Want to add fruit trees and berry bushes to your school or community garden? Apply now to receive free plants, design services and ongoing support from Tilth Alliance.
We’re excited to launch a new initiative to create community food forests in Seattle/King County. We’ll provide free plants and design services, as well as tools, workshops and ongoing support. We are reviewing applications now for projects to start in fall 2026 through 2027.
What is a Food Forest?
A food forest is a land stewardship approach rooted in reciprocity, community care, and natural design. It layers diverse edible plants — especially fruit trees and berries — to provide fresh local fruit while also increasing canopy and shade, cleaning air and water, and supporting pollinators, birds, and wildlife. “Food forest” is a more recent term, but the concepts behind it aren’t new. They are part of a long history of indigenous relational land care, which we acknowledge and strive to honor and learn from.
Become a Food Forest Partner
We welcome applications from partners whose projects take place on publicly owned land or offer a clear community benefit — school gardens, community farms, public parks, housing authority properties, etc.
We anticipate working with over a dozen partners through 2027, with the first round of plantings happening in fall 2026 and early spring 2027. Your project can create a brand-new space or add onto an existing one. To qualify, you’ll need:
- Permission from the landowner
- Access to water and enough space for 5–10 fruit trees (at least 500 square feet)
- At least 2 staff or community members ready to become food forest stewards and commit to ongoing maintenance
- A plan for sharing the future harvest
In selecting partners, we’ll prioritize projects that increase neighborhood tree canopy, expand access to healthy food, and include a clear plan for community engagement in design, maintenance, and harvest.
If selected, we’ll start with a site visit and a collaborative design process. From there, we provide everything you need to get growing — fruit trees, berries, and other plants, plus soil testing, tools, and infrastructure like drip irrigation, tree protection, trellises, soil amendments, and mulch.
Your team will also receive training workshops for staff and volunteers, a site-specific care manual, a maintenance plan, a monthly newsletter and ongoing annual support.
Preview the questions asked in the application here.
Primary funding for this initiative is from the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with State of Washington Department of Natural Resources, Urban and Community Forestry Program.
Have questions? Review our Frequently Asked Questions or email Carey Thornton.
