The Foundation was started in 1998 and was formally registered as a Washington Non Profit Corporation in 2000 with a tax-exempt status of 501(c)3 (EIN 02-0777791) issued in 2006. The Foundation received a Platinum Status rating from Guidstar.org in 2022 the highest rating possible.
Below is a brief history of the programs
Demonstration Garden
Food Gardening
Education
Demonstration Garden
DEMONSTRATION GARDEN 2020 20TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
The Demonstration Garden now consists of 25 individual gardens including the only rose test garden in Washington State. A waterfall class room was recently added where Spring through Fall free gardening classes are held once a month. The raised gardening beds in the Vegetable Garden were re-installed after twenty years of used. The gardens are maintained by WSU Master Gardener Volunteers and funded by the Foundation through an annual plant sale, grants, and donations. The Demonstration Garden attracts over 10,000 visitors per year from all across the United States and Internationally.
Food Gardening Program
Started in 2012
The Food Gardening Program in Benton and Franklin Counties was started in late 2012 when community gardens were started and funded by donations. WSU Master Gardeners launched a new program called “Build A Bed to Feed A Family” in conjunction with World Food Day in 2016. The program’s goal was to help 400 low-income and disadvantaged people in Benton and Franklin Counties grow and consume fresh and nutritious garden produce in the next two years. The goal was surpassed and the program continues today. Originally funding was obtained from United Way in partnership with Second Harvest. Their support has continued along with other grants and individual donations until Covid restrictions started in 2020. 3 Rivers Community Foundation has helped fund many of the programs for the last seven years along with other donations. The program along with the other Food Gardening Programs won the 2020 “People’s Choice Project of the Year Award” from the Project Management Institute’s Columbia River Basin Chapter.
Education Outreach
Started in 1973
The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach portion of the colleges of agriculture at land-grant universities. To help facilitate the educational outreach program at Washington State University (WSU), the Master Gardener Program was started in 1973. Education is the core element of all Master Gardener Programs. There are active community educational outreach programs for children and adults.