Take action: the $25 million budget request and Advocacy Day

We're writing with an exciting update from the CA School Garden Coalition. We recently held a coalition meeting to share our 2026-27 advocacy strategy, and we know many of you were interested in joining but were not able to attend on 3/18. Follow-up details below.

Advocacy Summary: We are advancing a $25 million budget request for school garden-based instruction statewide, championed by Senator Sasha Renee Perez. This investment would reach an additional ~500,000 students across ~50 school districts, at roughly $50 per student per year through the Farm to School Program. With Farm to School funding cut by 67% and the loss of ~$132 million in federal SNAP-Ed nutrition education, this request addresses a real and growing gap.

How You Can Help Right Now

Visit the How You Can Help section of our advocacy page for full details:

1. Sign on to the letter of support to show your organization's backing for the $25M budget request. The more signatories we have, the stronger our ask.
2. Register for Advocacy Day: Join us in Sacramento on April 9-10 at the Capitol to meet with legislators, share your story, and build momentum for this funding request. Here's what to expect:
   1. Day 1 (April 9): Preparation, training, and coordination
   2. Day 2 (April 10): Legislative office meetings at the Capitol, with a showcase event to demonstrate the power of school garden education
   3. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or a first-timer, we'll equip you with everything you need. Kids encouraged!
   4. We are seeking volunteers to support planning and day-of-logistics. If you/your organization can lend staff time or volunteer hours, please email ca-school-garden-leads@growingtogetherprojects.org.
   5. Sponsor Advocacy Day to help fund the event (tiers: Heirloom $1,000 | Pollinator $500 | Seedling $250). Contact Vicki Moore for details.
3. Check if your legislators are key to this $25M request. If you are a constituent within any of these legislative districts (#5), please let us know, so we can coordinate outreach. Find your representatives here.
4. Share this with your networks! Forward this email, share our advocacy webpage, and use the attached Communications Toolkit to spread the word through your newsletters, social media, and community contacts.
5. Do you have contacts at key organizations? We are actively building support from influential groups. If you have contacts at any of the following (or similar organizations), please let us know and pass along this email to encourage them to sign on to the letter of support:
   1. County Offices of Education
   2. California State PTA
   3. California Teachers Association (CTA)
   4. Superintendent associations
   5. Other education, health, or environmental organizations

3/18 Advocacy Overview Meeting Resources

For those who were not able to attend the March 18 meeting, please feel free to check out the meeting resources below:

• Meeting Slides
• Meeting Recording
• Meeting Summary & Transcript
• AEOE Advocacy Overview: Provides a helpful overview of how nonprofits and educators can participate in the legislative process.
• Communications Toolkit: Sample language you can use in newsletters, social media, and outreach to encourage others to sign up for Advocacy Day and sign on to the letter of support.
• $25M Request FAQ Document (forthcoming): In the meantime, please share any questions with us and we'll make sure to address them there.

Thank you for being part of this movement! The window for this budget request is now, and every voice matters. Whether you can join us in Sacramento, sign on to the letter, share with your networks, or connect us with key contacts, your support makes a difference.

We'll continue to share updates as the legislative process unfolds.

All the best,

Linda Livers

On behalf of the California School Garden Coalition Leadership Team