The Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV) is delighted to announce that funding has been secured to continue Branch Out, our innovative program introducing secondary school students to the world of horticulture.

Branch Out offers students hands-on experiences and insights into the diverse career opportunities our industry provides—sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation to consider horticulture as a rewarding and sustainable future.

Sponsored by the Victorian Government and The Hon. Ros Spence, Minister for Agriculture, the $100,000 funding ensures more students across Victoria can connect with plants, people, and possibilities through engaging classroom and industry-based learning until the end of 2026.

Branch Out aims to:

• Deliver immersive learning experiences for Victorian secondary students (Years 7–10, adaptable to Years 11–12)
• Develop curriculum-aligned lesson plans to teach and engage students in horticulture
• Provide in-class facilitation and incursions led by industry experts
• Offer immersive excursions to horticultural businesses
• Raise awareness among teachers and students about modern agricultural careers

Branch Out will reach 20–25 schools across Victoria, with a goal to engage around 500 students, including strong participation from regional communities.

The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) is proud to announce that 2025 marks the third consecutive year of record-breaking participation in our annual grants. This year, we received an extraordinary 951 grant applications from 461 schools and kindergartens across Victoria, evidence of the enthusiasm for garden-based learning and outdoor education in our schools.

The VSGP Committee was thrilled by the quantity and high quality of so many of the submissions received. From edible gardens to habitat homes, to sensory spaces and sustainability hubs, schools demonstrated their deep commitment to using gardens as powerful, hands-on tools for learning, wellbeing, and community connection.

With such a large number of exceptional applications, the process of reviewing and scoring was both rewarding and challenging. Many fantastic submissions missed out on a grant by just a few points, resulting in a handful of merit grants being awarded to schools.

The VSGP sincerely appreciates the time, thought, and effort entrants invested in preparing submissions. Each year, the pool of applications grows more competitive, but also more inspiring.

2025 VSGP Grants Result

Entries for the 2025 Awards are now open! With over $46,000 in prizes available, it’s another great opportunity to gain recognition and support for your school garden.

This year, a new award application system has been implemented to streamline and simplify the entry process. The design element of previous entries has been removed, and entrants are now able to directly add answers and photos into the template, eliminating the creation of a presentation. For more details, visit the VSGP website.