About Us
Our Mission
Provide community garden space
Build a sense of community
Promote sustainable gardening practices such as organic gardening and on-site composting
Share produce with community organizations
Provide a place of beauty for others to enjoy
Provide environmental education and outreach to Dowling gardeners
Join the Waitlist
There is currently a waitlist to join the Dowling Community Garden. We open the waitlist once a year on September 1st. To sign up for the waitlist, please email info@dowlingcommunitygarden.org and indicate your interest when the waitlist is open. The typical waiting time for a plot is 1-2 gardening seasons.
Be sure to review the Service Commitments and Garden Rules and Bylaws before deciding to take a plot. Plot rents vary based on size and location, but are generally less than $60 per year.
Background Checks
Dowling Community Garden licenses the space for its garden plots from the Minneapolis Public Schools. To maintain this license, we are required to participate in the district's Community Partners Program. As such, all plotholders are required to complete the background check release form that is included in the new gardener application packet.
Some Background on the Background Checks
The Community Partners Program was created for organizations that provide services to students. Its intent is logical for organizations running programs in the Minneapolis schools. However, it is a very bad fit for Dowling Community Garden, which does not operate in schools or provide services to students. Most burdensome is the requirement that all plotholders will be required to pass a background check.
The Dowling Community Garden Committee made several attempts to explain to the district why the program was an illogical fit. We have repeatedly pointed out that it would be impossible to background check most of the people who use the open space at Dowling. Several elected officials, notably Jim Davnie and Sandra Colvin Roy, attempted to intervene on our behalf, but to no avail.
The following PDF document includes a letter to Dowling Community Gardeners from the Steering Committee explaining this action. In addition, please find enclosed a letter from Steven Liss, Chief of Policy and Operations of the district, and a copy of the form to be used for the background checks. Every plotholder whose name is listed first on the Rental Agreement is required to fill out this form. Any plotholder who fails the background check or refuses to submit the completed and signed form will be disqualified from holding a Dowling Community Garden plot.
Criminal Record Authorization and Release Form