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 dowlingcommunitygarden@gmail.com 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.

Background Check

Question and Answer

Criminal Record Authorization and Release Form

Community Involvement

Dowling Community Garden members donate hundreds of pounds of produce each season. Past and current donation partners include:

• Aliveness Project

• Keystone

• Francis Basket Food Shelf

• Sabathani Community Center

• Neighborhood House

If your organization would like to become a donation partner, please reach out to dowlingcommunitygarden@gmail.com. Current gardeners, please review our produce donation guidelines.