Online Partnership Agreement

Welcome to NeighborSpace’s Online Partnership Agreement Form. This form takes about five minutes to complete. We ask every garden leader and community organization partner to complete this form on an annual basis.

We’ll ask you to provide some contact info for you and your garden. We’ll also ask you to read, and confirm that you are familiar with, NeighborSpace’s garden rules, guidelines, and resources.

If you have questions about using this form, please email NeighborSpace at info@neighbor-space.org or call us at (773)826-3240.

Online Partnership Agreement

Step 1 of 8 - Basic Info

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Your Name*
First Last
Are you a NeighborSpace Garden?*
Select one
- Yes, I am a NeighborSpace Protected Community Garden
- No, but my garden is currently pending
Garden Name*
Garden Address*
Garden Name*
If you are a garden leader at multiple NeighborSpace gardens, please fill out this form once for each garden.
Your Role(s) at the Garden*
Check off any boxes that apply.
- Community Organization Partner (COP)
- Garden Leader (GL)
- Garden Member / Stakeholder Neighbor
Please describe your specific role at this garden:
Your Home Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Your Email*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Your Phone*
Community Organization Partner address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Community Organization Partner Website
How can interested people contact your garden?*
Please list any emails, social media page addresses, listservs, phone numbers, etc.
Does your garden have at least one Community Organization Partner (COP)?*
- Yes
- No
Great! Please list your garden's official Community Organization Partner(s).*
Please list each COP's name, address, and email and/or phone number.
If your garden does not yet have any Community Organization Partners, please describe your action plan for acquiring them.*
List any other organizations that partner with your garden.

Roles and Responsibilities

NeighborSpace gardens are built on partnerships between four entities:
1. NeighborSpace
2. Garden Leadership Team
3. Community Organization Partners
4. Garden Stakeholders
Please read below for a description of the roles and responsibilities expected of each entity, and check all four boxes to confirm that you have read and understand these roles and responsibilities. Note that no two gardens are the same- every garden will have unique partnerships that fit the garden’s needs.
NeighborSpace

the urban land trust which protects over 100 community-managed spaces across Chicago
- Manages bureaucratic and legal requirements (e.g. land ownership, insurance, water).
- Makes regular site visits and communicates with garden team.
- Responds to emergencies (e.g. flooding and fallen trees).
- Assists in leadership team transition and micro-network development/ transition.
- Offer support systems for resources (Mulch/Soil deliveries, Tool Library, Signage, Project Support, Volunteer Matching, Professional Development Opportunities- Composting, Leadership, etc.)
NeighborSpace Roles & Responsibilities*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and understand the NeighborSpace Roles & Responsibilities listed above.
Garden Leadership Team

a team who manage day to day garden operations, as well as on-going community involvement
a team of three or more leaders is recommended
- Ensure fellow gardeners and visitors follow Site Guidelines.
- Organize the ongoing community stewardship of the site.
- Engage garden stakeholders, including neighbors.
- Keep your garden stakeholder list up-to-date and share with NeighborSpace each year.
- Register garden and keep up to date with the Chicago Urban Ag Mapping project (CUAMP).
  Note: we will automatically email you a link to CUAMP when you complete this form.
- Communicate effectively and consistently with Community Organization Partner, NeighborSpace, and Garden Stakeholders.
Garden Leadership Team Roles & Responsibilities*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and understand the Garden Leadership Team Roles & Responsibilities listed above.
Community Organization Partner (COP)

the organization(s) supporting and sometimes overseeing the Garden Leadership Team
- Provide resources- tools, storage and meeting space, bathrooms, internet access, fundraising, lawn mowing, and when appropriate, document this support with a memorandum of understanding.
- Determine, develop, and support garden leadership team for the good of the garden.
- As appropriate, integrate the site with the COP's own programs and membership.
- Host events, workdays, festivals, and open houses in garden space as much as possible.
COP Roles & Responsibilities*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and understand the COP Roles & Responsibilities listed above.
Garden Members and Stakeholders

garden members, neighbors, volunteers, and visitors of garden
- Participate positively as a garden supporter, occasionally, or often.
- Look for ways to integrate the garden into everyday life, either by volunteering, hosting events, sponsoring events, or simply by visiting occasionally.
- Stakeholders are broadly defined, and could include neighbors, schools, businesses, churches, etc.
- Multiple stakeholders create healthy and resilient gardens over the long term.
Garden Member and Stakeholder Roles & Responsibilities*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Garden Stakeholder Roles & Responsibilities listed above.

Site Guidelines

There is no one-size-fits-all garden rule book. While NeighborSpace requires the following of its sites for legal reasons, gardens can identify additional rules/ supports beyond what is mentioned here. If there are additional questions, please contact us at (773)826-3240.

Please read these guidelines and then check the box below to confirm that you have read and understood the list.
- Emergencies, Insurance, and Safety
  - Immediately notify NeighborSpace if any emergency, injury, accident, fire, or damage occurs on the site.
  - Obtain additional insurance coverage as needed if you plan any events at the garden that will attract 300 or more people. Name NeighborSpace as an additional insured.
  - Ensure that the site remains clean, attractive and safe – this includes not just the garden lot itself but also its sidewalks and parkways. Make sure to shovel snow in the winter, and manage weeds and grass in the summer. Failure to do so can result in significant fines.
- Permitted Activities and Features
  - Keep the following prohibited items and activities out of the garden: dogs, vehicles, organized sports, permanent buildings (e.g. garages), traditional playground equipment, water features (fountains, etc.), promotional advertisements, and religious signs.
  - Chicago municipal code allows for up to 5 beehives, and does not explicitly outlaw chickens. Make sure your garden partners and stakeholders- (including neighbors!) are in agreement before bringing in bees, etc. Make sure to also check with NeighborSpace, as special circumstances, such as lease agreements, may prohibit these additions.
  - Use water responsibly and be aware of fall water shut-off dates (approx Oct. 15-31) and spring turn-on dates (approx April 30- May 15).
- Communication
  - Obtain written permission from NeighborSpace before building any substantial structures in the garden (storage spaces, patios, large shade structures, etc.)
  - Hang NeighborSpace signage on site.
  - Maintain posted contact information on site, providing a way for interested community members to learn more about the garden. If the garden is locked at certain times, post times when the garden is open to the public.
  - When applicable, please provide NeighborSpace with a copy of allotment bed assignments.
  - If your site has a waiting list for allotment beds, ensure that the waiting list procedure is clear, fair, and transparent.
Site Guidelines*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and understand the NeighborSpace Site Guidelines listed above.

Community Tips

Through our 20 years of supporting Chicago community gardens, NeighborSpace has learned a lot about horticulture, but we have also learned that interpersonal conflict in community garden groups is inevitable. Here are some tips for working through conflict and maintaining community

Please read through these tips and confirm that you have read and understood the tips at the bottom of the page.
- Sometimes vegetables get stolen. Community vegetable gardens are wonderful places where sometimes a tomato gets nabbed. That happens.
- People can only offer what they can offer. Many people don’t have enough time to tend a plot all summer, but sign up anyway. Tensions caused by unmanaged beds could be helped by offering lower commitment level options, such as volunteering once a year, shovelling snow in spring, etc.
- Some people will work harder than others. If you are one of those people, enjoy your work ethic. It is a blessing. If you’re not enjoying working so hard, work less hard.
- A mess to some is organization to others. Practice widening your zone of tolerance between messy and tidy, and encourage others to do as well.
- Garden shaming doesn’t usually help much. Many folks come into community gardening with very little background knowledge. If you are a seasoned expert gardener, let people make mistakes. Inadvertently shaming someone is a sure- fire way to ensure that person never comes back.
- Being outside is most fun when there are places to sit and eat together. Think about ways to enjoy each other, both while working in the sun and sitting in the shade.
- Playing host is harder than you think. If someone gets brave enough to come to a work day, but isn’t heartily welcomed, they seldom come back.
- Community garden conflict is an opportunity to practice community tolerance. Welcome open and honest dialogue around conflict. Communicate positively. Listen actively. Recognize that feedback can be challenging to give and receive. Be thoughtful. When that doesn’t work, consider trying mediation through NeighborSpace’s Conflict Resolution Plan.
Community Tips*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read and understand the NeighborSpace Community Tips listed above.

Resources

NeighborSpace connects our gardens to many free and reduced-price gardening resources. The best way to learn about these resources is to read the NeighborSpace newsletter emailed several times per year. Make sure that emails from info@neighbor-space.org are not sent to your spam folder.

In the meantime, here's a list of some of those resources. We will also send you this list in a confirmation email when you submit this form.
- Sign up for free wood chip delivery from Bartlett Tree Experts.
- Borrow from our tool lending library.
- Need a big group to come help out in your garden? Fill out the Group Volunteer Ready Gardens Form and we will contact you in case we hear of an opportunity.
- Get locks, signs, and more from our NeighborSpace Garden Needs form. link coming soon
- Attend annual Tool Up Trainings at NeighborSpace's offices. These are the best way to acquire signage, free seeds, and other goodies in person
- Sign up for a NeighborSpace Soil Delivery Day. These occur 1-2 times a year. (NeighborSpace covers delivery costs.)
- Register your garden at the Chicago Urban Agriculture Mapping Project (CUAMP) so that volunteers can easily find your site.
- Check out Chicago Plant Rescue.
- Read our conflict resolution plan.
- Take part in the Chicago Community Gardeners Association's annual conference and other events plus resources that gardeners need (plants, workshops, camaraderie).
- Use NeighborSpace fiscal agency (link coming soon) to make online fundraising easy.
Resources*
- By checking this box, I confirm that I have read this list of NeighborSpace resources, and that I will ensure that info@neighbor-space emails are not lost in my spam folder.

Is your community garden an urban agriculture site?*
If you're not sure how to respond, the answer is "no."
- Yes
- No
Urban Agriculture Community Action Plan*
Given their large scale, urban agriculture sites are at risk of becoming disconnected from their immediate neighborhoods. To combat this tendency, all NeighborSpace urban agriculture sites must create an Urban Agriculture Community Action Plan:
- *Document educational/training programs. What and who will you teach, and how?
- *How will you reach out to the immediate community?
- *Opportunities for the general public to participate in the site can include tours, open houses, u-pick, smaller community allotment beds, etc.
- *Hire or enroll local people in your programs and daily activities: hiring farmworkers, stipend for students for lawnmowing, etc.
- *Update this plan annually with NeighborSpace.

Let us know of any events or "wishlist" items for your site. We love to coordinate and come out to see what's happening in the gardens.
Garden Workdays
Does your garden have a regular day when people come to your garden to do cleanup and other garden tasks (e.g. "work day every other Saturday." Let us know.
Special Events
Does your garden have any big events each season, such as a Harvest Festival or a "Put the Garden to Bed" day? Let us know.
Big Project Wishlist
What big projects does your garden hope to undertake soon? (e.g. "We want to build composting bins." or "We need to refurbish four of our old raised beds.")

Comments and Questions
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Online Partnership Agreement

Step 1 of 8 - Basic Info

Roles and Responsibilities

NeighborSpace

Garden Leadership Team

Community Organization Partner (COP)

Garden Members and Stakeholders

Site Guidelines

Community Tips

Resources