To activate New York City’s parks by providing free cultural programming, sports and play, environmental education, and community-building opportunities so that parks serve as vibrant, accessible places for all New Yorkers.
City Parks Foundation Inc. centers its grantmaking on maintaining, programming, and activating New York City’s open spaces, with recent awards reaching community-based conservancies, park alliances, and neighborhood stewardship groups across the city. The foundation’s recent grants show repeated support for organizations that combine park care with public programming, volunteer stewardship, and community access. Among the larger recent awards, Gowanus Canal Conservancy received $185,000 in 2023, while Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice received $100,000 in 2024. Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn Inc also appears among the larger grants, reflecting continued support for local groups that work in specific neighborhoods and park systems. Other recipients include Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, New Yorkers for Parks, Riverside Park Conservancy Inc, and South Bronx Unite. The funder’s active programs point to a place-based approach to New York City parks, including grassroots grants for small community groups, pathway funding for system improvements, and support for organizations that steward and advocate for open space. Across the recent grant list, the pattern is consistent: funding goes to local organizations that help parks function as sites for maintenance, programming, environmental action, and neighborhood use.
One core area is park stewardship and open-space maintenance. City Parks Foundation Inc gave $77,000 in 2025 to Gowanus Canal Conservancy for “Maintain, Program And Activate NYC Open Spaces,” and $60,000 in 2025 to Mott Haven - Port Morris Community Land Stewards for the same purpose. A second area is advocacy and planning for public space. The foundation awarded $60,000 in 2025 to Urban Design Forum and $50,000 in 2025 to Center for an Urban Future, both tied to maintaining, programming, and activating New York City open spaces. The foundation also supports neighborhood-led park organizations and waterfront groups. In 2024, Rockaway Waterfront Alliance Inc received $40,000, and Van Cortlandt Park Alliance received $40,000 in 2025. Youth and community programming also appears in the portfolio. Concrete Safaris Inc received $40,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for the same open-space activation work.
Typical awards fall in a relatively compact range: p25 is $15,205, median is $25,000, and p75 is $38,500. The recent list also includes higher-capacity grants in the $50,000 to $185,000 range, showing that the foundation makes both smaller community awards and larger operating-style grants. Recipients appear across multiple years, which points to repeat support rather than one-time funding only. Gowanus Canal Conservancy, New Yorkers for Parks, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Riverside Park Conservancy Inc, Center for an Urban Future, South Bronx Unite, Friends of the High Line Inc, and Concrete Safaris Inc all appear more than once in the recent grants list. City Parks Foundation Inc is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The active NYC Green Fund programs show that some funding is unsolicited, including the Grassroots Grants Program.
$1.9M
$46.9M
$27.2M
$23.7M
Most grants fall between $15K and $39K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$39K
HEATHER LUBOV
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The grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 98% of grants go to recipients in New York, and all listed recipient countries are in the United States. New York City is the main geography, with repeated awards in Brooklyn, Manhattan/New York, the Bronx, and Far Rockaway. Brooklyn appears frequently through groups such as Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn Inc, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, and Green Guerillas. Manhattan/New York recipients include New Yorkers for Parks, Natural Areas Conservancy, Riverside Park Conservancy Inc, and Waterfront Alliance Inc. Bronx-based awards include Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, South Bronx Unite, and Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. Far Rockaway appears through Rockaway Waterfront Alliance Inc.
It supports New York City park and open-space organizations, including community stewardship groups, conservancies, park alliances, neighborhood-led groups, and organizations working on public arts, youth sports and recreation, and environmental education. The recent grants list shows repeat awards to local groups that maintain, program, and activate parks and public spaces.
No. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Gowanus Canal Conservancy, New Yorkers for Parks, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Riverside Park Conservancy Inc, Center for an Urban Future, South Bronx Unite, Friends of the High Line Inc, and Concrete Safaris Inc. That suggests recurring support is common.
Typical awards are modest and clustered around $25,000: the p25 is $15,205, the median is $25,000, and the p75 is $38,500. Recent grants also include larger awards, such as $185,000 and $100,000, for organizations doing park and open-space work in New York City.
At least one active program accepts unsolicited applications: the NYC Green Fund – Grassroots Grants Program. It supports community groups and organizations providing open space programming and stewardship across New York City, with awards of up to two years and a stated grant size range of $1,000 to $40,000.
Its giving is highly concentrated in New York. The provided data shows 98% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, New York, and the grant list is made up of New York City organizations in places such as Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Far Rockaway.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOWANUS CANAL CONSERVANCY | BROOKLYN, NY | $77,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| NEW YORKERS FOR PARKS | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| URBAN DESIGN FORUM | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| RIVERSIDE PARK CONSERVANCY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| DESIGN TRUST FOR PUBLIC SPACE | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| MOTT HAVEN - PORT MORRIS COMMUNITY LAND STEWARDS | BRONX, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| CENTER FOR AN URBAN FUTURE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| OPEN SPACE ALLIANCE FOR NORTH BROOKLYN INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $45,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FORT GREENE PARK CONSERVANCY | BROOKLYN, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| GREEN GUERILLAS | BROOKLYN, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| CONCRETE SAFARIS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| BRONX RIVER ALLIANCE | BRONX, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| BROOKLYN GREENWAY INITIATIVE | BROOKLYN, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| VAN CORTLANDT PARK ALLIANCE | BRONX, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| WATERFRONT ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| CATROCK VENTURES INC | BRONX, NY | $39,600 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $36,800 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| IN OUR BACKYARDS INC DBA IOBY | BROOKLYN, NY | $36,474 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| WYCKOFF HOUSE AND ASSOCIATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| UPTOWN SOCCER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| ROCKAWAY WATERFRONT ALLIANCE INC | FAR ROCKAWAY, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| WE STAYNOS QUEDAMOS INC | BRONX, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| THE BRONX IS BLOOMING | BRONX, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| MARINE PARK ALLIANCE CORP | BROOKLYN, NY | $32,400 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| BAILEYS CAFE | BROOKLYN, NY | $31,239 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| TEN 2 ONE NONPROFIT | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| THE GUARDIANS OF FLUSHING BAY INC | WOODSIDE, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| NEW YORK CITY H20 INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| BRONX LAND TRUST | BRONX, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION | FAR ROCKAWAY, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FRESHKILLS PARK ALLIANCE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FRIENDS OF ALICE AUSTEN HOUSE | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| ALLIANCE FOR FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK CORP | FLUSHING, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $22,500 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| ARTS & DEMOCRACY INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $21,311 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP | BROOKLYN, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| HUNTERS POINT PARKS CONSERVANCY | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| QUEENSBORO DANCE FESTIVAL INC | SUNNYSIDE, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| GOTHAM PARK | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| TREES NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| STATEN ISLAND URBAN CENTER | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FRIENDS OF BROWNSVILLE PARKS | BROOKLYN, NY | $19,500 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| LIMINAL | NEW YORK, NY | $19,250 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| MORE GARDENS FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $17,500 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| THE BROOKLYN QUEENS LAND TRUST | BROOKLYN, NY | $15,500 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FOREST PARK TRUST | WOODHAVEN, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| JACKSON HEIGHTS BEAUTIFICATION GROUPS | JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| HUDSON RIVER COMMUNITY SAILING | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| NEW YORK LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
| FOURTH ARTS BLOCK | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES |
DESIGN TRUST FOR PUBLIC SPACE
$60,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MOTT HAVEN - PORT MORRIS COMMUNITY LAND STEWARDS
$60,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
OPEN SPACE ALLIANCE FOR NORTH BROOKLYN INC
$45,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FORT GREENE PARK CONSERVANCY
$40,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
GREEN GUERILLAS
$40,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
CONCRETE SAFARIS INC
$40,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
BROOKLYN GREENWAY INITIATIVE
$40,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
CATROCK VENTURES INC
$39,600MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
WYCKOFF HOUSE AND ASSOCIATION
$35,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
UPTOWN SOCCER INC
$35,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
THE BRONX IS BLOOMING
$35,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MARINE PARK ALLIANCE CORP
$32,400MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
BAILEYS CAFE
$31,239MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
TEN 2 ONE NONPROFIT
$30,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
THE GUARDIANS OF FLUSHING BAY INC
$30,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
NEW YORK CITY H20 INC
$30,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
BRONX LAND TRUST
$25,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION
$25,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FRESHKILLS PARK ALLIANCE
$25,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FRIENDS OF ALICE AUSTEN HOUSE
$25,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
ALLIANCE FOR FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK CORP
$25,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
ARTS & DEMOCRACY INC
$21,311MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP
$20,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
HUNTERS POINT PARKS CONSERVANCY
$20,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
QUEENSBORO DANCE FESTIVAL INC
$20,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
GOTHAM PARK
$20,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
TREES NEW YORK
$20,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FRIENDS OF BROWNSVILLE PARKS
$19,500MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
LIMINAL
$19,250MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MORE GARDENS FUND
$17,500MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
THE BROOKLYN QUEENS LAND TRUST
$15,500MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FOREST PARK TRUST
$15,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
JACKSON HEIGHTS BEAUTIFICATION GROUPS
$15,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
FOURTH ARTS BLOCK
$15,000MAINTAIN, PROGRAM AND ACTIVATE NYC OPEN SPACES
Current and upcoming funding from City Parks Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Requests must be for performances in New York City parks, recreation centers, or schoolyards. All performances must be open to the public; the PuppetMobile is not available for private functions. Priority is given to historically under-resourced neighborhoods.
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