SPARK Park Program Grants

SPARK Park Program Grants is sponsored by Kinder Foundation, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation (in partnership with SPARK Parks). This program helps public schools develop their playgrounds into community parks, increasing access to greenspace in the greater Houston region. Typical parks include playground equipment, walking trails, benches, picnic tables, trees, outdoor classrooms, and public art.

SPARK Parks - Kinder Foundation Willow Waterhole Greenway Archbishop Fiorenza Plaza Students play basketball at a SPARK Park at Lawson Academy. September 21, 2016 press conference.

(L-R) Rich and Nancy Kinder; Kathleen Ownby, Ann Stern, Mayor Sylvester Turner In May 2019, thanks to support from parents, students, the Kinder Foundation, Houston Endowment and Powell Foundation, the Lawson Academy dedicated a SPARK Park on its campus, increasing park access in the Third Ward. Children play at a SPARK Park at Carroll Elementary School.

The SPARK Park at Pasadena ISD's Jessup Elementary School was dedicated in November 2017. Celebrating the new SPARK park at Harvey Brown Elementary. Celebrating the June 1, 2018 dedication of Raul Yzaguirre's Schools for Success SPARK park.

In September 2016, Kinder Foundation and Houston Endowment contributed a combined $5 million to SPARK – a Houston-based non-profit that helps public schools develop their playgrounds into community parks – to impact neighborhoods in “park deserts. ” The City of Houston committed an additional $450,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding for qualifying schools for this Phase I work.

Underscoring the success of Phase I, Kinder Foundation and Houston Endowment made a follow-up investment of an additional combined $5 million in March 2020. This Phase II initiative funded 30 additional park projects through 2024.

Additionally, in September 2023, to commemorate 40 years of building community parks, SPARK received a combined $8 million grant from Kinder Foundation, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation to build or “reSPARK” 40 additional school parks in the Greater Houston area in four years.

Founded in 1983 by then-Houston City Council Member Eleanor Tinsley, SPARK was created to develop neighborhood parks, and therefore increase access to greenspace, by utilizing land on public school grounds. Today, there are more than 150 active SPARK parks in the Houston/Harris and Fort Bend County area, throughout 18 different school districts.

Each park is unique, with its design based on the ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods and with input from the school’s PTA/PTO, civic clubs and community members. While all of the parks are different, a typical park consists of modular playground equipment, a walking trail, benches, picnic tables, trees, an outdoor classroom, and a public art component.

“AA Milne, located in Southwest Houston’s Northfield I & II neighborhood, is home to two SPARK Parks! Our SPARK Parks help bridge the gap between our school community, and our geographic community. Those who have yet to venture onto our campus are welcomed with open arms, beautiful, vibrant playscapes and an ART=FUN sculpture that includes students’ artwork!

Our SPARK Parks give all community members an opportunity to spend time on campus and connect with our school community. The SPARK Parks have fostered an environment of togetherness and play, and will continue to do so for years to come. Our SPARK Parks had made our community into a family, and for that we are forever thankful.

” – Terese C. Pollard, Principal, A. A.

Milne Elementary School Information on page is current as of January 28, 2026. The life to date gifts and future commitments total of $8,500,000 may include other gifts not mentioned in the web copy above.

SPARK announces 40th year celebration with $10 million campaign to build/ “reSPARK” 40 school parks in four years in the Greater Houston area Meet the couple behind Houston’s $281M transformation through new park amenities and green spaces Houston philanthropists donate $5 million to SPARK Park effort SPARK PARKS INCREASE PARK ACCESS IN HOUSTON: Houston Endowment and Kinder Foundation lead support to expand park equity SPARK receives $5 million from Houston Endowment and Kinder Foundation to build and improve parks at 30 Houston-area schools SPARKing Change in Houston’s Park Deserts How Greening Strategies Are Displacing Minorities in Post-Harvey Houston A Tour on the Red Line to the Near Northside: A National Model for Community-Based, Comprehensive Planning Houston needs more parks.

Are school playgrounds the answer? The end of the school year includes the dedication of five new SPARK parks —Houston Chronicle Neighborhood (Katy) Planting roots: a SPARK Park Desert Initiative update Katy ISD Franz Elementary celebrates new SPARK park School park now open to community at Memorial Parkway SPARK parks open at Pasadena schools U.S. Mayors Agree: Everyone Needs a Great Park Within a 10-Minute Walk