Bring Floating Garden to life - Swale’s next chapter!

A floating food forest for public foraging, hands-on learning, and climate resilience. Free and open to everyone.

Why your gift matters

Public food access should be a public good. Swale turns waterways into living, edible parks where people can learn, gather, and harvest fresh produce at no cost. Swale is a creative space that also asks people to dream, about a better tomorrow. Your support keeps this work public, practical, and within reach.

What your gift funds

·       Edible gardens on the water: perennial, culturally significant plants grown for public foraging.
·       Workshops & youth stipends — hands-on learning that connects food, water, and climate to daily life.
·       Safety & access — safety equipment, and ADA improvements.
·       Barge retrofit & movement — build‑out and the ability to show up where communities invite us.

Our 2025 goal & timeline

We’re fundraising to purchase, outfit, insure, and program the new Floating Garden barge. Every contribution moves this forward.

Timeline:

·       August 2025 — Barge purchase
·       Sept–Oct 2025 — Build‑out and retrofitting
·       Late Spring 2026 — Public programming in Medina, NY
·       Early Fall 2026 — Voyage to NYC

Ways to give

·       One-time donation.
·       Major gifts & sponsorships (contact us).
·       In‑kind (plants, soil, lumber).
·       Tax-deductible via our 501(c)(3) sponsor (NYFA). You’ll receive a receipt for your records. [Donate via NYFA]

In 2025, with your help, Swale is building out our second, more permanent barge. We’ve located the vessel in upstate New York. Help us with these initiatives and with designing and building a permanent floating food forest to launch in the spring of 2026.

Limited Edition Fundraiser Prints from Night Gardens:

 

  • A: Yes. Donations go to our nonprofit, NYFA, a 501(c)(3). You’ll receive an emailed receipt for your records. If you give by check, we’ll send a written acknowledgment.

  • A: Yes. Recommend a grant to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) for the benefit of Swale / Floating Garden. Please include our project name in the grant notes. If your DAF portal needs details, email studio@marymattingly.com.

  • A: Yes. We can accept domestic and international wires via NYFA. Email studio@marymattingly.com to receive the routing details.

  • A: Yes. Many employers will match charitable donations. After you give, submit the match request through your employer’s portal. If they need verification, we’ll happily provide it.

  • A: We recognize donors online and onboard at certain levels. You can also give anonymously—just tell us in a note.

Swale on WNYC