Unity Gardens

What Unity Gardens does

Unity Gardens Inc. is a Maryland-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Severna Park, Maryland, that awards small grants and provides education to support conservation landscaping with native plants in Anne Arundel County. Founded in 2003 as an offshoot of the Severn River Association, the organization operates with 1-10 employees (effectively a small paid staff supported by an 11-person volunteer Board of Directors) and runs entirely virtually with no physical office. Since inception, it has disbursed approximately $650,000 across nearly 700 community projects, with 42,000+ square feet of native habitat added through grantee projects in 2025 alone.

The organization's core offering is a three-tiered grant program: Standard Grants (up to $1,000) for perennial native plant projects, Meadow Grants (up to $2,000) for native grass-and-perennial mixes, and Super Grants (up to $3,000) for projects with at least 75% native trees and shrubs. Grants are awarded twice a year (spring and fall) to nonprofit community organizations including HOAs, faith-based institutions, schools and PTAs, scout groups, and public institutions managing parks and stormwater areas. A volunteer Mentor Program, supported by the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy, helps applicants navigate site assessment, plant selection, and application requirements. The organization maintains no proprietary technology product; its technical footprint is limited to standard nonprofit tools (WordPress, Bloomerang, Constant Contact, Bonfire).

Unity Gardens' revenue model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial sales motion. The Anne Arundel County Forestry Division's reforestation fund (composed of developer fees-in-lieu) is the primary and most significant funding source, supplemented by Anne Arundel County government direct funding, foundation grants, corporate and individual donations, an annual Spring Lecture fundraising event ($40 tickets, corporate sponsorships, silent auctions), merchandise sales through Bonfire (10% of proceeds), and participation in the GreenGive community giving campaign. Grantees must acknowledge Unity Gardens on signage, social media, and project materials, creating organic visibility. The geographic footprint is restricted to Anne Arundel County, with Annapolis City projects funded from separate sources under capped terms.

Name

Unity Gardens

Legal name

Unity Gardens Inc.

Website

https://unitygardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Unity Gardens Inc. is a Maryland 501(c)(3) nonprofit that awards small grants up to $3,000 and provides mentorship to Anne Arundel County nonprofits for conservation landscaping projects using native plants, primarily funded by the Anne Arundel County Forestry Division's reforestation fund, donations, and an annual spring fundraising lecture.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Grant-Making and Conservation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Native plant grants
• Conservation landscaping
• Watershed restoration funding
• Community environmental grants
• Habitat restoration grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Severna Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: A substantial portion of Unity Gardens' funding comes from the Anne Arundel County Forestry Division's reforestation fund. Additional foundation grants supplement this primary funding source. Annapolis City-based projects are funded from separate sources.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Corporate and individual donations form a significant part of revenue. The organization actively pursues sponsors for its annual spring fundraising lecture and silent auction donations from local businesses.
3. Annual Spring Lecture Event: Unity Gardens hosts an annual fundraising lecture featuring environmental professionals and authors. Revenue is generated through event ticket sales ($40 per ticket), corporate sponsorships at various levels, and a day-of silent auction. All proceeds directly fund community grants.
4. Merchandise Sales: Unity Gardens sells branded merchandise (T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, hats, totebags) through Bonfire. The organization receives 10% of proceeds from all sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Unity Gardens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that awards small grants (up to $3,000) twice a year to nonprofit community organizations in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to fund conservation landscaping using native plants. The organization supplements its grants program with a volunteer mentor matching service, native plant education resources, and an annual spring fundraising lecture, channeling funding primarily from the Anne Arundel County Forestry Division reforestation fund and from corporate and individual donations.

Product overview

Unity Gardens is a non-profit grants organization, not a technology company. It offers a unified grants program with three grant tiers (Standard up to $1,000, Meadow up to $2,000, and Super Grants up to $3,000) to fund native plant conservation landscaping projects by community organizations in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The organization supports grant applicants through a Mentor Program and hosts an Annual Spring Lecture Series for fundraising. All offerings are service-based programs focused on community environmental stewardship rather than a software product or platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Grants (up to $1,000) Twice-yearly grants of up to $1,000 awarded to nonprofit community organizations in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, for projects focused on perennial native plants; at least 80% of project funds must go to native plants, with up to 20% allowed for mulch, soil amendments, or tree protection.
• Meadow Grants (up to $2,000) Twice-yearly grants of up to $2,000 awarded to nonprofit community organizations in Anne Arundel County for projects using an approximately equal mix of native grasses and perennials; subject to the same eligibility and spending rules as Standard Grants.
• Super Grants (up to $3,000) Twice-yearly grants of up to $3,000 awarded to nonprofit community organizations in Anne Arundel County for projects comprised of at least 75% native trees and shrubs; requires a business (not personal) bank account to receive funds, with first priority given to first-time grantees.
• Mentor Program Volunteer mentor matching service that pairs potential Unity Gardens grant applicants with experienced mentors (primarily from the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy) for site assessment, plant recommendations, budget development, and maintenance planning.
• Annual Spring Lecture Series Annual fundraising lecture event featuring renowned environmental authors and professionals, with all ticket, sponsorship, and silent auction proceeds directly funding community grants. Regular attendance exceeds 100 and past speakers include Doug Tallamy and Dan Benarcik.
• Grant Application Portal Online application system accepting submissions for the spring (Feb 15 - April 1) and fall (June 15 - Aug 1) funding cycles, with downloadable PDF and DOCX alternatives available for offline submission.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Severn River AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Gardens was originally founded as part of the Severn River Association in 2003 before incorporating as an independent 501c3. The two organizations continue to share a historical connection and collaborative relationship around Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration.
• Patuxent NurseryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPatuxent Nursery offers discounted native plants to Unity Gardens grant recipients. As a preferred supplier, they help ensure grantees can maximize the impact of their grant funding.
• BabikowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBabikow provides discounted native plant pricing for Unity Gardens grantees, serving as a key supplier partner in the native plants supply chain.
• Providence CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvidence Center greenhouse offers discounted native plants to Unity Gardens grant recipients, supporting both conservation goals and the Center's mission.
• Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy provides trained mentors who support Unity Gardens grant applicants through site assessments, plant recommendations, and application guidance. WSA also supplies tree seedlings through its Tree Trooper program for qualifying projects.
• Maryland Pollinator PathwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnity Gardens requires grantees to register completed gardens on the Maryland Pollinator Pathway, a regional initiative to create connected native plant corridors for pollinators. This partnership amplifies the environmental impact of individual grants.
• Modera Wealth Management, LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerModera Wealth Management served as the 2026 Presenting Sponsor of Unity Gardens' Annual Spring Lecture. As a fee-only wealth management firm, their sponsorship supports Unity Gardens' primary fundraising event.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Regional nonprofit running riparian restoration and native planting grant programs across the Chesapeake watershed. Comparable grantmaking-for-conservation model at a broader multi-state scale, including the Tree-mendous program that parallels Unity Gardens' tree-shrub Super Grant tier.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: The largest regional nonprofit dedicated to Chesapeake Bay restoration. While it does not run a small-grants native landscaping program like Unity Gardens, it operates in the same watershed conservation space, shares funding partners, and represents the broader incumbent umbrella that Unity Gardens' work feeds into.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: National native plant research and education institution affiliated with UT Austin. Comparable mission in native plant conservation landscaping education, but at a much larger institutional scale and research-driven scope.

Direct peers

• Maryland Native Plant Society: Statewide nonprofit promoting native plants and habitat landscaping in Maryland. Directly comparable mission to Unity Gardens' native plant education and advocacy work, though focused on education and plant sales rather than grantmaking.
• Watershed Stewards Academy (Anne Arundel County): Core strategic partner that supplies mentors and tree seedlings to Unity Gardens applicants; operates the Master Watershed Steward certification that several Unity Gardens board members hold. Highly comparable mission around community-led watershed restoration.
• Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake: Faith-based environmental nonprofit whose Executive Director is a past president of Unity Gardens' board. Operates creation-care landscaping programs on congregation properties, a key Unity Gardens customer segment.
• Alice Ferguson Foundation: Maryland-based environmental education nonprofit operating in the Potomac watershed with a comparable small-grants/community-stewardship model for native plantings and trash-free waters. Overlapping regional conservation landscaping focus.

Regional players

• Mt. Cuba Center: Delaware-based native plant research and education garden with a public garden and ecological landscaping programs. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic nonprofit advancing native plant horticulture and conservation landscaping, though at a much larger institutional scale.
• Severn River Association: Regional watershed nonprofit that originally housed Unity Gardens before its 2003 spin-off. Operates in the same Anne Arundel County geography with overlapping Chesapeake Bay restoration mission and shared leadership connections.

Emerging players

• Capital Area Food Bank / Chesapeake Bay Trust community grantees: Chesapeake Bay Trust administers small watershed and community greening grants in Maryland that frequently co-fund projects Unity Gardens supports; representative of a peer cohort of small-grant environmental funders operating in the same regional landscape.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/unitygardensaacounty
• Instagraminstagram.com/nativesofannearundel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitygardens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unity Gardens