Route to Parks Grants
At Parks California, we believe that everyone deserves a world-class park experience in California and that all can benefit from a lifelong connection with nature.
To ensure the California State Park system is more welcoming, accessible, and relevant to all visitors, Parks California is proud to offer the Route to Parks Grants program to local organization who are helping people develop a connection, appreciation, and love for nature. Through this program, we aim to improve park access for all people so they can create their own personal connections with nature. Over the past two years, we have been proud to provide grants to more than 40 organizations that day to day offer transformative experiences in nature for their community.
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GRANT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
For Route to Parks we are seeking proposals that address the following criteria:
- Provide transportation to a California state park or beach, and offer a valuable recreational, environmental, cultural, or historical learning experiences;
- Reach underrepresented communities who may face financial challenges getting to or enjoying parks (often defined by government agencies as disadvantaged);
- Address those parts of the state with the greatest transportation needs;
Preference will be given to programs that:
- Deliver memorable experiences in state parks through collaboration with other stakeholders to build expertise and deliver programs that they alone would not be able to provide
- Provide participants with multiple meaningful outdoor experiences in parks
- Have an innovative transportation approach
Parks California anticipates grant awards will average $15,000. Applicant projects should be completed within the grant cycle year, November-December.