Trust for Public Land’s 10 Minute Walk Campaign Announces Opening of Second Round of Community Grants

The Trust for Public Land announced that, as part of the 10 Minute Walk Campaign, it will make more than $300,000 available to community-based non-profit organizations as part of its efforts to enable and inspire action to ensure 100% of U.S. residents have safe, easy access to a quality park or green space within a 10-minute walk of home by 2050. This round of funding, known as the Partnership Fund, will be available to community-based organizations in cities where the mayor has made a commitment to the Campaign.

“We have seen hundreds of mayors embrace the power of parks to address some of the most pressing challenges faced by cities today,” said Benita Hussain, Director of the 10 Minute Walk Campaign at The Trust for Public Land. “But they need the support of committed organizations doing catalytic work on the ground in order to bring about large-scale change and promote the importance of green space in our communities, which is what the Partnership Fund is all about.”

A request for proposals opening on October 10th—National Walk to a Park Day and the second anniversary of the campaign’s launch—will invite applications for grants from organizations undertaking work that complements mayoral commitments to parks, which enhance their cities’ livability, increase resiliency, improve public health, and promote civic pride nationwide.

This second round of funding follows more than $400,000 distributed through the first round of partnership fund grants to eight non-profits across five cities and metropolitan areas: Denver, Colorado Springs, Seattle, Atlanta and Chattanooga. These grantees have created a bicycle lending library that connects youth to green spaces, supported city efforts to jointly-use school playgrounds as off-hours public parks, and worked with faith-based organizations to engage their communities to encourage the use of greenspace for their activities. Since its launch in 2017, the campaign has distributed more than $1.5 million in grants to help cities and nonprofits embrace the power of parks to drive positive change in cities and address urban challenges.

The 10 Minute Walk Campaign and these grants have been made possible by generous support from The JPB Foundation.

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About the 10 Minute Walk

10 Minute Walk is a movement dedicated to improving access to safe, quality parks and green spaces in cities—large and small—throughout the U.S. Together, we’re working with leaders to create a world in which 100% of people are within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space by 2050. Led by The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with National Recreation and Park Association and the Urban Land Institute, we drive commitments from city leaders working to achieve this vision and transform their communities by elevating parks and green space. Read more here.

About National Walk to a Park Day

National Walk to a Park Day, celebrated each year on October 10th, was launched in 2018 by The Trust for Public Land, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the Urban Land Institute. The day celebrates the parks we have and calls attention to the parks we need. 100 million Americans- including 28 million children- do not have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk, or half-mile, of home. Studies show that parks are linked to improved mental and physical health, protect people from the effects of the climate crisis, and bring communities together.

About The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Read more here.