City Parks Foundation Announces 109 Grants Through NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund

City Parks Foundation announced today the selection of 109 grants through two competitive funding opportunities -the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund and GREEN / ARTS LIVE NYC. More than ever before, New Yorkers have come to rely on parks and open spaces, the most fundamentally democratic and accessible of public resources. Parks are critical to our city's recovery and reopening -offering fresh air, recreation, and creativity -and a crucial part of New York's equitable economic recovery and environmental resilience. These grant programs will help to support artists in hosting free, public performances and programs in parks, plazas, and gardens across NYC, along with the nonprofit organizations that help maintain many of our city's open spaces. Both grant programs are administered by CityParks Foundation.

The NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund will award nearly $2M via 64 grants to NYC-based small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations. Grants will help to support basic maintenance and operations within heavily-used parks and open spaces during a busy summer and fall with the city's reopening. Notable projects supported by this fund include the Harlem Youth Gardener Program founded during summer 2020 through a collaboration between Friends of Morningside Park Inc. , Friends of St. Nicholas Park, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, & Jackie Robinson Park Conservancy to engage neighborhood youth ages 14-19 in paid horticulture along with the Bronx River Alliance's EELS Youth Internship Program and Volunteer Program to invite thousands of Bronxites to participate in stewardship of the parks lining the river banks.

The NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund has also launched a new grant application for volunteer groups that help care for our parks and open spaces. Applications are due on July 21st and volunteer-led groups may apply for small grants of up to $3,000. Grant guidelines are available at cityparksfoundation.org/nyc-green-fund/.

GREEN / ARTS LIVE NYC will award 45 NYC-based organizations over $225,000 in grant funds and in-kind production to support free performing arts and interactive programs and workshops in high-need and under-resourced parks, plazas and green spaces throughout NYC. Exciting programs supported by this fund include the Morrisania Band Projectproposed to be held at Rev Lena Irons Unity Park and Westchester Square Plaza in the Bronx and SunDae Day Dazefrom micca, proposed to be held on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk in Queens.