We partnered with UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability to study state park access, reviewing outdoor benefits for you, analyzing visitor demographics, and surveying 22 million Californians, including 5 million under 18 years old.

At our first-of-its-kind Policy Forum, the First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced her partnership on the Pathways to Parks initiative. We presented the research results from our work with UCLA.

With the pandemic impacting California's budget, we mobilized advocates to protect state park funding, successfully restoring $20 million in youth outdoor equity grants in the final 2020-21 budget. 

Our second policy Forum brought together park stakeholders, policy experts, legislative staff, and leaders to address youth park access, public health, and climate change. Speakers included the First Partner, California State Parks Director Armando Quintero, and more. 

In the May 2021-22 state budget revision, substantial investments were made in state parks, including for youth access. This comprised $9 million for youth programs, library partnerships, CalWORKs access, and funding for 6.1 million public school students to visit state parks.

California State Parks launched the State Park Adventure Pass. To date, over 41,000 students have received a pass. 

California State Parks and the California State Library launched the California State Library Pass during National Library Week. Each library branch received at least three California State Library Parks Pass hangtags fir patrons to borrow. 

The library pass program has been so well-received that Governor Newsom allocated an additional $13.5 million, resulting in 28,000 more passes. To date, a total of 33,000 passes have been placed in more than 1,100 public library branches throughout the state. Libraries report that this is one of the most checked-out items.   

Senate Bill 668 (Dodd) authorized the California Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into operating agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations. This protects nonprofit park operators, such as Friends of China Camp and many others, that are a vital part of the state park ecosystem. Assembly Bill 1150 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife) established a community access pilot program for nonprofits that provide programs and services for communities with barriers to accessing state parks and beaches. This increases equitable access to state parks and expands capacity for organizations to deliver programming where it has the most impact.

At California State Parks Foundation, we continuously advocate for funding to ensure everyone has access to our beautiful state parks. Thanks to the support of over 5,000 advocates who signed petitions and contacted their legislators, we successfully secured funding for the State Library Park Pass. Additionally, the California State Park Adventure Pass and the Golden Bear Pass, which provide free access for specific groups, also received continued funding. Your efforts make a difference! Read more here.

After thousands of advocates spoke up, lawmakers restored funding for the California State Library Parks Pass Program in the final state budget, allowing libraries across California to continue offering free state park passes to their communities. 

The California State Library Parks Pass Program was once again at risk when the Assembly's budget proposal excluded funding. California State Parks Foundation launched a statewide advocacy campaign, urging supporters to contact their legislators before the June 15 budget deadline. Thousands of Californians took action to help protect the program. 

To commemorate Juneteenth and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, California State Parks offered a free Historian Passport, supported by donations from California State Parks Foundation and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation. Valid at more than 30 state historic parks, the pass was downloaded more than 454,000 times by the end of the promotion, with attendance noticeably increasing at participating parks.

Championed by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom in partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency, the free California State Park Adventure Pass surpassed 100,000 downloads since launching in 2021. The pass gives every California fourth grader and their family free day-use access to 54 participating state parks.