Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – This summer, the County of Marin will award up to $200,000 in Parks Measure A funding to community-based organizations to help overcome barriers and connect communities to parks. The maximum grant is $10,000 per applicant.
Over the past 10 years, this program overseen by Marin County Parks has served thousands of residents by extending wellness programs and other community services outdoors while growing the relationships of Marin residents to their public lands. The first trusted introductions to new park locations result in a high likelihood residents return to their parks, often with family and friends, over and over again.
Established in 2014, the Parks Breathe (Respira in Spanish) Community Grant Program breaks down barriers faced by some residents in visiting the County’s outdoor facilities. Over the next month, local community organizations are invited to complete an online form to apply for the competitive grants that facilitate more visits to local parks, introduces new residents to recreation via public outreach, and provides bridges to enjoying the outdoors.
All qualifying criteria and funding restrictions, along with detailed information about the program and grant decision-making process, are available in the FAQ section on the Breathe/Respira Measure A Community Grant Program webpage.
Parks will consider funding projects or programs that support an underserved community as long as that community is adequately described in relation to the Breathe/Respira program. Proposals will be reviewed after the May 31 application deadline, and grants will be recommended in July in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Commission. They will be announced in August following approval of grant agreements by the Board of Supervisors.
Breathe/Respira is funded by Parks Measure A, a countywide quarter-cent sales tax otherwise known as the Marin Parks, Open Space, and Sustainable Agriculture Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance of 2022. Thanks to Measure A, entrance fees to County regional parks were eliminated in July 2023 and Parks continues to offer free group site reservations for qualifying organizations.
To find out more about the range of benefits this tax measure is bringing to your favorite outdoor places, check out the current Measure A annual report.