Our Village Gardens is a Portland-based nonprofit working to build community through urban agriculture and food access.

When the partnership began, OVG had virtually no grant infrastructure in place.

Together with Co-Executive Directors Eca-Etabo Wasongolo and Daniel Chevalier, we built out a global grant template, grant tracker, and funding research system.

We submitted over 20 grant proposals annually, while also facilitating site visits and informational sessions with both government and private foundations.

One strategy I use with clients is nominating executive directors for relevant awards. It gives deserved recognition to the leader and the team, and it often opens unexpected funding opportunities.

The staff at Our Village Gardens wanted to surprise Co-Executive Director Waso with a nomination for the 2026 Joey Pope Award for Park Leadership. Out of 15 nominations, Waso was one of two people selected. The award came with a $10,000 grant to Our Village Gardens.