2026 UC Master Gardener Training Class Application

✻ = Required

First Name ✻

Last Name ✻

Address ✻

City ✻

Zip code ✻

Mailing Address
(if different
from home address)

Mailing City

Mailing Zip code

Home phone ✻

Cell phone ✻

Email address ✻

Ethnicity (optional) Please check the ones that apply:

Gender (optional):

woman man nonbinary gender not listed decline to state

Occupation (if retired, please state occupation at time of retirement):

Please respond to all questions in the boxes provided (the boxes will expand as you type).
Please be thorough; the information you provide will be used to select applicants to be interviewed for openings in the training class.

Please carefully consider the requirements of the program described toward the end of this Application.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, September 12, 2025.

1. Why do you want to become a Marin Master Gardener? ✻

2. Describe your volunteer experience including organizations of which you are a member (school, church or youth groups, service clubs, senior organizations, etc.) and the role you have played in these groups (leadership, project management, fund raising, etc). ✻

3. Tell us about a special project or activity you have initiated, completed or contributed to in your community or work. ✻

4. Briefly describe your gardening experience. Please indicate any areas of personal gardening interest. ✻

5. Mission Statement

UC Marin Master Gardeners are University of California-trained and certified volunteers who provide research-based knowledge and information on sustainable landscape practices, pest management and home horticulture to gardeners in Marin County.

What are your expectations of being a UC Master Gardener volunteer? ✻

6. What teaching or communication experience do you have? List types of experiences (e.g. writing articles, speaking to groups, demonstrations to groups, one to one consultations, educational art displays, etc.) ✻

7. Other than those listed in 6 above, what skills would you bring to the program (e.g., artistic, computer skills, arts and crafts, construction, photography, finance, other)? ✻

8. Basic word processing skills are required to complete assignments. Trainees must access a group website and research websites for weekly study questions. In addition, UC Master Gardeners must regularly use the internet to access important program information and to find science-based information to answer questions that come to the Help Desk. Please describe your computer skills. ✻

9. Other than English, do you speak and write another language? If so, which one(s)? ✻

10. The Training Program classes are held on 16 consecutive Thursdays from January 22 through May 7th. In-person class sessions begin at 9:00 am and finish at 1 pm. There may be some optional hands-on activities or field trips in the afternoons but they will not be requirements. Virtual classes are live from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Training Program requirements can be found at the end of this application under Acknowledgment of Requirements. Is there anything that might make it difficult for you to attend all classes, complete the Training Program requirements, or fulfill the required volunteer and continuing education hours for the UC Master Gardener Program? ✻

11. Have you applied for a Master Gardener Training Program before? If so, when and where? ✻

12. How did you hear about this program? (Marin IJ, a Master Gardener, Farmer’s Market, Marin County Fair, or other) ✻

13. Based on your review of "Volunteering in the UC Master Gardener Organization", indicate the types of projects you are interested in and why. Also, share the skills that you can potentially bring to them. Please be brief.

✻

Acknowledgment of Requirements

If accepted into the UC Master Gardener Training Program in Marin, Trainees must:

Pay a non-refundable fee of $395 (includes most textbooks). Scholarships are available.
Submit fingerprints to the Marin County Sheriff.
Agree to and sign the UC Volunteer Code of Conduct.
Attend all Training Program classes (16 weeks.)
Complete and submit all assignments.
Complete the open-book final examination with a score of 70 percent or better.
By June 30, 2027 (a year after graduation), complete and report at least 50 volunteer hours including one shift at an MMG Farmers Market; and at least 4 hours to each of three other volunteer projects.

In addition to the requirements stated above, to remain certified each year thereafter, MMGs must complete and report a minimum of 25 hours of UC Master Gardener-approved volunteer hours and 12 hours of approved continuing education. Do you acknowledge the requirements outlined in this Application?

Yes No

This application must be received online by Friday, September 12th, 2025.

UC Cooperative Extension
Marin Master Gardener Training Program
1682 Novato Boulevard, Suite 150B
Novato, California 94947

Telephone: 415-473-4204
Fax: 415-473-4209

www.marinmg.org

In compliance with the California Information Practices Act of 1977, the following information is provided: The information on this form is being requested by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) for use in the UC Master Gardener Program. The individual completing this form may make inquiries concerning use of the information collected and may ask to review the form as well as other non-confidential personal information maintained on record by contacting the local UCCE County Director, Advisor, Program Coordinator or the statewide Director for the UC Master Gardener Program at:

UC Master Gardener Program, 2801 2nd Street, Davis, CA 95618-7779.

Information on this form is being requested under the authority of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 covering Cooperative Extension activities and Article IX, Section 9 of the State of California Constitution covering the University of California. Ethnic information is requested to maintain compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and sex information is requested to maintain compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Statistical information on this form is being collected to satisfy the U.S. Department of Agriculture Extension Service reporting requirements for Affirmative Action and the Federal Affirmative Action Program Report. Statistical information includes sex, ethnic information and residence location. Submission of the above noted information is voluntary and if the information is not submitted by the source, the county master gardener staff may use his or her judgment to complete the information and satisfy Federal reporting requirements. Other personal information on this form is being collected to provide the County Extension Master Gardener staff with information to assist in program planning. This information consists of name, address, phone and email in addition to your skill set assessment.

The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, status as a protected veteran or service in the uniformed services (as defined by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994

[USERRA]), as well as state military and naval service. University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University’s non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action Contact and Title IX Officer, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, (530) 750-1318.

Survey Verification✻

For verification that you are human, please enter the following code in the box below:
SYUMLB

(if the code is not entered correctly, the survey will not be submitted)

2026 UC Master Gardener Training Class Application - Marin County