Participatory budgeting allowed people who live, work or study in Evanston to decide how to spend $3 million to address our city’s needs, make government policy more equitable, and train future leaders.

3,014 votes went to an Evanston Urban Farm, making it a winning proposal. The project, submitted by Evanston Grows, was awarded $350,000 to grow fresh, nutritious food that will be available for free or at a low cost to households experiencing food insecurity. 

The winning proposal did not specify a location. Evanston Grows has explored multiple locations, working closely with the City of Evanston. 

Ingraham Park has been identified as a possible site for the Urban Farm. According to the city's 2024 Parks and Green Space Strategic Plan, "Evanston has a community-centric park system, with the majority of its open space serving at the neighborhood scale. 221.5 acres of open space are neighborhood parks, which are defined as featuring active recreation fields, facilities, and playgrounds. Additionally, there are 63 acres designated for community parks, larger parks which offer active fields and diverse facilities in addition to specialized district uses and community facilities like a community center." Ingraham Park is a community park, designated for specialized usage that benefits the entire city, including but not limited to adjacent neighbors. 

People who live, work, or study in Evanston are invited to sign this petition in support of the Urban Farm at Ingraham Park.

Evanston Grows anticipates presenting the project at the City Council Meeting on August 25th. From there, Evanston Grows will need to present to the city's Land Use Committee.

This money goes away if the project does not move forward by 2026. 

A show of strong support can help make this project a reality. 

• Sign the petition. 
• Share the petition with people who live, work, or study in Evanston.
• Sign-up to collect signatures. 
• Attend the City Council Meeting on August 25th.
• Learn more by visiting Evanston Grows.