Parks, trails, and open spaces play a critical role in supporting the health and vitality of communities. And yet historic disinvestment has left many communities with the greatest need with the least access to quality parks and recreation opportunities. In response to the prevalence of inequitable park investment across the country, City Parks Alliance, in collaboration with Groundwork U.S.A and the Urban Institute, recently launched its Equitable Park Funding Hub. The Hub is an online resource that provides easy access to information on a variety of funding sources relevant for parks and recreation in low-income communities and communities of color, and highlights the partnerships required for successful funding.
Join us for an introduction to the Hub and how to use it. During the webinar, we will:
- Review the different types of funding sources available and provide examples of how cities have used these sources for park and recreation projects.
- Provide an overview of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, an urban park grant program that received an influx of new funding for FY21. This program was recently eliminated by the previous administration but we anticipate that the Biden administration will reinstate it.
- Showcase an example of how an organization has utilized Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding on parks projects.
Support for this work was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Speakers:
Caryn Ernst, Director of Strategic Initiatives, City Parks Alliance
As director of strategic initiatives, Caryn is responsible for City Parks Alliance’s member capacity-building programs, including city workshops, park study tours, webinars, and peer-to-peer convenings. Caryn previously worked for the Trust for Public Land as director of conservation vision services where she managed cross-sector city, regional, and watershed-wide conservation and park planning efforts around the U.S.
Julie Waterman, Advocacy Director, City Parks Alliance
As advocacy director, Julie works to advance federal legislation that provides funding for city parks. Julie oversees the development of CPA’s advocacy materials and manages its Mayors for Parks Coalition, a bipartisan coalition of 50 mayors from across the country that advocate for strong park systems. Julie has 20 years of experience with nonprofit conservation and family planning organizations, focusing on advocacy, coalition building, and fundraising.
Brigitte Griswold, Executive Director of Groundwork Hudson Valley
As Executive Director of Groundwork Hudson Valley, Brigitte oversees the organization’s efforts to create sustainable environmental change in Yonkers through community-based partnerships that promote equity, youth leadership, and economic opportunity. Prior to joining Groundwork, Brigitte was the Director of Youth Engagement Programs for the Nature Conservancy. She has received numerous awards including The Edison Award Honoring Innovation and Innovators and The US2020 STEM Mentoring Award for Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships.
