Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program

The Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program, also called the Statewide Park Program or SPP, is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation through the Office of Grants and Local Services. The program is a competitive state grant program intended to create new parks and new recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities across California. Previous rounds were supported by Proposition 84, Proposition 68, and State General Funds. Round 5 continues the program through Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. Proposition 4 provides $188.5 million for the SPP Round 5 funding cycle. Proposition 4 also requires at least 10 percent of the amount available in each round to support renovations of existing parks for increased use and access, including access for individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants are cities, counties, eligible districts, joint powers authorities for which at least one participating agency is an eligible city, county, or district, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Eligible projects must involve development, or a combination of acquisition and development, to create a new park, renovate an existing park, or expand an existing park. The project site's half-mile radius must have less than three acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, a median household income below 80 percent of the California median household income, or proximity to a qualifying climate vulnerability. Applicants use the Community FactFinder to document applicable park-space, income, and climate-vulnerability conditions. Development projects must create or renovate at least one recreation feature. Potential recreation features include athletic fields and courts, playgrounds, trails, community gardens, outdoor fitness areas, performing arts facilities, picnic areas, public art, open space, dog parks, skate parks, and other facilities representing community recreation needs. Major support amenities such as restrooms, parking, pathways, lighting, landscaping, perimeter fencing, and security cameras may also be included, but an application consisting only of major support amenities is ineligible. Projects should make new recreation opportunities the primary goal. Acquisition must be combined with development of a new recreation feature unless a recreation feature is already available for public use at close of escrow. Acquisition through condemnation or eminent domain is not eligible, and state funds cannot be used to purchase property above appraised fair market value. Each application may request between $200,000 and $8,500,000. No match is required, and the grant itself may fund the entire project. The requested grant amount cannot increase after the application deadline. Each park or project site requires a separate application, although an applicant may submit applications for multiple different parks and may potentially receive multiple awards. Pre-construction costs may not exceed 25 percent of the grant amount. Indirect costs are allowable for Proposition 4 projects but are optional and must be supported by an acceptable accounting methodology. Eligible costs must relate directly to completing the grant scope, while costs such as grant writing, fundraising, food and beverages, operation and maintenance, non-capital programming, and acquisition costs above appraised fair market value are not eligible. The Round 5 application period is open and applications are being accepted through December 17, 2026. Applications are submitted through the online application system identified at www.parks.ca.gov/spp, with a separate application for each project site. Required materials include the Application Form, Project Selection Criteria responses, Community FactFinder Report and Certification Form, Authorizing Resolution, Grant Scope/Cost Estimate Form, Indirect Cost Rate Form, Budget Narrative, Funding Sources Form, Project Timeline Form, Applicant Capacity information, project site control documentation, Concept Level Site Plan, photographs and Copyright License Agreement, Project Location Map, nonprofit documentation when applicable, and Conservation Corps Consultation Review. Applicants should submit only requested materials. Project Selection Criteria responses must be complete by the application deadline and cannot be revised afterward. Applications are evaluated through ten Project Selection Criteria worth up to 100 points. The criteria address critical lack of park space, significant poverty, climate vulnerable populations, type of project, community-based planning, employment or volunteer opportunities, partnerships or committed funding, environmental design, public use fees and operating hours, and community challenges, project benefits, and readiness. Community-based planning evaluates the accessibility and number of resident meetings, outreach methods, broad resident representation, and evidence that residents influenced recreation features, design elements, locations, climate strategies, safety, and beautification. Environmental design requires qualifying sustainable techniques or an eligible SITES or LEED certification approach. An application receiving an ineligible determination under specified criteria is no longer considered for an award. Round 5 provides $188.5 million in available program funding, and the application deadline is December 17, 2026. The guide states that grant awards are expected to be announced approximately six months after the application deadline. Selected applicants must attend a mandatory grant administration workshop before the grant contract is issued. The grant performance period begins on the appropriation date, and eligible costs dating back to that date may be reimbursable. Grantees should plan to complete projects at least six months before the end of the applicable performance period, and awarded project sites must be operated and maintained for public use for 30 years beginning with the appropriation date. Program questions may be directed to OGALS@parks.ca.gov, and applicants may also use the OGALS contact list to identify the Competitive Team Project Officer for their area.

Prioritize creation or renovation of recreation features rather than spending the majority of project costs on major support amenities; review and use the Competitive Chart; complete the Community FactFinder process at least one month before the December 17, 2026 deadline; ensure Project Selection Criteria responses are complete by the deadline because placeholders and later revisions are not accepted; document resident-led selection of recreation features, design elements, locations, climate strategies, safety, and beautification; use broad resident outreach and convenient meeting times; include qualifying sustainable design techniques; verify consistency among the requested grant amount, cost estimate, budget narrative, and funding sources; submit at least 24 hours before the deadline to reduce technical risk.