Grants Program

Spokane Parks Foundation History

The Spokane Parks Foundation is a non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation that was established in 1951 to acquire, provide, improve, and equip parks and recreation facilities in the City of Spokane and the adjacent areas in Spokane County. Formed and lovingly nurtured by Herb Hamblen for many years, the Foundation grew dramatically when Erna Bert Nelson, a local portrait photographer, who loved and enjoyed Spokane’s beautiful parks and wanted to preserve the parks system for future generations of Spokane residents and visitors, gave a bequest to the Foundation of $680,000 upon her death.

Since that time, the Foundation has received additional donations that have augmented the original gift from Ms. Nelson. With these gifts, the Foundation established a fund that has provided more than $1,000,000 in grants, ranging from a few dollars for a tree to more than $100,000 for such improvements as the Moore Turner Heritage Garden, the Franklin Park softball complex, Riverfront Park attractions and Spokane City’s first Children’s Universal Playground.

The Foundation Grant applications and awards are divided into two categories. They are Project Application/Grants and Scholarship Application/Grants.

Project Grants
The Spokane Parks Foundation uses the following criteria to identify the best applications for the PROJECT GRANTS.

1. Proposals for projects that help the Spokane Parks Foundation fulfill its mission of “leading efforts to preserve and enhance Spokane’s parks for today and tomorrow. “ The proposed project should also be consistent with the applicant’s mission statement.

2. Requests for funding should be relevant to the Foundation’s current priorities and MUST be park related.

3. Proposals for projects that benefit a broad spectrum of the community.

4. Proposals for projects that demonstrate foresight and that enrich our community.

Download 2012 Project Grant Application

Scholarship Grants
The Spokane Parks Foundation uses the following criteria to identify the best applications for the SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS.

1. Scholarship grants may be applied for by county, city, Spokane Valley Parks and Recreational Departments or any other Parks and Recreation Department within Spokane County, not individual Community Centers.

2. Scholarships are primarily for low income or physically challenged youth populations.

3. Scholarships must be for educational or recreational activities within county, city, or Spokane Valley Parks.

Project and Scholarship Grant awards will be made in the Spring. The 2011 deadline for submission is February 25, 2011. By May 1st applications will be approved by the Spokane Parks Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation will provide mail notification to all organizations and/or Parks and Recreation Departments that applied for grant awards.

Download 2012 Scholarship Grant Application