Successful Partnerships for Parks

Report Summary: Parks are essential building blocks of thriving places, but creative approaches are increasingly necessary to advance equitable access to parks that support quality of life in communities throughout the United States and beyond. More than ever, parks are the result of innovative approaches to partnerships and financing.

Real estate leaders are emerging as key players in supporting park creation, maintenance, and programming, and cross-sector partnerships among the real estate development industry, the public sector, nonprofit organizations, and the philanthropic community are proving essential for park success. Such partnerships can also enhance real estate value and support community health and well-being.

Countless partnership arrangements support parks. Each iteration, while unique, can offer insights to others embarking on journeys to create and sustain parks that promote health, resilience, social equity, and other goals. This report explores case studies and examples of successful partnerships for equitable parks, and distill lessons learned from these projects, to inform potential partnership arrangements.