The 3% Initiative

Free access for the households who most need it.

Holon's 3% Initiative funds a Vitality membership and Site Conversation for households for whom paid membership is out of reach. It is funded by paying members and direct donations. Application is open year-round; we review on a rolling basis and respond within two weeks.

Why a 3% Initiative?

If a vitality yard is genuinely a piece of public health infrastructure, then access to it cannot depend on income. The 3% Initiative closes that gap. Every Grove and Habitat member, and every direct donor, funds the access of a 3% Companion. It is the structural reason Holon is a non-profit.

Who is this for

We aim for fairness over speed. The criteria below let us spread access to the households where it does the most ecological + community good. None of these are absolute disqualifiers; each is one input to a holistic review.

Households at or below 80% of Houston AMI (Area Median Income) per HUD guidelines, OR with a documented financial hardship.
You expect to live at the address for at least the next 24 months. Renters welcome with documented landlord consent.
You commit to participating in the stewardship practice. We are not a free landscaping service; the program is a partnership.
Front yard or front-visible side yard, between 200 and 5,000 sq ft, with at least partial sun.

How it works

1
Apply
Fill out the form below. Honest answers help us match you well.
2
Review
Our team reviews on a rolling basis. We respond within two weeks, regardless of outcome.
3
Site Conversation
If accepted, we visit your yard, listen, and leave you with a clear plan. No charge.
4
Begin stewardship
Your free Vitality Membership begins. Bi-weekly seeding, weekly visits, full Portal access. Same as a paid member.

Apply for 3% access

All fields are confidential and used only to evaluate your application. We do not share applicant data with third parties. Submissions are processed by Holon Foundation under our Privacy Policy.

About youFull nameEmail addressPhone number (optional)

About the propertyProperty street address

CityZIP code

Are you the homeowner?

How many years have you lived at this address?How many more years do you expect to live here?

Approximate front-yard sizeCurrent state of the yard (lawn, mostly bare, some plantings, etc.)

Household contextHousehold size (number of people)Household income rangeIf you have a financial hardship not captured above (medical, job loss, recent move), describe briefly. Optional.

Your intentWhat you hope to do with the yard, and why now (200-500 words)How did you hear about Holon?

Your attestationI attest that the information above is truthful and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that materially false statements may result in disqualification.I commit to engaging in the stewardship practice as a Vitality Member: hosting bi-weekly seeding visits, attending periodic Custode walks, and maintaining the agreed-upon yard transitions.I understand that the services Holon provides through this Program have a fair-market value. I am applying because paid membership is currently not feasible for my household. I do not intend to resell, transfer, or commercialize the services or materials provided.I understand that Holon reviews applications based on need and program fit, not first-come-first-served. Acceptance is at Holon's sole discretion.I consent to Holon contacting me about my application by email or phone, and to processing of my personal data per the Privacy Policy.

Compliance + privacy

Holon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The 3% Initiative is a charitable activity offered without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or family status. Application data is used only to evaluate program fit. Records are retained per IRS requirements. Read the full Privacy Policy. Privacy Policy.

One story, three doors

Vitality. Relationships. Solidarity.

What you feel in your front yard is made real by how we see it, and kept honest by how we are structured to deliver it. The three are the same story.

Vitality

What you feel.

A place of wellness, lifestyle, and health for your household.

Cooler mornings. Returned birdsong. Quieter air at the front door. A yard the children come back to and the block begins to recognise. The felt experience Holon is composing for your family.

The Membership →

Relationships

How we see.

A garden of sciences. Many disciplines held in relationship.

Nutrition, neuro-aesthetics, ecology, mycology, horticulture, sociology, hydrology, economy. Every yard is a relationship between disciplines. Systems engineering is how we hold them together.

The Science →

Solidarity

How we sustain.

A 501(c)(3) Foundation, because the money has to flow the other way.

The for-profit landscaping industry is structured to produce repeat maintenance revenue. A vitality yard requires the opposite logic. A Foundation is the only delivery structure whose financial obligation points at the household and the block, not the service contract.

You are here.