California State Parks is now accepting applications for nearly $190 million in grants meant to bring new or improved parks to communities across the state, with the application window closing Dec. 17, 2026. The money comes from Round 5 of the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program, which the agency has invited eligible applicants throughout California to apply for, and which is funded through Proposition 4, the 2024 climate bond.
Nearly $190 Million on the Table, With a Cap Per Project
Approximately $188.5 million is available statewide in this round, and applicants may request up to $8.5 million per project, according to California State Parks. The program is designed to expand access to outdoor recreation by funding parks in critically underserved and climate-vulnerable communities, and it specifically targets places with limited or no nearby public outdoor recreation access. Grant dollars can go toward acquiring and developing new parks or renovating and expanding existing ones, per the agency's announcement.
Eligible applicants include cities, counties, districts, joint powers authorities and nonprofit organizations, and all must submit an online application to State Parks by the December deadline. The grant program is described by the agency as California's largest park-related grant program. As reported by the Mountain Democrat, applicants can find workshop dates, times, locations and registration information on the program webpage, and potential project applicants are encouraged to contact their county's assigned competitive review project officer with specific questions.
Director Points to Equity and Well-Being Goals
California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said access to outdoor spaces is critical for all Californians, according to the agency's release. Quintero also said the climate bond investment will improve quality of life for people who use local parks for physical, mental and social well-being, per the same release. The program supports the Newsom administration's Outdoors for All initiative, which has aimed to widen park access in neighborhoods that have historically lacked it.
Building on Years of Statewide Park Funding
The Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program has previously received more than $1.2 billion through the 2018 Proposition 68 and 2006 Proposition 84 bond acts and state general funds, the agency says. Under the Newsom administration specifically, the program has invested $802 million in 174 park projects, and officials anticipate the program will surpass $1.3 billion in total park investments once Round 5 climate bond funding is factored in.
Earlier rounds show how large these awards can run. In December 2021, California State Parks announced $548.3 million in grant funding covering 112 projects — a mix of 50 new parks and 62 expansions or renovations — intended to deliver new parks to more than 100 communities, according to the agency's announcement. More recently, Land and Water Conservation Fund recommendations totaling $42.6 million for 18 projects were made to the National Park Service in April, with past recipients including projects such as Center Green Parks in Anaheim, Cardoza Park in Milpitas, Urban Orchard Park in South Gate and Belvedere Park in Los Angeles County, per California State Parks.
Other recent rounds have directed tens of millions toward specific regions. A separate announcement from the Governor of California's office detailed $41.9 million awarded for eight projects spanning Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo counties. That round followed a wave of demand for the program — California State Parks' Office of Grants and Local Services received $2.42 billion in grant requests for Round 4 alone, far outpacing what was ultimately available.
A Program With Decades of Reach
The Office of Grants and Local Services, which develops grant programs for local, state and nonprofit organizations, has helped create or improve nearly 8,000 community parks throughout California since 1964. The office has administered approximately $4.4 billion in grant funding since 2000. For communities weighing whether to apply to this latest round, that long track record — paired with the Dec. 17 deadline now on the calendar — frames Round 5 as the next chapter in a program that has reshaped park access across the state for decades.
