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The Forest Park Trust Inc. is among the Queens NYC Green Fund Direct Relief Grantees.
By Forum Staff
The City Parks Foundation, the independent, nonprofit that offers programs in NYC green spaces throughout the five boroughs, announced on Thursday 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 City Parks 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.
Some Queens NYC Green Fund Direct Relief Grantees include:
- Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park
- Guardians of Flushing Bay
- Jackson Heights Beautification Group
- Lewis Latimer House Museum
- Myrtle Avenue BID
- Newtown Creek Alliance
- North Brooklyn Parks Alliance
- NYC H2O
- Queens Botanical Garden
- Queens County Farm Museum
- Queens Economic Development Corporation
- Southern Queens Park Association, Inc.
- Sunnyside District Management Association
- The Forest Park Trust Inc.
Additionally, 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. 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.
GREEN / ARTS LIVE NYC grantee organizations and artists and proposed locations are below (note that some locations may vary depending on permit-approval):
QUEENS
- Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts: Diversity Plaza
- David Mills: Queensbridge Park
- East New York Restoration LDC: Spring Creek Park
- ESOTA: Laurelton West
- FANIKE! African Dance Troupe: Baisley Pond Park
- HERE Arts Center: Court Square Park
- m i c c a: Rockaway Beach Boardwalk
- Queensboro Dance Festival: Forest Park Bandshell, Windmuller Park, Queensbridge Park
- Thresh Inc.: Tudor Park
- Vincent and Patricia VP Foundation: Rufus King Park
