Louisville Grows works with the community to build capacity by providing technical assistance, education, and infrastructure. The urban horticulture program is maintains and supports the Green Thumb garden, our teaching garden.
Louisville Grows’ headquarters, the Healthy House, is an engaging community space that connects the neighborhoods to various opportunities provided by our community partners.
Cultivating a skilled, community-based green workforce through hands-on training in conservation, urban forestry, and sustainable horticulture - creating pathways to meaningful careers, stronger neighborhoods, and a greener Louisville where every resident has a role in shaping a healthy, resilient city.
A new partnership between Kentucky State University’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, Louisville Grows, and Blueprint502 is helping advance that work by expanding access to training in conservation, urban forestry, horticulture, and community agriculture, and by investing directly in the people who live and work in the community.
Through this collaboration, Kentucky State’s Cooperative Extension teams will work alongside Louisville Grows to deliver hands-on, experiential training that equips residents with marketable skills, strengthens local workforce opportunities in the green economy, and supports ongoing environmental restoration efforts in Louisville.
Kentucky State University’s Cooperative Extension team will provide expertise in curriculum development, credentialing, and program evaluation. Louisville Grows will lead community engagement efforts, drawing on more than a decade of experience in urban forestry and community agriculture. Together, the partners aim to prepare adults for meaningful careers while communities benefit from stronger food systems and resilient landscapes.
Louisville Grows will support participants as they gain practical experience throughout the city and surrounding areas in conservation, tree planting, orchard development, greenhouse management, soil restoration, and sustainable agricultural practices, contributing to a healthier urban environment. This initiative represents a shared commitment to advancing environmental equity and economic opportunity in Louisville. By combining education, research, and community action, Kentucky State University and Louisville Grows are planting the seeds for more resilient neighborhoods, a stronger workforce, and a more sustainable future for the city.
