Parks & Public Space Initiative is sponsored by Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Invests in enhancing and activating parks, trails, school grounds, and community spaces in Oklahoma City.

Parks & Public Space Initiative | OCCF Parks & Public Space Initiative Lillian Timber Farms, Oklahoma City Parks & Public Space Initiative/Margaret Annis Boys Trust The Parks & Public Space Initiative invests in Oklahoma City by enhancing and activating the parks, trails, school grounds and community spaces that connect us all.

Building on the legacy of the Margaret Annis Boys Trust, established in 1991 to beautify and improve our city’s public landscapes, this OCCF initiative creates vibrant, welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy. Grant awards are tailored to the scope and impact of each project, and OCCF staff work alongside partners to provide expertise and hands-on support to ensure every project thrives.

View All Community Grants Projects must improve Oklahoma City by enhancing and activating parks and public spaces through one or more of the following: Increase usage of parks, trails and other spaces Engage community members in improving parks and public spaces Increase community stewardship of parks and public spaces Awards are made up to $40,000. Download the Grant Guidelines for full details on this grant.

All projects proposed must align with the published Grant Guidelines. Eligibility requirements and application process instructions are also included in the Grant Guidelines. May 5, 2026 – Grant Application Opens May 12, 2026 – Grant Information Meeting ( Optional) ▹ Register to attend the Grant Information meeting June 4, 2026, 5:00 p.

m. – Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline June 18, 2026, 5:00 p. m.

– Grant Application Deadline End of August 2026 – Decision Notification All deadlines are firm. No exceptions. Applications are submitted online via the Grant Portal.

Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the online Grant Portal. ▹ Application instructions are available in the Grant Guidelines. If the LOI is approved, submit a full application through the Grant Portal.

To see our list of recent grantees , please click here . To view the generous donors who have supported this grant, please click here . Yes, a match is required and may be volunteer labor or any donated plant material or amenity.

We do not have a match percentage requirement. All we ask is to show that you have volunteers involved in the project or list the donated material. Does our group need to maintain the project?

Yes, this is mandatory. We require a three-year maintenance commitment for the trees and plants so they can become established. Perennial or pollinator gardens are expected to be maintained longer than three years.

Maintenance includes watering, trimming, weeding, mulching and removing the stakes from trees after the first year. What type of organizations can apply for the Parks & Public Space Initiative grant? Neighborhood/community groups in the Oklahoma City metro area, 501(c)(3) nonprofit groups, local government agencies and city-connected agencies are eligible to apply.

Can we submit a project within the right-of-way or a street frontage for our neighborhood? Yes, street frontage projects will need approval from the municipality, generally from the Public Works Department. These projects have a lower priority for funding.

Will our group need to submit a site plan/landscape plan for the proposed landscaping? Yes, a site plan/landscape plan is one of the requirements, which will indicate what landscape improvements are being requested on the site. OCCF staff will assist with the development of the site plan if needed.

Please reach out to staff for assistance. Are there any reporting requirements? Yes, a mid-term check-in is required.

This is generally a site visit to discuss the progress and any issues that might have occurred. A final report is also required to be submitted on the portal after the project is complete. Will the Letter of Intent and the Application both be online submittals?

Automobile Alley Inc. – $10,000 to transform the NW 10th Street and Walker Avenue roundabout with a new “Light & Airy” sculpture, landscaping and irrigation. Classen SAS Middle School PTSA – $15,000 to create a teaching garden with shade trees, enhanced landscaping and a monarch butterfly waystation to provide educational and community benefits.

INTEGRIS Health Foundation Inc. – $13,000 to expand the Jim Thorpe Courage Garden by adding native plants and upgrading hardscape features to create more accessible, engaging spaces for patients, caregivers and nearby residents.

Metro Park Neighborhood Association – $25,000 to advance the renovation of Linwood Boulevard’s medians by adding native, pollinator-friendly plants to enhance public art areas, support wildlife, improve soil health and reduce long-term maintenance.

Nichols Hills Parks Inc. – $7,500 to complete the Evangeline Park revitalization by installing shrubs, perennials and seasonal color in newly built planter beds and repairing adjacent turf to enhance the pedestrian experience. Oklahoma City Beautiful – $15,000 to support planting 75 shade trees on school grounds across the metro area, expanding canopy cover, improving air quality, enhancing school campuses and engaging students.

Oklahoma City Housing Authority – $20,000 to provide landscaping and beautification for the new Lilyfield Resource Center at Will Rogers Courts, enhancing the quality of life and improving access to the newly activated park through an accessible crosswalk.

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and Campbell Art Park – $7,500 to support tree planting and landscaping throughout Campbell Art Park and Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center to improve the site’s visual appeal and sustainability. Oklahoma Zoological Society Inc. – $29,000 to enhance the Oklahoma City Zoo’s Botanical Gardens entrance by adding plantings, pedestrian pathways, shade elements and low-maintenance landscaping.

Shepherd Historic Preservation NA – $15,000 to introduce new trees to Swatek Park in areas where mature trees were removed during the recent sidewalk installation, helping to restore the park’s canopy and enhancing long-term environmental health. St.

John’s Lutheran School – $18,000 to continue developing educational pollinator gardens and planting shade trees across the campus to turn underused outdoor areas into hands-on environmental learning spaces. Thomas N Lynn Institute for Healthcare Inc. – $10,000 to create an edible landscape garden at South Rotary Park that beautifies the area, provides access to fresh food in a neighborhood food desert and fosters community involvement.

Classen School of Advanced Studies High School at Northeast Campus – $40,000 for new landscaping for the entrance and common areas at the front of the school. Historical Preservation Inc. – $18,000 to plant trees along sidewalks and in public parks in the Heritage Hills neighborhood. Homeless Alliance Inc. – $27,500 to create a new landscape on the WestTown Homeless Alliance campus at the corner of NW 4th Street and Virginia Avenue.

John’s Lutheran School – $20,000 to install new pollinator gardens and landscaping, which will be used as a living outdoor classroom. Kings Gate Christian School – $12,980 to enhance the existing pollinator garden and vernal pond habitat with plants and signage, creating an active learning environment. Linwood Place Neighborhood Association – $2,605 to landscape the neighborhood gateway sign located on 19th Street at Drexel Boulevard.

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center – $10,000 for tree planting within Campbell Art Park and the Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center Grounds. Trinity School – $25,000 to install a new native plant garden, irrigation and some hardscape on the school grounds. Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park – $20,000 for a tree planting project in the Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park.

Untitled Artspace Inc. – $7,500 to create a student-led community garden for gardening, public art and mentorship where students will design, plant and maintain the garden. William Fremont Harn Gardens Inc. – $5,000 to create pollinator gardens and plant crape myrtles. City of El Reno – $25,477 to plant trees along the Sunset Trail at Lake El Reno and install landscaping, new seating and shade structures along the trail.

Cleveland Neighborhood Association – $5,650 to install new landscaping around the neighborhood gazebo, plant new trees, create a pollinator garden and install stone benches along Venice Boulevard. Fields and Futures – $14,364 to install new trees for shade around the new athletic facilities at John Marshall Middle School.

Integris Health Foundation – $20,000 to revitalize the Jim Thorpe Garden, a therapeutic outdoor garden space, with new landscaping, trees and a raised garden. Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association – $30,000 to install trees, pollinator gardens, new turf, and irrigation at Sparrow Park to reduce the amount of maintenance required by the Oklahoma City Parks Department.

Metro Park Neighborhood Association – $30,000 to revitalize Linwood Boulevard with native plants, small trees and a new irrigation system. Nichols Hills Parks Inc. – $12,000 to enhance Evangeline Park with new trees, landscaping, irrigation and pathways. Putnam Heights Preservation Area – $15,500 to install trees, shrubs, perennials and seasonal color in the neighborhood common areas and provide irrigation for the new plants.

RestoreOKC – $32,500 to create a new Kitchen Garden and Rain Garden, as well as plant trees and pollinator gardens on the grounds of RestoreOKC and in Harden Park. The Greater Oklahoma City Parks and Trails Foundation – $5,000 to install trees, landscaping and a sign at the new Trosper Park Trailhead.

The Greens Neighborhood Association – $10,000 to install new trees and landscaping at three of the neighborhood entrances along NW 122nd Street. Asian District Cultural Association – $2,250 to plant more trees in the park and update the existing landscape beds. Automobile Alley Inc. – $20,000 to plant new trees and add landscaping along the Automobile Alley commercial business district.

Bethany First Church of the Nazarene – $11,930 to build a pollinator garden and enhance a public area with new landscaping. Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine – $14,494 to create a rose garden to enhance the visitor’s experience. City of Choctaw – $7,000 to create entry gateway landscape projects within the street right-of-way.

Culbertson East Highland NA – $17,000 to install landscape beds and trees within the Lottie Avenue median. Friends of Martin Park Nature Center – $20,000 to create sustainable gardens at the entrance of the nature center and within the parking area . Historical Preservation Inc. – $8,373 to plant trees within public spaces in the Heritage Hills neighborhood.

Hope Crossing Association Inc. – $10,000 to plant trees in the neighborhood park and upgrade the irrigation system. OKC Strikers Cricket Club – $10,000 to plant 20 trees at the Cricket field at Route 66 Park for shade and protection from the wind. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum – $23,300 to enhance the memorial property with additional native plants and trees.

Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center – $5,000 to install new landscaping materials at the base of the art center building. Oklahoma Zoological Society Inc. – $15,000 to install educational signage, a shade structure, and pollinator gardens at Oklahoma City’s Zoo Lake. Russellville Neighborhood Association – $6,000 to plant trees along the street frontage.

The Greens Neighborhood Association – $6,000 to install new landscaping and trees along the two main neighborhood entrances and the boulevard. Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park – $15,000 to plant trees within the Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park. Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine – $13,600 to plant 34 trees to beautify the entrance to the church grounds.

City of Midwest City – $35,600 to plant 18 trees along park trails in five different city parks and install 10 park benches near the new trees. Metro Technology Centers – $16,060 to plant shade trees adjacent to new walking trails. Mount St.

Mary Catholic High School – $8,800 to plant 10 trees and install irrigation along the perimeter of the school grounds. Nichols Hills Enterprise Elementary PTA – $32,750 for irrigation and landscaping upgrades for the school along Wilshire Boulevard. Nichols Hills Parks Inc. – $16,560 to replace dead or damaged trees and landscaping for the central bed in Kite Parks.

Nova Community Homeowners Association – $20,521 to landscape the West Hefner Road neighborhood frontage with new shrubs and small trees. OKC Beautiful – $10,000 to plant 50 trees on the campuses of Oklahoma City Schools, along with providing educational material on the importance of trees. Western Avenue Association – $18,440 to install new irrigation, shrubs and trees within the street medians along Western Avenue at I-44.

Community Programs Manager Community Programs Manager OCCF will be closed in observance of Christmas from Tuesday, Dec. 24 through Wednesday, Dec. 25.

We will reopen at 8:30 a. m. on Thursday, Dec.

26. Happy Holidays from all of us to you! Scholarship applications close soon!

Due to inclement weather, OCCF will be closed Friday, Jan. 23. We will reopen at 8:30 a.

m. on Monday, Jan. 26.

Please remain safe and warm. OCCF will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20.

We will reopen at 8:30 a. m. on Tuesday, Jan.

21. Best wishes from all of us to you! Scholarship applications open soon!

OCCF will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 26. We will reopen at 8:30 a. m.

on Tuesday, May 27. Best wishes from all of us to you! Due to inclement weather, the 2/19 Endowed Nonprofit Training: Leveraging Support has been canceled.

Please stay safe and warm.