California State Parks Foundation Announces Second Round of Grants to Keep State Parks Open

Today the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) announces it will award 10 grants totaling $247,520 to organizations that are working to keep state parks from closing due to budget shortfalls (parks and organizations listed below). This one-year commitment is one of many serious steps the 43-year-old foundation is taking in response to the crisis of park closures across California's state park system. Two months ago, CSPF announced 13 grants to organizations totaling $328,586 to keep parks open. The most recent round of grants was made possible by generous funding from Chipotle Mexican Grill and an anonymous donor, while the previous round was made possible by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Thomas J. Long Foundation.

“Once again, we are pleased to announce these grants as part of our determined effort to keep threatened state parks open,” said CSPF President Elizabeth Goldstein. “The grantees have substantial plans to either fund or operate state parks that would otherwise close, and we are thrilled to give them the support they need to succeed in that. These grants have been made possible by early funders to our major fundraising campaign. This early funding has also allowed us to offer technical assistance to nonprofits working to keep parks open.”

Seventy state parks were originally slated for closure by July 1, 2012. With the deadline approaching, Californians stepped up to create alternative short-term solutions rather than let park gates shut. The parks community has acted in an exemplary fashion to adapt to the state’s financial distress. Ultimately, however, this good work can only be rewarded by the state re-funding these parks so they have a long-term future that is sustainable.

“While we are pleased with this positive announcement, there is much more work to be done, or we’ll be facing another round of park closures sooner than later,” said Goldstein.

The organizations accepting grants from this round have plans to keep 10 parks open for at least a year.

"We are truly grateful to the California State Parks Foundation for its continuing efforts to save our parks on a statewide level and its amazing partnership at a local level to help organizations like ours stave off park closures through various resources,” said Carolyn Schoff, president of Friends of Pio Pico, one of the groups being awarded a grant. “This grant will help keep our park open this fiscal year and allow us to utilize additional donations for next fiscal year."

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Park: Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
Grantee: Benicia State Parks Association

Park: Malakoff-Diggens State Historic Park
Grantee: South Yuba River Citizens League

Park: Morro Strand State Beach
Grantee: Central Coast State Parks Association

Park: Picacho State Recreation Area
Grantee: Friends4Pichacho

Park: Pío Pico State Historic Park
Grantee: Friends of Pio Pico

Park: Plumas-Eureka State Park
Grantee: Plumas Eureka State Park Association

Park: Saddleback Butte State Park
Grantee: Poppy Reserve/Mojave Desert Interpretive Association

Park: Shasta State Historic Park
Grantee: Shasta Historical Society

Park: Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
Grantee: Mendocino Area Parks Association

Park: Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
Grantee: Weaverville Joss House Association

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