On Thursday, June 2, Los Angeles County Regional Park and the Open Space District will launch two competitive Measure A grant programs and unlock up to $23 million in total funding opportunities for cities, organizations nonprofits, community organizations and other eligible entities. .
While the first round of Measure A’s competitive grant programs awarded $26 million in funding to capital projects that promote, preserve and protect parks and open spaces in February 2022, this second round of grants Measure A competitions will provide up to $23 million in funding for the expansion and creation of new recreational programs. This will be a first for RPOSD in nearly 30 years of grantmaking. This launch was highly anticipated due to a previous cancellation of the program forced by unprecedented restrictions introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
Vocational training and placement of young people and veterans for the 2022 cycle includes up to $10.9 million in Measure A grants available for education, job training (career development), certification, and placement programs in parks and recreation for Los Angeles County Youth and Veterans.
Access to leisure program for the 2022 cycle includes up to $11.1 million in Measure A grants available for programs that aim to increase accessibility for Los Angeles County residents to public lands, park facilities, including education, interpretation services, safety information, transportation and other activities, especially for those living in high and very high needs areas.
The RPOSD joins the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)to provide additional funding of $1 million from Metro to the Recreation Access Program to fund transit-to-parks programs and initiatives as well as service improvements that connect communities directly to park facilities in high quality.
Both guidelines for competitive grant programs will be released on June 2, 2022, with an open application window from June 20, 2022 to September 29, 2022. A virtual workshop for competitive grant programs will be held in June 2022. The collective l he experience of the pandemic over the past two years has highlighted not only the value of parks and trails, but also the need for equitable access to open spaces and recreational programs for all. Informed by the 2016 Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment (PNA), Measure A includes several elements aimed at funding parks in areas identified as having high or very high needs. A minimum of 30% of competitive grant funding will be allocated to high and very high need communities in the parks, as outlined in the NPT.
“By offering this grant opportunity to cities, nonprofits, and community organizations, RPOSD exemplifies a collaborative approach to creating new recreation programs. I wholeheartedly support this approach,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley. “I anticipate that upcoming proposals will reflect creativity, innovation and a variety of opportunities to effectively engage youth, veterans and people with special accessibility needs. I can’t wait to see which proposals will rise to the top.
“Access to parks and open spaces is essential for physical and emotional well-being. According to the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment, more than half of county residents do not have access to parks within half a mile of their homes and more than 52% of county residents live in very high need park communities. With the strong support of Los Angeles County voters and the unwavering commitment of the Board of Supervisors, Measure A funding will continue to promote an equity-focused approach to creating unprecedented access to parks by investing in training professional youth and veterans. We are also very pleased to announce the collaboration between RPOSD and Metro and the coordination of Measure A and Measure M to create programming gateways to park access,” said Norma Edith García-González, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District. “We encourage cities, park agencies, community organizations and all eligible organizations to apply for these essential park access programming funds and attend the next informational workshop.”
“Access to competitive grants for youth and veteran skills training programs is critical to supporting a successful and transformative Los Angeles County. These funds will help empower marginalized communities and local organizations by focusing on equity-based solutions to deliver innovative programs that will provide job training and job placement – while increasing access to open green spaces in areas. poor in parks,” the Los Angeles County Supervisor said. First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis.
“Funding for programmatic grants is very hard to come by. For two county entities like RPOSD and Metro, working together is exciting and innovative. Applicants’ ability to leverage these distinct funding sources will be a big step forward in meeting the needs of our communities to access parks and apply for funding to provide training and programs that benefit youth and to veterans,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell, Second District Chairman.
“Cities, nonprofits and community organizations, you bring all the great ideas and we will bring the cash to make it happen,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl of the Third District. “In 2016, county voters overwhelmingly approved Measure A to improve local parks. This round of grants is specifically designed to train and employ youth and veterans to work in parks and recreation, and to improve accessibility to public lands and park facilities.
“Parks are such an important part of our communities. Through the Recreation Access Program and this great partnership with Metro, we are making sure that more of our residents can enjoy it,” said Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Everyone should be able to safely, easily, and affordably access LA County’s beautiful green spaces.”
In November 2016, Los Angeles County voters approved the Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks and Beaches Measure (Measure A) with nearly 75% of voters approving the annual package tax, affirming the importance of parks to residents of Los Angeles County. Since the passage of Measure A, RPOSD has allocated $360 million to cities and park development agencies to help fund new park space, create better access to existing parks, and improve park amenities. Park. These funds also support community jobs throughout the region, including programs designed for youth and veterans. For more information on competitive grant programs and Measure A funding, visit the RPOSD website at rposd.lacounty.gov.
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About Los Angeles County Regional Park and the Open Space District
Since its inception in 1992, the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (RPOSD) has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants to cities, county departments, state and local agencies, and community organizations to
projects to improve and restore our parks, recreation facilities, trails and open spaces. Our grants have and will continue to improve life in Los Angeles County by building stronger and safer neighborhoods, enriching recreational experiences, advocating for equitable access to parks and open spaces, and preserving our natural spaces for that.
and future generations. By strengthening initiatives that create, maintain and enhance our open spaces, RPOSD can help ensure that everyone in the Los Angeles County area benefits from all that parks have to offer. This is all possible thanks to the support of the people of Los Angeles County.
About the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 70,079 acres of parkland, 475 sports facilities such as futsal, basketball, tennis, lawn bowling and multipurpose courts, 42 swimming pools, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 nature centers that serve as refuge for over 200 animals, 14 lakes including 3 boating and swimming lakes, 5 equestrian centres, over 210 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and hiking. riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the country, consisting of 20 golf courses. The department also operates four botanical centers: the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden, South Coast Botanical Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheater, which are jointly operated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing county residents with valuable cultural and entertainment resources.
