Every two years, the Open Space Authority Urban Grants program awards public agencies, schools and school districts and 501c3 nonprofits funding that encourages residents to explore the outdoors and offers environmental education programs to the local community.
Keep reading to learn about Urban Grants program recipients, their projects which took place in 2024 and the strides they are making to bridge the gap between local communities and nature.
1. City of San José
Award Amount: $250,000
Through this funding, the City of San José planned and built a pocket park along Midfield Avenue in East San José. Before this park was built, Midfield neighborhood residents did not have a local open space to walk, garden, play, climb and engage in artistic activity with other neighbors. The project also provides an alternative means to enhance safety through the development of a neighborhood association which helps to maintain the space.
Partners of this project include Latinos United for a New America (LUNA) and the Tropicana-Lanai neighborhood, who have been steadfast in working to implement a park site for over a decade. A member of LUNA stated she has been advocating to get this park developed since her son was born. Her dream finally came true this past October, and her 8-year-old son gets to play in their new neighborhood park.
2. Bay Area Older Adults
Award Amount: $95,561
This grant provided Bay Area Older Adults the ability to continue its Trailblazers program which is an environmental education walking program that increases access to open spaces for visually impaired and blind (VIPs) and widowed, increases environmental stewardship and encourages social engagement and physical activity to improve overall health. The programs included multisensory and descriptive nature videos that help people feel more comfortable in nature, as well as a competitive and fun passport program.
“I have been visually impaired since birth, so the tours give me knowledge of various parks that I would not normally go to. The audio description was done so well that it felt like being there…I could hear the wildlife and imagine the plant life, birds, foxes and flowers that are so colorful. Thank you for making these extraordinary experiences available to me.” – Trailblazers VIP participant
3. San José State University Research Foundation
Award Amount: $160,000
Funding was granted to SJSU Research Foundation's Growing Sustainably program which aims to increase urban food system awareness and engagement, reduce access barriers to natural spaces and raise environmental literacy in low-income, Central San José communities.
Led by CommUniverCity, 1,850 residents learned about urban agriculture and environmental science through hands-on lessons, field trips and family education kits. Growing Sustainably addresses many of the barriers to accessing green space and promoting environmental literacy in predominantly low-income and marginalized populations, specifically, by meeting students in their classrooms and by providing them with easy access to nature in their neighborhoods and the larger San Francisco Bay Area.
"The students have been enjoying seeing the garden and watching all the plants grow after the classes." – Coordinator at Participating School Site
4. City of Morgan Hill
Award Amount: $100,000
This grant funded the completion of the West Little Llagas Creek Interpretive Wildlife Trail Project which improved community access to waterway areas being restored in the Santa Clara Valley Water District Flood Control Project. It included installation of pedestrian traffic controls at both Watsonville Road and Middle Avenue, construction of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge over West Little Llagas Creek, design and installation of a wildlife viewing deck with binoculars, interpretive signage, wildlife art, benches, pet-waste stations and trash/recycle bins.
This trail system serves over 10,000 people and connects to many recreational centers which serve youth, including the Centennial Recreational Center, Morgan Hill Community Park, Morgan Hill Teen Center and the Magical Bridge Playground.
5. San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Award Amount: $40,000
Funding granted to the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) was used for community-informed facility upgrades to the Coyote Creek Field Station, an urban bird banding station that performs research, skills training and innovative science-focused educational outreach. Funding enabled SFBBO to expand its outdoor education and community outreach opportunities.
“I was repeatedly impressed by how much young people want to interact with nature. Younger students didn’t just want to look at birds/arthropods/plants, they wanted to pet them, name them, and hold them. The kids were delighted when birds held on to their fingers; and they were so eager to touch insects and critters.” - San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory staff member
6. The Regents of the University of California
Award Amount: $167,411
This grant enabled the development of a beginner's farmer learning hub at Martial Cottle Park in Santa Clara County. Linking agricultural and environmental conservation education programs is essential for long term viability of agriculture, grazing lands and the environment in an increasingly urbanizing region. The project offered workshops, field days and facilitated farmer-to-farmer networking, as well as increased organic waste diversion from landfills for sustainable soil management.
7. Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Award Amount: $40,000
As a result of this grant funding, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition implemented a three-year RIDE Silicon Valley project featuring bike ride programs that encourage bicycling as a sustainable form of transportation, connect people to open space and educate participants about the environment. These fun and active programs served over 800 participants made of riders, staff, volunteers and newly trained volunteer leaders in the SVBC community.
8. Veggielution
Award Amount: $200,000
Initially launched in response to COVID-19, Veggielution’s Eastside Connect program serves more than 250 people per week through farm boxes, hot meals and an on-site farm stand. This grant funding helped grow Eastside Connect's capacity based on recommendations from Veggielution’s recently released land use plan. By adding bike delivery, Good Agricultural Practices certification and value-added products prepared by local residents, Veggielution helped build a more climate-resilient local food system.
“I’m very grateful for the Eastside Connect program because it has helped me a lot economically. I started to include more vegetables in my family’s diet since I began picking up a box, and I’ve been introduced to and have learned to cook with new vegetables.” – Eastside Connect participant
Learn more about the Open Space Authority's Urban Grants Program HERE.
