Start a Yard Sharing Program in Your Community

Our Local Partners are the champions of the Sharing Backyards project. Supported by our technology, our staff & volunteers, they oversee a yard sharing program in their chosen area. Some of our programs are neighborhood sized, others as large as 80 municipalities. Choose the size that fits you, and lets' get GROWING!

If your organization already has a website:

You can either use a link to our map of your area, or you can have the map embedded into your site.

If your organization needs a website:

You can have one built by our supporting organization: Authentic Business Solutions. They offer reasonable rates for non profit organizations, and have been long time supporters of our programs.

How to sign up:

  1. Please read this page thoroughly. If you have questions, please review the other pages on our site, including the Frequently Asked Questions. If you still have questions, please contact us.
  2. Send us an email agreeing to be our Local Partner in your area. Copy all of the terms listed here, and type "I agree" under each of the terms listed above, in a different colored text than this document appears in
  3. Affirm your dedication to promoting the project in your decided area, giving approx 5-10 volunteer hrs per week, as needed.
  4. Specify the scope of your area (city, metro area, county, state, etc).
  5. Send your Organizations name as you'd like it to appear, along with your web address. if you aren't a part of an organization, you can simply become "Sharing Backyards ____________(your community).
    ***Note that Sharing Backyards is a trademark of the Lifecycles Project society, but can be borrowed with permission.***
  6. Send us a request for a pamphlet template, and have your own logo ready to use. **Please note- you'll need your own logo and images that you design, rather than taking them from the internet.
  7. If you decide to leave the project, we'll need the following:
      -at least 3 month's notice.
      -your reasons for leaving (so we can learn and grow).
      -a full report of your allies, volunteers, and contacts made within the community, so we can pass this along to the next Local Partner to sign up for your city.
      -a written agreement not to turn around and start a competing organization
  8. Please read and understand the Sharing Backyards "Terms of Use"(TOU), posted to the bottom of every page within our system. Please check back on these once a month, to keep abreast of changes. The TOU exists to provide some structure to our programs, and protect SBY, our Local Partners, and all site users.
  9. Please read and understand the responsibilities designated to Local Partners of our program.

    10. As a Local Partner, your responsibilities are:

    1. To run a yard sharing program in partnership with Sharing Backyards within the agreed scope of your area, at no charge whatsoever to the users of our mapping technology. This means access to the map must be free, and not require any sort of membership or other fees to use or access the map.

    2. Promotion of your local program through whatever means possible in your area -- Working to create community awareness about the existence of your yard-sharing program. More information and mentorship is available within our forums.

    3. Answering all correspondence in a respectful & timely manner.

    4. Contact with Sharing Backyards' central organization: This may include phone, Skype, or email contact. We would like to hear from you at least once a month to know how your program is going. Please list your phone, cell, skype, and primary email contacts here.

    5. Working with local media sources (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, blogs, etc) to keep a "buzz" going on your local program. This would mean, on average, submitting an article or intent You will have the support of Sharing Backyards' Project Leader in all news articles / stories. Generally, we'll speak to the media about the overall project, while we'll refer media to you for segments on your local efforts and program.

    6. Looking for Program Sponsors: There is an ad-space to the right side of each of our maps, for each municipality within a program. Thus, the larger your program area, the better chance of securing a budget for your program expenses. * Local Partners should find a Sponsor within the first 3 months of program launch. The revenue split between Sharing Backyards central organization and the Local Partner is 60/40, the larger amount going to whomever arranges the sponsorship. If a sponsor is not found in sufficient time, there may be a small monthly fee for services, paid by the Local Partner (never by site users). The current rate is $20 CAD. Rates are negotiable by each local area, and are to cover our costs only. Please see the "Sponsor Us" menu for more information, or speak with one of our staff. We are currently discussing alternative options for funding SBY's system please join the discussion in our "Partner Forums" (available once you have a login)
    7. If a Local Partner is not adequately managing their community SBY program, our staff will first offer support, then issue a warning, and if met with no response or action, Sharing Backyards reserves the right to terminate or take control of any local program within our system.

      8. As our Local Partner, you'd have the benefit of:

      1. Your own custom "Splash Page" within our system, complete with interactive yard-sharing map, your logo and info, and blog
      2. Access to the private "partners" forum, to share insights & strategies, and network with other program partners and administrators within our network.
      3. The support and guidance of our experienced Tech Support and Project Support teams.
      4. The option to embed our mapping program directly into your website. For a good example of this option, please visit Portland Yard Sharing. If you do use an embedded map, you will be required to note that your program is in partnership with Sharing Backyards, and to have links to the Terms of Use clearly posted
      5. A beautiful pamphlet template, promoting Sharing Backyards. Upon becoming a local partner, you can request a template you can adapt for your area. Our current templates are only available as MS Publisher files, or you can design you own, based on our PDF version.
      6. The opportunity to be a part of a growing alliance of individuals, groups, and communities making positive change for Local Food

        7. ***Some site features may be unavailable at times as we develop the site and its capabilities. Staff support is subject to timing and funding (but we'll do our best).

        Contact us soon to become a partner to this steadily growing, international movement for urban agriculture.
        Email: info(at)sharingbackyards.com.

        Please pass our site on to anyone who might be interested -- Lets get our cities growing!
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