History & Impact


Leveraging the Power of Parks:
Over 25 Years of Impact

For more than 25 years, City Parks Alliance has been the leading voice for urban parks, connecting cities, advocates, and communities to transform how we think about and invest in city parks.

United States Capitol Building, Photo by Srini Somanchi on Unsplash

Amplifying Mayors' Voices for Parks in Washington

200+ mayors involved in the bipartisan Mayors for Parks coalition advocating for federal park funding since its start in 2013

A large group of people listening to a speaker outside in front of steps

Deepening Professional Learning & Connection

Tens of thousands of participants in virtual and in-person programming to address emerging issues facing urban park professionals

A large crowd listening to a person speak in an event hall

Convening the Urban Parks Movement

Nine conferences, including seven Greater & Greener convenings, bringing together urban park leaders worldwide

Fostering Peer-to-Peer Learning

Eight park study tours bringing together small groups for intensive, hands-on learning in cities around the country

A group of professionals standing behind a podium in front of the U.S. Capitol building

First-Ever Dedicated Federal Investment for Urban Parks

First permanent federal legislation – the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program – dedicated specifically to city parks, which has leveraged $1.4+ billion for city parks

2000 – 2008

City Parks Alliance Established

City Parks Alliance was formed in 2000 by a nationwide group of urban parks administrators and advocates as an outgrowth of the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund’s Urban Parks Initiative in the 1990s. Early workshops and conferences focus on partnerships, advocacy, and recreation.

2005

Parks, People, and Power Workshop

The Alliance hosts its first workshop, an advocacy training workshop in partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, in Philadelphia. Subsequent workshops are held in Boston, Los Angeles, and St. Louis.

2005

It Takes a Partnership: Urban Parks in the 21st Century Conference

The Alliance organizes an urban parks conference in Buffalo in partnership with the National Association for Olmsted Parks and Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

2006

Urban Park and Recreation Summit

The Alliance participates in the Urban Parks and Recreation Summit in Chicago in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association and The Trust for Public Land.

2009 – 2012

Federal Advocacy and Research Partnerships Launched

City Parks Alliance expands its federal advocacy work with its first “Day on the Hill” in Washington, DC in 2009 and participates in the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors in 2010. City Parks Alliance establishes a research partnership with Georgia Institute of Technology – School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, holds our first Urban Park Study Tour in Chicago, and organizes the first Greater & Greener international urban parks conference.

2009

Red Fields to Green Fields Launched

The Red Fields to Green Fields National Research Program, led by the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, evaluates the potential impacts of converting financially and/or physically distressed commercial real estate to green spaces and parks.

2011

First Urban Park Study Tour Hosted

More than thirty participants from across the country attend the inaugural city park study tour, which highlights unique public/private park partnerships in Chicago. Subsequent park study tours explore park and recreation systems in Los Angeles/Irvine, Denver, Toronto, Cleveland, St. Louis, Austin, and Houston.

2012

Inaugural Greater & Greener: International Urban Parks Conference

City Parks Alliance hosts its first Greater & Greener conference: Greater & Greener: Re-Imagining Parks for 21st Century Cities in New York. More than six hundred participants attend.

2013 – 2019

National Advocacy and Research Efforts Expand

City Parks Alliance launches the Mayors for Parks Coalition that focuses on federal funding for city parks. The Alliance is instrumental in launching the Outdoor Recreational Legacy Partnership, a federal grant program for urban parks in underserved communities. City Parks Alliance develops new research partnerships, draws more than 1,000 participants to Greater & Greener in San Francisco, and hosts the first international park study tour in Toronto, Canada.

The Alliance releases new advocacy and research tools, research, and member resources to better equip communities to leverage the power of parks to address critical urban infrastructure and public health issues. The Alliance also launches the Funders Learning Network and a new research project with Urban Institute and Groundwork USA, focusing on equitable funding for parks and green infrastructure.

2013

Mayors for Parks Coalition Launched

The Mayors for Parks Coalition, a bipartisan coalition of mayors from large and small cities, advocates for federal funding to support strong park systems. The Coalition grows to more than 50 mayors who add their voices through op-eds, press events, speaking engagements, and resolutions passed by the US Conference of Mayors.

2013

National Study of Neighborhood Parks Initiated

The RAND Corporation and City Parks Alliance lead the first-ever National Study of Neighborhood Parks to identify the degree to which America’s neighborhood parks encourage physical activity.

2014

City Workshops Program Launched

City Parks Alliance and Michigan Recreation and Park Association host the first ParkXChange City Workshops in Flint and Detroit, MI. Professional facilitators lead the workshops, drawing on the experience of practitioners around the country through a tailored curriculum. Additional workshops are held in Birmingham (AL); Boston (MA); Kansas City (MO); Saint Paul (MN) San Jose (CA); Traverse City (MI), and Memphis (TN). The workshop shifts to a virtual model post-pandemic and a five-part curriculum is formalized by 2022.

2016

ParkXChange Resource Library Launched

The Alliance launches the ParkXChange resource library (now called the Park Resource Library) to provide members with easy access to real-world examples of memorandums of understanding, partnership agreements, and policy documents. This practical resource helps park professionals navigate complex public-private partnerships by learning from successful models implemented in cities nationwide.

2017

Videos on Parks as Infrastructure Released

The Alliance produces and distributes City Parks: America’s New Infrastructure video series. The five-part series documents the multi-functional benefits of urban parks and transportation, resilience, health, and economic benefits for cities. The videos are based on research conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

2018

Report on Managing Parks for Better Health Published

Active Parks, Healthy Cities distills the findings of the National Study of Neighborhood Parks into four major recommendation categories: programming, design, marketing and outreach, and measuring park use. The report highlights low-cost, replicable examples of how park and recreation professionals, health organizations, and advocacy groups can use the recommendations to improve health outcomes.

2019

Funders Learning Network Launched

The Funders Learning Network brings together grant-makers investing in urban parks through information sharing and learning. It is one of three ongoing peer-to-peer conversations facilitated by the City Parks Alliance.

2020 – 2025

Advancing Equitable Park Systems as Critical Infrastructure

The COVID-19 pandemic marks a pivotal moment that underscores parks as essential infrastructure for community health and well-being. City Parks Alliance responds by deepening its commitment to equity, pioneering new approaches to climate resilience, securing landmark federal legislation, and helping cities nationwide recognize parks as critical infrastructure serving all communities.

2020

COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Virtual Programming

The pandemic highlights the critical importance of equitable and accessible parks and recreation. City Parks Alliance quickly pivots to virtual programming, focusing on parks as frontline social service providers and equitable access to green spaces for mental, physical, and spiritual health.

2020

Dedicated Federal Funding Secured for Urban Parks

Congress passes the Great American Outdoors Act, permanently funding the Land & Water Conservation Fund and its Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP). The ORLP directs funds specifically to underserved urban communities for new outdoor recreation spaces and renovations to existing parks and recreation centers.

2021

Equitable Park Funding Hub Launched

In partnership with Groundwork USA and Urban Institute, City Parks Alliance launches the Equitable Park Funding Hub (now called the City Park Funding Hub), an online resource providing easy access to federal and local funding opportunities for parks and recreation in low-income communities and communities of color. The hub emphasizes the partnerships essential for successful funding applications.

2021

Summer Series

In lieu of an in-person biennial conference, the Alliance organizes a 2-week virtual event. Themes include Resilient Cities, Co-Creating Civic Life, Partnerships & Development, and Safe, Healthy and Playful Communities. Greater & Greener resumes the following year in Philadelphia, PA.

2023

Parks & Green Stormwater Infrastructure Cohort and Recommendations

City Parks Alliance brings together a cohort of urban parks and water agency leaders from eight cities to develop best practices and advance collaboration on green stormwater infrastructure in parks. The findings are summarized in Nature-Based Solutions for Managing Stormwater in Parks: Opportunities to Create a Win-Win for Urban Resilience.

2024

EXPLORE Act Passage

Following years of advocacy, the EXPLORE Act becomes law, containing the historic Outdoors for All Act—the first permanent federal legislation dedicated specifically to city parks. This landmark achievement codifies the National Park Service Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program into law.

2024

National Park Service Cooperative Agreement

City Parks Alliance enters a three-year cooperative agreement with the National Park Service to enhance communications around the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership federal grant program and increase applications from underserved urban communities of all sizes nationwide.

2025

Parks & Technology Research

City Parks Alliance releases new research, Parks and Technology: Guidelines for Implementing Technological Tools for Parks and Public Spaces, on technology’s role in urban parks. The report helps parks professionals navigate the opportunities, benefits, and challenges of using technology to create smarter, more inclusive parks.

2025

Park Study Tour Program Expands

Houston hosts the eighth park study tour focusing on public-private partnerships, inclusive community engagement, and resilient design. A national competition awards Memphis, Detroit/Toledo, Jacksonville, and Buffalo park study tour host city designations in 2027 and 2029.