About the McKinley Square Park Foundation In 2009, the McKinley
Square Park Foundation (MSPF) became one of them under the San Francisco Parks Trust fiscal sponsorship program. Like the many other volunteer-based
organizations, we recognized early on the importance of exploring,
understanding and actively listening to the existing players amongst the various
local area government agencies. Today we work with agencies like Recreation and Parks Department (RPD), Department of Public Works (DPW) and Caltrans on exploring funding options and understanding their guidelines. This very large network of local area agencies oversee all of our volunteer efforts on a daily
basis. Without their guidance, authorization,
approvals and support—our efforts would not be possible. From day one, our
primary interest has been in facilitating the funding process on behalf of the
many individuals and neighborhood groups that reside in the areas surrounding
McKinley Square. We wanted to streamline
the process and make it easier for those interested in volunteering and making healthy improvements
to the open spaces within our neighborhood. By actively listening
and working closely with these agencies, their dedicated staff and learning the
guidelines; we have worked very hard to embrace the process and follow their
direction during the past year. Our Board of Trustees In the early stages of
any worthy effort, most recognize the value of leading off with strong
leadership and a known history of experience and excellence on the topic. The effort has to start off right with
credibility, respect and trust in order to get off the ground—let alone succeed
over time. Our efforts have
followed this philosophy. We recognized
early on the value of surrounding the effort with a stellar group
of well respected individuals stemming from community with a known history of solid community
advocacy, successful park project leadership and outstanding fund raising
expertise. One of the primary
goals of the board of trustees is to provide solid learning, guidance and experience
across all areas implementing successful park projects.
These volunteers serve as an advisory team to the Executive Director who manages the
day to day efforts on behalf of McKinley Square. Together with our local area partnerships; their advice and
direction across the areas mentioned above provide the much needed communication skills, conflict resolution and diversity across everything we do. You can learn more
about their individual accomplishments in the Board of Trustee section. Our History & Park
Partners
In July of 2009, we formalized our fiscal sponsorship agreement with San
Francisco Parks Trust as noted above based on the recommendation from Steven
Cismowski, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (RPD). Both RPD and SFPT along
with the many local area agencies (e.g. DPW, Caltrans, SFPD, Mayors Office) serve
as the primary resource of information and direction assisting us with
continued learning and over site in meeting our funding goals. This large network of
citywide partnerships is seen throughout the city in other neighborhoods
allowing volunteer led organizations like ours to be fiscally sponsored as
a 501(c)(3) non-profit. As an official park partner of San
Francisco Parks Trust, we also fall under the same legal and financial
guidelines and protections of other area groups providing valuable resources
that we could not have normally had access to. We are firmly
committed to working with every group on a variety of healthy funding
activities through consensus based community design,
planning and outreach programs benefiting McKinley Square and
support our open spaces. The Parks
Partner program combines SFPT fundraising expertise,
financial services, insurance, and administrative support
with our foundations funding programs on behalf of all community
groups, or individual projects. For more than 30 years San
Francisco Parks Trust has built a reputation as a leader in parks and
open spaces. Our strategic partnership with SFPT Park
Partners will promote this reputation throughout our network of
amazing funding opportunities.
In San Francisco there are over 80 volunteer-based organizations actively working
towards park advocacy and open space preservation.
About SFPT Parks Partner
SFPT is the premier
support group for San Francisco parks, recreation centers and open spaces.
The Basics
The McKinley Square Park Foundation provides facilitation of the funding process and works with both individuals and local area neighborhood groups seeking funding to benefit McKinley Square Park and the surrounding areas.
Simply put, many volunteer hours are spent exploring funding options and providing administrative services on grant writing, agency approvals and coordination of funding projects.
Step 1:
Please submit a (1) page summary of your proposed project for review. This will help us identify the appropriate local government agency (i.e. land owner) in order to begin the process.
We will coordinate the review process for you and begin to set-up the scheduling to help move the project through the formal process.
Step 2:
If your initial draft summary brief has met the guidelines and been approved by the
appropriate local government agency;
we will contact you regarding any next steps including schedules agency recommendations and funding opportunities based on your goalsAfter you have received the appropriate approvals; we will send you a confirmation email to schedule your first on-site meeting with us to review the project details, guidelines and master schedule.
At that time, we will go over the funding process in greater detail providing you with a list of items to complete which each phase under the project.
One of the most important steps we require is that you and/or your neighborhood group take ownership of their individual projects, including documenting volunteers, community outreach and hosting neighborhood meetings related to the project.
This is a very important part of the funding process.
That's It. Pretty Simple.
We are available to assist with most questions in order to quickly navigate the proposed project through the funding process towards implementing successful projects.
We will get you in touch with the appropriate representatives and help with all of the scheduling and paperwork.
We will also draft and submit your final applications including maps, area photos, approved architectural landscape drawings, accounting and cost sheets, agency signatures, authorizations, letters of recommendations, community match forms and much, much more!
It is a very detailed process which requires many, MANY hours of dedication from our Foundation but we think it's well worth it.
Please Note: We do not approve, deny, lead or design any community projects. All of our efforts fall under the direction of the local area government agencies including Recreation and Parks, Department of Public Works, Caltrans as well as our fiscal sponsor; San Francisco Parks Trust.
Get Involved! Healthy Parks. Healthy Communities!
