Major Milestones: Apprenticeship Approval, Nonprofit Recognition, and the Next Phase of Grow With Gordon
- gordonspermacultur
- Feb 13
- 2 min read
Over the past several months, Grow With Gordon and Gordon Gives have quietly reached a series of important milestones that mark the transition from a small local operation into a fully structured training, stewardship, and ecological landscaping organization.
These changes do not alter our mission.
They strengthen our ability to carry it forward responsibly, sustainably, and at scale.
GI Bill–Approved Registered Apprenticeship
Grow With Gordon’s Registered Apprenticeship Program is now officially approved for GI Bill benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/education/gi-bill-comparison-tool/schools-and-employers/institution/20002014
This means eligible veterans can receive their monthly housing allowance while working and training in ecological landscaping, garden installation, orchard establishment, and land stewardship.
This approval allows veterans to transition directly into meaningful, skilled work while continuing to receive educational benefits they have earned through service.
The apprenticeship itself is designed as a structured, multi-year pathway that develops competency gradually and intentionally. Apprentices learn plant identification, soil systems, pruning, installation methods, ecological design principles, and the operational standards required to maintain complex living landscapes.
This is not temporary labor. It is a pathway into a durable trade.
Gordon Gives Receives IRS Tax-Exempt Status
Our nonprofit organization, Gordon Gives, has now received official 501(c)(3) tax-exempt recognition from the IRS. https://www.growwithgordon.com/gordon-gives-inc
Gordon Gives exists to support land stewardship, community gardens, workforce training, and public-benefit ecological projects.
This structure allows us to:
• Apply for grants to fund training and stewardship work
• Support apprentices and trainees safely and responsibly
• Maintain demonstration gardens and educational sites
• Provide long-term care to community spaces
This work is already underway at demonstration sites and community partner locations in Kokomo.
Federal and State Vendor Registration Complete
Grow With Gordon is now fully registered as an official vendor with both federal and state procurement systems, including SAM.gov and the Indiana Department of Administration procurement portal.
These registrations allow us to provide ecological landscaping, land stewardship, and training services to public institutions, municipalities, and partner organizations.
This opens the door for long-term stewardship relationships with schools, public spaces, and community organizations.
Workforce Partnerships and Training Infrastructure
We have also established partnerships and access to workforce development systems including:
• Registered Apprenticeship approval through the U.S. Department of Labor
• GI Bill benefit eligibility for veteran apprentices
• Internship and workforce pipeline programs through Indiana workforce initiatives
• Training partnerships with educational institutions and community organizations
These systems allow us to bring new individuals into the trade safely, responsibly, and with proper support.
What This Means Going Forward
The purpose of these changes is simple: stability, continuity, and responsibility.
Ecological landscapes are living systems that develop over years, not weeks. Proper stewardship requires trained hands, patient work, and continuity of care.
By establishing formal training pathways, nonprofit support structures, and institutional recognition, we are ensuring that the work can continue reliably, regardless of growth.
Grow With Gordon will continue providing ecological landscaping, edible garden installation, and land stewardship services throughout Kokomo and the surrounding region.
Gordon Gives will continue supporting training, education, and community stewardship work alongside these efforts.
The work itself remains the same.
We plant.
We restore.
We steward.
And we train the next generation to do the same.