|
Goal: To promote the creation of parks in low-income neighborhoods, and enable low-income residents and people of color to benefit more from the use of parks, open space reserves, and natural areas throughout the County
Overview: Marin has a long tradition of creating and preserving open space. However, many of its residents, for various reasons, are not able to benefit from this unique local resource. Despite the abundance of public lands in the County, underserved communities lack adequate access to open spaces and programs within them that meet their needs for healthy well-being, environmental education, and stewardship.
Of particular note are the findings of the Trust for Public Land’s “Park Equity” analysis conducted for Marin County as part of an assessment of the gaps in access to parks and open space in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Trust for Public Land’s analysis identified Marin City, the Canal and other areas San Rafael, and low-income neighborhoods in Novato as having limited access to parks and open space.
Moreover, the Marin Open Space District’s recently conducted needs assessment highlighted the fact that many low-income communities and communities of color are not well-served by Marin’s parks, open space, and natural areas in terms of the types of activities offered and the adequacy of park programming. With some notable exceptions, there are fewer opportunities for low-income youth and youth of color to access effective outdoor opportunities in Marin County, particularly those that engage them in high-quality environmental education, physical activity, job readiness, and stewardship.
Under this goal, MCF will support projects that incorporate the following strategies:
Strategy 1: Support full use of existing parks, open space reserves, and natural areas; and spur the development of new parks in underserved neighborhoods
Strategy 2: Offer programs that help low-income people and people of color learn about the environment, engage in physical activity, and have a greater appreciation for their role in protecting these community assets
Process: Register with the Grant Application Center starting November 1, 2008, which is the Registration Open Date for this goal. This system enables you to complete and submit all application materials online.
Once you have registered, please complete and submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), even if you have received funding from MCF in the past for this kind of work.
If your LOI is approved, you will be notified how to prepare and submit a full proposal, also using the Grant Application Center.
Deadline for LOI: December 15, 2008
| 
