local business sponsorships for signage, materials, or equipment
2. Contingencies and Existing Funding Applicability
If necessary funding is not secured, RPC and the Collaborative will:
Prioritize essential operations using in-kind contributions and volunteer labor Temporarily scale programming to focus on core maintenance and access Rely on ongoing CBO-funded programs (Parent University, A.L.M.A.A., and Los Promotores workshops) for continuity Apply existing youth engagement and environmental literacy funds (through CSET and College of the Sequoias programs) to sustain the educational component Funding availability for the CSET NBS grant: through June 2026.
RPC will target renewal or additional grants by February 2026 to ensure uninterrupted operations.
3. Collaborative Partner Commitments
Partner
Role
Commitment
RPC (Lead Agency)
Coordination & Oversight
Manages daily operations, compliance, and reporting
CSET
Infrastructure & Workforce
Implements restoration work, provides youth labor and materials Los Promotores Comunitarios
Outreach & Education
Conducts bilingual workshops, assists with recruitment
Parent University
Family Engagement
Delivers parent workshops, coordinates community events CAFF
Agricultural Expertise
Provides farm system training, soil health support, and market linkages A.L.M.A.A.
Youth Engagement
Leads high school youth volunteer activities, develops peer-led learning FoodLink
Food Security
Manages donation coordination and local distribution
College of the Sequoias
Educational Partner
Provides college student interns and supports garden daily operations
4. Organizational Roles – with Employment Alignment
Position
Reporting/Employer
Function
Garden Coordinator
RPC
Daily management, community liaison
Volunteer Coordinator
RPC (with A.L.M.A.A. support)
Recruitment, scheduling, volunteer supervision
Education Lead
Parent University / Los Promotores
Oversees workshops and bilingual curriculum
Maintenance Lead
CSET
Coordinates tool/equipment management and repairs
Fundraising Lead
RPC / CAFF
Oversees donor engagement, event planning, and grants
Youth Program Assistant
A.L.M.A.A.
Peer mentor and youth activities facilitator
5. Draft Implementation Timeline
Phase
Milestones
Target Date
Phase 1: Site Preparation & Infrastructure
Site cleanup, install irrigation, planters, signage
Jan – March 2026
Phase 2: Garden Activation
Plot assignments, launch community registration
Jan–April 2026
Phase 3: Education Launch
Begin bilingual garden workshops, youth programs
May 2026
Phase 4: Community Events
Host first Harvest Day & “Sponsor-a-Plot” kickoff
April 2026
Phase 5: Evaluation & Sustainability Planning
Mid-year assessment; funding renewal applications
June–Sept 2026
6. Day-to-Day Upkeep and Operations
Daily upkeep will be managed collaboratively by RPC staff, volunteers, and partner representatives:
Routine Maintenance:
Watering schedules maintained via irrigation timers
Weekly trash, compost, and tool checks
Pest monitoring and integrated pest management (IPM) practices Pathway and signage upkeep
Seasonal Tasks:
Spring: Soil amendments, seedling preparation, compost management Summer: Irrigation system checks, harvesting rotations
Fall: Cleanup, re-mulching, crop rotation planning
Winter: Tool maintenance, planning meetings, grant reporting Supervision:
Garden Coordinator and Maintenance Lead will track tasks using a shared Trello board and monthly logbook (per original proposal).
7. Educational Program Enhancement
RPC’s Community Learning Model combines:
Culturally relevant bilingual instruction on gardening, composting, nutrition, and entrepreneurship Youth & family workshops co-led by A.L.M.A.A. and Parent University Career pathways in sustainable agriculture and microenterprise via CAFF collaboration Learning outcomes tracking using attendance logs, pre/post surveys, and milestone evaluations (e.g., number of families served, pounds of produce grown/donated)