In the Spring of 2019, Food Well Alliance launched Atlanta’s first Urban Agriculture Tool Lending program, in partnership with the Atlanta ToolBank and with the generous support of Whole Foods Market & The Glenn Family Foundation. We have learned from our network of local food leaders that affordable access to heavy duty professional-grade tools is a major barrier to community gardens and urban farms in metro Atlanta.

In response to this need, Food Well has established an urban agriculture tool lending program at the Atlanta ToolBank where community gardeners and urban farmers can borrow BCS tractors year-round. BCS tractors and attachments are available for growers who have successfully completed the Food Well sub-user membership process. Learn more about our process below.

How Does it Work?

As a sub-user of Food Well, all tool handling fees charged by the Atlanta ToolBank each time the tractors are borrowed will be covered by Food Well, as the member agency. To become an approved sub-user of Food Well at the Atlanta ToolBank, interested growers must:

1. Complete a BCS tractor training

2. Sign a sub-user membership agreement and liability form with Food Well

3. Pay a $75 annual sub-user membership fee for year-round access to the BCS tractors and attachments or pay a one-time payment of $35 if you would only like to borrow the equipment once

4. Create a sub-user account with the Atlanta ToolBank. Please see "How do I sign up to borrow equipment" on our Tool Lending FAQ page for more information.

Eligibility & Criteria

• Urban farms and community gardens must be located in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties.

• Please review our community garden & urban farm eligibility criteria here.

Register for BCS Training

If you are interested in accessing the Urban Agriculture Tool Lending Program year-round by becoming a sub-user of Food Well’s membership at the Atlanta ToolBank, register below for a BCS training. This hands-on training covers operation, transport, safety, and equipment security of the BCS Tractor and will last approximately 1-2 hours. Click on the button below to complete a brief registration form and we’ll notify you on the next available training!

Please note:

• Only the individual who registers and attends the training will be able to use the equipment.

• We’re currently offering a couple group training sessions this year at different host farms. If you have questions about the group training sessions, please email tools@foodwellalliance.org for more information.

New Member Training - all community gardeners and farmers new to borrowing and using the Urban Ag Tool Lending Program equipment are required to complete a New Member Training. 

• A New Member Training is a group training sessions around 1-2 hours long. The duration will depend on each person’s level of experience using a BCS tractor, which you will need to indicate when signing up for the training.

• Any growers who will be using the equipment, must be a member of the program and therefore complete a New Member Training.

Refresher Training - if you are an existing member of the program (i.e. have already completed a New Member Training) and would like additional hands on experience with the equipment and support from a training instructor, you are welcome to sign up for a 1-hour Refresher Training. This option is a great way for growers to get more comfortable with using the equipment if you have not used the BCS tractor in some time or if you still have some questions about operating the equipment on your own. Click the Registration Button above to get started!

Have more questions about the Tool Lending Program? Visit our Tool Lending FAQ page here.

Training Videos

Did you know that the Atlanta ToolBank has other farming & gardening tools in their inventory?

Separate from the Urban Ag Tool Lending Program, the Atlanta ToolBank has the following equipment that metro Atlanta growers might find useful:

• Broadforks

• Hoes

• Loppers & Shears

• Mattocks

• McLeod Tools

• Pitchforks

• Pruners

• Rakes

• Shovels

• Weed Wrenches

• Weedeaters

• Wheelbarrows

A full list of the general inventory can be found here:  Atlanta ToolBank Inventory.  If you are a member of the Urban Ag Tool Lending Program and have paid your annual dues, you do not have to pay the standard Atlanta ToolBank annual membership dues. You will still have to pay the ToolBank's standard 3% of the equipment cost when you borrow the tools. 

Need more help?

If you have any additional questions,
please contact tools@foodwellalliance.org.

Tool Lending Program Impact

Program Metrics*

• # of growers trained: 35

• # of unique growers that have used the equipment: 14

• # of times equipment has been used: 47

Types of projects equipment has been used for:

• Tilling & clearing brush

• General farm & garden work

• Field prep

• Garden clean up

• Harvesting

*as of March 2021

Program Partners

Funders