Minneapolis Parks Foundation

People for Parks is an agile organization, by which I mean that it is relatively small and definitely grassroots, so it is able to act quickly when approached for "just a little help." Although grants range from large to almost tiny, each one helps a group or organization enhance Minneapolis parks. People for Parks has provided support, large and small, for everything from a playground that will be accessible for every child to planting shrubs to replace buckthorn in the bird sanctuary.

People For Parks is a grassroots organization committed to enhancing Minneapolis parks. Just in the past few years funds raised by People For Parks has planted trees in some on the Minneapolis parks through People For Parks Arbor Day Project, helped with the eradication of bucktorn through the purchase of equipment for the Minneapolis Parks forestry department and contributed money for the purchase of two chess tables at Logan Park amongst other projects. Currently People For Parks is involved with the Falls For All Project at Wabun Park and the Martin Luther King Legacy project at King Park. The People For Parks board works hand in hand with the Minneapolis Park Board to insure Minneapolis residents that the parks remain "the jewels" of our city.

People for Parks' help keep our Minneapolis parks beautiful and functional. The financial support they have been able to offer has maintained the value of some of our treasures, such as the bandshell and Women's Ordinary at Lake Harriet. They have replaced trees that were lost to disease and protected others from the same fate. They help small neighborhood groups improve their parks and keep communities strong.

For over 2 years now, the board and staff of People for Parks has worked tirelessly with its Falls 4 All Committee to fundraise to build a universally accessible playground specially designed so that kids with disabilities can play side by side with their able-bodied peers. Now at 75% of its nearly million dollar goal, the organization continues in its fundraising efforts, with a deadline of early 2013 to complete the fundraising. True to its purpose, this has been a citizen-based effort, with numerous fundraisers, grant writing, and meetings with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board staff, all in an effort to make this much-needed playground (the FIRST of its kind in the Minneapolis Park System) a reality for the citizens of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Certainly People for Parks and its Falls 4 All Committee are to be commended for its dedication to this huge fundraising project for a universal access playground that will allow children and adults, both with and without disabilities, a place to challenge themselves, explore, interact and play, with independence and dignity, as a group or as individuals.

Family, not "client" - This is the whole point: the "role" category that I just clicked doesn't begin the describe the relationship that my organization has with People for Parks (PFP). It's funny, too, we were welcomed into the family only seven months ago. Again, this illustrates the point. PFP lives its mission with the people and organizations it serves. I am the treasurer of a neighborhood, grassroots organization that is committed to better connecting the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park (MLK) to the community and to promote Dr. King's legacy through activities and physical layout in the Park. We are entirely volunteer run and lead. When we approached PFP to be our fiscal agent, they literally took us under their wings and helped mus become established. The board members collaborated with us in writing a memorandum of agreement that spelled out each organization's roles and responsibilities. This was done in a mutually respectful manner. The quality of the relationship that was established is rare. Having done this several times on behalf of community groups I can testify that often the organization with the power simply dictates terms to the neighborhood group. Here, PFP took steps to ensure communication was open and decision making had a two-way path. PFP went above and beyond the specific requirements of "fiscal agent" in other ways that supported our group. They identified potential funding sources, introduced us to individuals and organizations that could support our work and helped mus with logistics of individual fundraising and specific events. It takes this special support and the efforts above and beyond the requirements of "client-provider" to make relationships successful. PFP has done this for us. MLK is pleased and proud to be part of the PFP family.