[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1340 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1340

 To establish a National Community Garden Grant Program to promote the 
   prevention and elimination of urban blight and to meet community 
              developmental needs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               August 2 (legislative day, June 30), 1993

 Mr. Bingaman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
    referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a National Community Garden Grant Program to promote the 
   prevention and elimination of urban blight and to meet community 
              developmental needs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Community Garden Grant 
Program Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) in communities across the United States there are 
        thousands of acres of vacant lots, the number of which is 
        rapidly increasing;
            (2) these vacant lots contribute to the deterioration of 
        neighborhoods and engender feelings of hopelessness among 
        residents and community leaders; and
            (3) a National Community Garden Grant Program will aid in 
        the prevention and elimination of urban blight by beautifying 
        neighborhoods, developing communities and community leadership, 
        and increasing nutritional awareness and gardening skills.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to create a National 
Community Garden Grant Program, which will be a national partnership of 
the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the 
Administrator of General Services, citizens, private organizations, and 
representatives of State and local agencies from all parts of the 
United States, for the promotion of community gardens.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act (unless the context otherwise requires):
            (1) Community garden program.--The term ``community garden 
        program'' means a gardening program that incorporates 1 or more 
        of the following elements:
                    (A) Methods of gardening that promote improved 
                nutrition and nutrition education.
                    (B) Gardening education.
                    (C) Community beautification.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL COMMUNITY GARDEN GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible applicants to conduct community garden programs in 
        accordance with this Act.
            (2) Eligible applicants.--For purposes of paragraph (1), an 
        eligible applicant for a grant under this Act is a unit of 
        general local government or a nonprofit organization that is, 
        or is capable of, carrying out a community garden program in 
        accordance with this Act.
            (3) Maximum amount and number.--The Secretary shall award 
        up to 100 grants, each of which may not exceed $20,000.
            (4) Federal, state, and local contributions.--
                    (A) In general.--The Federal share attributable to 
                this section of the cost of carrying out a program for 
                which a grant is made under this section shall be 25 
                percent.
                    (B) Calculation.--In providing for the remaining 
                share of the cost of carrying out such a program, each 
                grantee under this section--
                            (i) shall provide for such share through a 
                        payment in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, 
                        including facilities, equipment, or services; 
                        and
                            (ii) may provide for such share through 
                        State sources, local sources, or Federal 
                        sources (other than funds made available under 
                        this section).
            (5) Distribution.--The Secretary shall award grants in a 
        manner that reflects the geographical diversity of the United 
        States, to the maximum extent practicable.
            (6) Set-aside.--The Secretary shall allocate at least 20 
        percent of the grant funds made available under this section to 
        grantees located in communities with populations not exceeding 
        50,000 inhabitants.
    (b) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, in conjunction with the 
        Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and 
        the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall develop 
        selection criteria and application procedures consistent with 
        the purposes of this Act.
            (2) Factors.--In selecting grantees, at a minimum, the 
        Secretary shall consider the following criteria:
                    (A) The extent to which the applicant will maximize 
                the use of public-private partnerships and available 
                surplus property.
                    (B) The extent to which the applicant will target 
                minority, underserved, and high-risk populations.
                    (C) The likelihood of the applicant developing a 
                sustainable community gardening program.
            (3) Certification of eligibility.--The Secretary shall 
        certify the eligibility of each grantee.
            (4) Other funds.--Funds from other sources may be used by a 
        grantee in conjunction with funds made available under this 
        Act. This Act shall not affect any guidelines governing the use 
        of other funds.

SEC. 5. DATA COLLECTION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a database to 
compile information submitted under subsection (b) and information 
related to the effectiveness of the National Community Garden Grant 
Program in each participating community.
    (b) Federal Funds.--Grantees shall furnish the Secretary with 
information regarding the amount of Federal funds received by each 
grantee, including funds from the Secretary, the Administrator of 
General Services, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

SEC. 6. DONATION OF PROPERTY.

    A grantee under this Act may use surplus property obtained from the 
Administrator of General Services and the Secretary of Defense to carry 
out a community garden program.

SEC. 7. PROFITS FROM COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECTS.

    If a grantee derives a profit from the sale of a product produced 
by a community garden program that receives funds under this Act, the 
grantee shall use the profits only to further carry out such program.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act, 
$2,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
1996, 1997, and 1998.

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