Welcome to the VCE Portsmouth Master Gardener Program!
Please read this page carefully before you move forward with your application.
The Portsmouth Master Gardener Volunteer (PMGV) program is a community service program partnership between Virginia Cooperative Extension and the community of Portsmouth. As such, Portsmouth Master Gardener Volunteers share environmentally sound, research-based information in the community.
Before being accepted into the program, you will need to attend a mandatory orientation session and pass a background check.
To complete the Portsmouth Maste Gardener Volunteer Program requires the following:
- Payment of $175 program fee. (Scholarships are available.)
- Complete the 12-week (60-hour) training program.
- Volunteer 50 hours education within the community. The 50 volunteer hours must be completed within 12 months of the start of the training program.
For 2026 training, the 12-week program will begin on February3rd and run through April 23rd. Classes are primarily in-person with some recorded virtual sessions and field trips. Some Saturday time may also be required. Training sessions will be held from 9:00am to 12:00pm. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Portsmouth office of Virginia Cooperative Extension located at 105 Utah Street, Portsmouth, 23701.
Lastly, all trainees must contribute back to the community a minimum of 50 hours in activities which educate and share horticulture information with the citizens of Portsmouth. Opportunities to educate are provided and include volunteering at Farmers markets, local schools, help desk and community events.
If you are interested in becoming a PMGV, please complete the 2026 online application, at the link found in the upper right of this page.
Keep in mind, the application must be completed in one sitting. There is not an option to save the information to finish at another time.
Before you start, you will need to have contact information for 2 references handy.
Please click the link.
Deadline for Applications is October 31, 2025.
For any questions please contact Cyndi Wyskiewicz, Portsmouth VCE-Horticulture Agent, cyndiw@vt.edu (757) 393-5314.
I would like to volunteer
Mission Statement
Extension Master Gardener Program
Mission Statement: Sharing Knowledge. Empowering Communities.
Vision: To be the Virginia Cooperative Extension volunteer organization extending horticultural and environmental outreach across the Commonwealth.
Website: https://mastergardener.ext.vt.edu/
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/VCEMasterGardenerProgram
Virginia Master Naturalist Program 
Mission Statement: The Virginia Master Naturalist program is a corps of well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Website: http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaMasterNaturalist
Extension Master Food Volunteer Program
Mission Statement: The Master Food Volunteer Program expands the Family and Consumer Sciences Program in counties throughout Virginia. Master Food Volunteers serve as partners with Virginia Cooperative Extension by volunteering within the communities to help provide programs on nutrition, health, wellness, food safety, and physical activity. Through these programs, our long-term objectives are to decrease rates of chronic disease, decrease rates of obesity, and improve the health and quality of life for the residents of our communities.
Website: https://ext.vt.edu/food-health/master-food-volunteer.html
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/VCE.MFV
Master Financial Education Volunteer Program
Mission: The Master Financial Education Volunteer Program focuses on helping families build their financial capacity through classes on topics such as managing money, planning for home ownership, getting out of debt, retirement planning, and preventing identity theft.
Website: https://ext.vt.edu/family/mfev.html
Energy Masters Program
Mission: The Energy Masters Program promotes a more energy efficient and sustainable community by training volunteers in energy efficiency and water conservation techniques and in delivering community education and outreach programs.
