2022-2023 Park Improvement Grant Round

We are thrilled to announce an open grant round for 2022-2023 that will focus on investing in programs that improve parks and create innovative programs so that visitors have meaningful and relevant experiences while visiting California state parks. 

While there are many barriers to getting to a park, there is so much to experience once a visitor arrives at a park. There are hidden lessons that we can make come to life through education and interpretation. This could look like activities, presentations, publications, audio-visual media, signs, or exhibits.  

For park visitors to have meaningful experiences, they must feel welcome, find it easy to orientate themselves to park amenities, and easily access the stories that inspire caring for the park’s natural and cultural history.  Applications are due by April 15, 2022.

Did you miss our Park Improvements webinar? Click here to find slide deck and questions from this informative webinar.

OBJECTIVE 

Park Improvement projects must fall under one of the following California State Parks Foundation goals:  

Equitable Access:

Reducing barriers and expanding access to parks so that all Californians have equitable access to the positive impact parks have on health, happiness, and quality of life.  

Examples of programs/projects:  

• Transportation   

• Adventure Pass   

• Library Park Pass  

• PORTS program   

Honoring History and Culture: 

Preserving and honoring sites, artifacts, stories, and ideas that represent and reveal the wisdom, contributions, and experiences of everyone who has called California home. 

Examples of programs/projects:  

• Park installations – interpretive panels   

• Educational brochures  

• Podcast, tour app  

Park Experiences:

Improving parks and innovating programs so that state park visitors have meaningful and relevant experiences while visiting their parks, leading to a lifelong connection.  

Examples of programs/projects:  

• Trail work   

• Maintenance – bathrooms. visitor center, day use areas   

• Signage – trail/directional signage, brail signage   

• Staff salary – if the salary goes directly to time spent improving parks. For example, maintenance work, leading trail work, leading programming  

• Agents of Discovery – Missions  

 

AWARD AMOUNTS  

Applicants can apply for grants up to $10,000. 

 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

Who is eligible?  

Organizations in a contractual relationship with CA Department of Parks and Recreation    

• Cooperating Associations    

• Concessions    

• Non-profit Park Partners    

Government Organizations   

• CA cities and special districts    

• CA county governments    

• CA state government agencies   

• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)   

• Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)   

Education Organizations   

• Independent school districts   

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education   

• Private institutions of higher education   

Nonprofit Organizations    

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), other than institutions of higher education   

• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education   

Does your organization fall under the above criteria? If so, apply for the 2022 – 2023 Park Improvement Grant Round now!  

APPLY NOW

 

GRANT TIMELINE: 

• March 1 – April 15, 2022: Application open for submissions

• May 1-15, 2022: Email grantees to notify if their application was accepted or declined. Grant agreement letters will be emailed via DocusSign. 

• June 1, 2022 – June 1, 2023: Grant term 

• June 1-15, 2022: California State Parks Foundation will externally announce Park Improvement grantees. 

• December 1, 2022: Midterm report due 

• June 30, 2023: Final report due 

If you have any additional questions or comments, please reach out to Haley Gonzales, Partnership Program Manager at [email protected].