[ali]

It’s a worthwhile challenge indeed! You can attend the Vacant Land 215 workshop. More info below–

Join us April 8 for Vacant Land 215: Urban Agriculture and Community Gardening in Philadelphia
Our Garden Justice Legal Initiative and Soil Generation invite you to come discuss legal land access and preservation for gardens, farms, and other community-managed open spaces, including discussing resources available to growers during COVID-19. To view an online list of some of these resources and tips visit, Grounded in Philly.

Representatives from Soil Generation, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Philadelphia Land Bank, the Neighborhood Gardens Trust, and the Philadelphia Water Department will also be available during this event to discuss options and answer questions. To make this program useful for you, bring property addresses and all your questions. Free registration here.

When: Thursday, April 8, 12:00-1:30 p.m.

There will be 45 minutes of brief presentations from participating organizations followed by 45 minutes for questions.

Where: Online webinar

Free Registration Here

[ali]

Hi Susan, great idea. I’d consider calling, emailing, and reaching out to possibly the Jewish Federation along with the Neighborhood Gardens Trust to see if they are part of it. Good luck!

[ali]

Update PPP draw two is available to organizations with 20 or less employees, starting this week. More on that here.

[ali]

Hello there, Morgan, and welcome! The Spring season is around the corner, and you can find some Community Gardens here. I also would recommend reaching out to the Passyunk Square Civic Association or the community garden that’s in Capitolo Park, both have some well-established plots.

I’ll add the Philadelphia Land Bank, if you were interested in land, have begun selling off some lots finally. You may need to connect with more folks in the neighborhood!

[ali]

UPDATE- Round 1 disbursements should be underway. While I did not receive any such assistance for my business, the PA Statewide Small Business Assistance has a second-round that just opened up.

The PA CDFI Network has announced that the second grant application window opens today August 10th and will remain open for 15 business days closing at 11:59PM on August 28th

Apply and learn more: https://pabusinessgrants.com/

[ali]

Hi all, an update – here is the screenshot of the City’s response to anyone who submitted an Expression of Interest for gaining access to land from the City of Philadephia.

Philadelphia Land Bank’s Expression of Interest process seems to have changed to The City’s Department of Planning and Development (PHDC)

The new website is: https://phdcphila.org/

[ali]

Hi, Ben! Welcome to Grounded in Philly. The Land Bank abruptly shut down their site and we reached out for a response as to why and got no information back. Feel free to email Angel (angel.b.rodriguez@phila.gov) at the Land Bank to also follow up on why they shut it down and what is going on with the many Expressions of Interests (EOI) that people had submitted for specific vacant lots that are City-owned.

A big thing PHS can assist with is for established gardens, via their Neighborhood Gardens Trust program. I’ve heard that during the pandemic community gardeners were unable to get their seeds since they closed down per government order.

311 would be the last thing I suggest–it’s good for finding food, and so is our sister resource / Food Access Guide – Philly Food Finder.

To answer your original question, go through the Pathways selector on our homepage here! https://groundedinphilly.org/#pathways and use the Vacant Lot Viewer once you get to that option to scout a location. Let me know how intuitive this is for you and do you have any feedback in general about this site?

Also, see more resources here: https://groundedinphilly.org/resources/

[ali]

Also, if you run a farm business, there’s a survey for the business impact due to the pandemic here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHZR5JQ

If you run a nonprofit, there’s also a survey for the nonprofit impact due to the pandemic here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MDT2LXM

[ali]

Thanks, Jon, it was a great call and we were able to add resources to Grounded via this Google Doc as a result!

[ali]

Thank you, Amanda. I appreciate the input. I hope this community resource is being shared around by now–it’s a living doc from the urban ag working group that’s available here on the COVID-19 resource page. I hope it helps!

Stay healthy,
Ali

[Author]

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