Description: Despite widespread appreciation for the health and environmental benefits of urban parks and green spaces, evidence shows persistent inequities in access, availability, quality of facilities, and programming, by race, place, and income. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is working to build a Culture of Health where everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. Park equity is a key component of this vision. This call for proposals seeks especially small and mid-sized urban communities most impacted by park and green space inequities to participate. Community-based organizations are strongly encouraged to apply, especially those led by people of color working to build community power at the citywide, countywide, or districtwide level. They are interested in funding a spectrum of eligible organizations across the United States that either are in later or early stages of policy advocacy and systems change efforts to advance park equity. The “north star” of the initiative is upstream policy and systems change, not planning, building, or operating individual, on-the-ground projects. See website for more info.
Award: RWJF expects to award grants up to $500,000 each (up to $250,000 per year). Grants will be 24 months in duration, beginning in May 2022.
Eligibility: Applicant organizations must be either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or nonfunctionally integrated Type III supporting organizations. Universities or academic institutions are not eligible to be the lead applicant, but they may serve as a coalition partner to the lead applicant. See website for full eligibility details.
Deadline: LOI due by 3 pm ET, Nov. 4, 2021