The SGSO Network Mentorship Program is a year-long program that pairs experienced leaders with emerging professionals in the school garden movement.
Purpose
This Mentorship Program is designed to:
- Strengthen the movement’s future through personalized coaching for emerging professionals.
- Share knowledge by connecting seasoned leaders with newcomers.
- Grow new leadership by helping established champions develop their coaching and mentoring skills.
Overview
Participants join small “huddles” of one mentor and two mentees for a year of coaching, peer learning, and leadership development.
The program runs on a quarterly rhythm. Within each quarter, mentors and mentees will be required to participate in and schedule three types of calls:
- Cohort Calls: Whole cohort featuring differentiated trainings for mentors and mentees. These calls are scheduled by the SGSO Network and only happen in October, March (2027), and July (2027).
- Huddle Calls: Calls with your mentor and other mentee in a huddle. Huddle calls will feature time to connect with another school garden professional and a solution session, allowing you to get feedback and problem solve a challenge you’re grappling with.
- Individual Mentee Calls: 1-on-1 calls between mentors and their mentees. These calls focus on mentee’s personal interests and areas of growth as identified with their mentors.
October to December 2026:
- October: Kick-Off Call
- 1 huddle call
- 1 individual call with each mentee
January to March 2027:
- March: Mid-Year Cohort Call
- 1 huddle call
- 1 individual call with each mentee
April to June 2027:
- 1 huddle call
- 1 individual call with each mentee
July to September 2027:
- August: Wrap-Up & Feedback Call
- 1 huddle call
- 1 individual call with each mentee
Who This Program Is For
Experienced leaders ready to coach. Strong mentor candidates have:
- 10+ years working directly in the school garden movement (for a school, school garden support organization, or as a regular consultant).
- 7+ years of experience in the role they’d mentor (this can be a role that is not currently their role).
- A current role in the movement and a good understanding of the wider field.
- A passion for garden-based education and for mentoring or coaching others.
Commitment: 15 calls across the program year
- 3 Cohort calls
- 4 Huddle calls
- 8 Individual mentee calls
Compensation: $1,000 annual stipend and continued training.
Emerging professionals in the school garden movement. Mentees are eligible if they meet at least one of the following:
- Under 30 years old.
- Less than 3 years of experience working in school gardens.
- Less than 3 years in their current school-garden-related role.
You should also plan to keep working in the movement and have a specific project, skill, or area you’d like coaching on
Commitment: 11 calls over the program year
- 3 Cohort calls
- 4 Huddle calls
- 4 Individual calls
Cost: Mentees pay on a sliding scale based on organizational budget
- $0 — organizations with annual budgets of $0–$250K or individuals who are self-funded.
- $125 — organizations with annual budgets of $251K–$500K.
- $250 — organizations with annual budgets of $501K–$750K.
- $375 — organizations with annual budgets of $751K–$1M.
- $500 — organizations with annual budgets over $1M.
Mentorship Program Informational Meeting
July 15th, 11 am PT/2 pm ET
Participants will receive an overview of the program’s goals and structures. This will also include a walk-through of requirements for mentors and mentees, followed by a Q&A session.
Register
Apply
Mentor Application Window: July 1st – July 31st
Mentor Application
Mentee Application Window: August 3rd – August 31st
Mentee Application (Opening soon!)
