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Neighborhood Grants
Neighborhood Grants are awarded for small-scale, community-initiated park improvement projects. Grants from $500 to $5,000 are awarded throughout the year with a grant period of 6 months. Learn more about our Neighborhood Grants Program here.
See All 2019 Neighborhood Grants:
Community Grants
As the anchor of our ACL Music Festival Grants Program, Community Grants are intended for large, community-initiated park improvement projects that fall between $5,000 to $50,000. Learn more about our Community Grants Program here.
See All 2019 Community Grants:
Comal Pocket park
Parque Comal, or Comal Pocket Park, is nestled in central east Austin on the corner of Comal and 3rd Street. Originally home to Comal School in 1925, Austin Parks Foundation will be providing brand new play equipment and undertaking a full playground renovation, led by the Parks & Recreation Department.
Investment:
$100,000
Timeline:
Fall 2020
Hartford park
Hartford Park was once an overgrown traffic triangle in central Austin. Thanks to the grassroots efforts of Friends of Hartford Park, it has evolved into an urban green space that enhances the surrounding community. Neighbors raised close to $200,000 all on their own, before reaching out to APF for help in closing the funding gap.
Investment:
$50,000
Timeline:
Completed May 2019
North Oaks Park
Once a simple green space in North East Austin, North Oaks Park is now a neighborhood oasis. Working with the community to envision the park they needed, we completed construction on a new playscape as well as nature play elements, and an updated walking trail in partnership with the City of Austin and supported by St. David's Foundation and an Urban Forestry Grant.
Investment:
$360,000
Timeline:
Completed Nov. 2019
Pan American Neighborhood Park
Known for its hillside theater and the longest-running music festival in Austin, Pan Am Park was in need of some rehabilitation. We are proud to have led a complete playground renovation and ADA accessibility improvements with support from Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Investment:
$500,000
Timeline:
Completed Aug. 2019
Quail Creek park
With support from St. David’s Foundation, Austin Parks Foundation designed and managed the playground replacement and construction of additional fitness options at Quail Creek Neighborhood Park. New play equipment and safety surfacing were also installed in partnership with PARD.
Investment:
$225,000
Timeline:
Completed Jan. 2020
Springdale park
The Springdale playscape and safety surfacing have a failing grade. Austin Parks Foundation is partnering with neighbors and PARD to replace playground equipment, safety surfacing and fitness equipment, as well as work to make the park more accessible.
Investment:
$250,000
Timeline:
Spring 2021
St. John Park
As our first-ever Impact Grantee, St. John Park holds a special place. We are so proud to have been part of this community-led effort to bring a new playscape, trail and pavilion to this neighborhood park with support from the City of Austin's 2012 Bond, Dell Match Play and Sunrise Mini Mart.
Investment:
$250,000
Timeline:
Completed Feb. 2019
Alliance Children's garden
APF is proud to support PARD in the development of the Alliance Children's Garden, a brand new 2-acre multi-generational recreational and cultural space within Butler Park. The new space features nature-play elements, musical play equipment, and inter-generational amenities unlike any other park in the city.
Investment:
$350,000
Timeline:
Completed APR. 2020
Colony park district park
Since 2016, Austin Parks Foundation, PARD, Texas Parks & Wildlife and St. David’s Foundation have partnered with the Colony Park neighborhood to develop a premiere park space in Northeast Austin. The park hosts multi-use trails, an all-inclusive children’s play environment that is integrated into the existing landscape, two sports fields, a pavilion, benches, drinking fountains and a playscape.
Investment:
$1,050,000
Timeline:
Completed Spring 2020
Eastlink Trail
Eastlink connects 5 miles of urban trails from Bartholomew Park to Lady Bird Lake, and aims to allow pedestrians and cyclists to utilize East Austin's parks, community assets and places of historical significance. In 2019 we invested in an interpretive placemaking and wayfinding plan, and completed the first placemaking project: The Pillars Project, an art installation highlighting the rich culture and history of East Austin.
Investment:
$250,000
Timeline:
ONGOING
John Treviño Jr. metropolitan Park
APF is proud to invest in the development of a master plan for John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch in beautiful East Austin. This park was named to honor the first Mexican-American/Latino elected to Austin City Council and selected as Mayor Pro Tem. He served our city and the East Austin community for 14 years. We're excited for this 330 acre park, only a fraction smaller than Zilker Park, to open to the public in the coming years.
Investment:
$250,000
Timeline:
ONGOING
historic Montopolis Negro school Master Plan
This historic place is the site of the only school that educated black children in Montopolis in a time when the area was populated by sharecroppers. It was acquired in 2018 by the City of Austin. Austin Parks Foundation is proud to partner with PARD to fund the master planning process for the historic school building and adjacent parkland, which will kick off in 2021.
Investment:
$150,000
Timeline:
Fall 2021
Nature preserves and Prairie restorations
Austin Parks Foundation is partnering with PARD to support the development of comprehensive land management planning for Austin's nature preserves system.
Investment:
$50,000
Timeline:
summer 2022
Seaholm waterfront
The Seaholm Intake Facility and surrounding parkland have sat unused since the 1980s when the intake and power plant were officially decommissioned. In partnership with The Trail Foundation and PARD, APF funded a planning study to help envision the future of this waterfront park space. With the completed study, APF and TTF are working with PARD to initiate projects to make the building and waterfront parkland more accessible to the community.
Investment:
$225,000
Timeline:
ongoing
pomerleau pocket park
Earl J. Pomerleau Pocket Park was the first-ever Park Master Plan award from Austin Parks Foundation. The Master Plan allowed the neighborhood association to get essential public input, fundraise and segment the project into phases, all with the city's approval. Pomerleau was also awarded a Neighborhood Grant and is on its way to realizing the high hopes of the neighborhood and community.
Volunteerism is at the core of our mission and work, and is the strong foundation we were built on back in 1992. Every year, thousands of dedicated volunteers make parks a priority with their time and effort. From our two city-wide It's My Park Day events, to our First Saturday projects, corporate volunteer days, and every project in between - we couldn't be more grateful for their hard work and dedication to getting the work done!
Volunteers
Park Projects
In Labor Costs Saved
Two City-Wide Days of Giving Back
Each year we host thousands of volunteers in parks all over the city at our two, city-wide It’s My Park Day events. These individual days represent a huge investment in our parks. And the love doesn’t stop with our volunteers!
From free tacos to discounts on coffee, we were fortunate to partner with local businesses who generously gave back to It's My Park Day volunteers. Park lovers have invested significant labor hours into our parks, saving the under-funded Parks & Recreation Department time and money!
Over the course of 2 days in the Spring and Fall, Austinites helped Austin Parks Foundation achieve these big numbers:
Park Projects
Cubic Yards of Mulch Spread
Volunteers
Labor Costs Saved
2019 was the biggest and best Party for the Parks yet. We were able to raise $250,000 for Austin's parks.
The quality of our city is directly related to the quality of our parks. All proceeds from Party for the Parks benefits the work of APF, helping us care for Austin’s parks, trails and green spaces. Thank you to our attendees, sponsors and donors for making our biggest fundraiser a great success!
BASED ON 2019 AUDITED FINANCIALS BY PMB HELIN DONOVAN
86% OF EVERY DOLLAR GIVEN TO APF GOES DIRECTLY TO PARK PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS
Austin Parks Foundation relies on the generosity of our donors and supporters. Without their commitment to our programs and projects, Austin's parks would be in even greater need. We are also proud to acknowledge the organizations who have generously supported APF with donations of $500 or more in 2019. We are grateful to the many businesses and individuals who are making an investment in our community through our mission of people + parks.
