FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Charlotte Graham (408) 439-6541 | cgraham@openspaceauthority.org 
Public Information Officer, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Awards Over $910K for Local Environmental Programming during 30th Anniversary Year  

San José, Calif. (May 19, 2023) – The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to award $910K in Measure Q and Measure T grant funding to 13 local organizations for the Program category of the 2022 - 2023 cycle of the Urban Grant Program.   

This competitive grant program, funded by Measure Q and Measure T, was created in 2016 to address the needs of urban communities, including areas that currently have limited access to preserves and parks. The grant program aims to fund projects that will improve health and quality of life by increasing access to nature for urban residents including parks, trails, urban community gardens, environmental education programs, and much more.

This round of grant funding was awarded to Valley Verde, San Jose State University Research Foundation, Santa Clara Unified School District, San Jose Conservation Corps and Charter School, Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet, Garden to Table Silicon Valley, Green Foothills, Saved by Nature, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, City of Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department Veggielution, Earth Island Institute - Bay Area Wilderness Training, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council for a variety of environmental programs.  

The round of funding brings the total number of grants awarded by the Open Space Authority through both of its grant programs to 78, with a total of over $13M in grant funding to schools, cities, nonprofits organizations, and more to create urban open spaces, promote educational opportunities, and improve the quality of life for residents.

The 2023 cycle of the grant program was partially reimagined, categorizing the awards into Program projects and Capital projects, each with its own set of guidelines and application timelines. This was one of many updates implemented this year to increase ease and equity for the applicants. 

The Program Projects category includes classes, trainings, curriculum-building, special events, program development, and other impactful community services that help connect people living in urban areas to nature and help them understand why it’s so important to protect nature. The grants for the Capital Projects, which include the planning and/or implementation of long-lasting improvements, restoration, or enhancement that bring nature to urban areas will be announced in July 2023.

"Our Urban Grant Program implements a key part of the Open Space Authority’s mission – to connect people to nature through parks, open space, public access, and environmental programming. As we celebrate the Open Space Authority’s 30th anniversary, we are proud to continue our partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, cities and the County to create more nature in neighborhoods and enhance livable communities for all,” said Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager of the Open Space Authority. 

Past grant funding has supported a variety of organizations and projects working to provide access to nature, promote access to healthy foods, offer educational opportunities for youth, and much more.

Helen Chapman, Chair of the Open Space Authority Board of Directors, expressed her appreciation for the grantees and their work. “As we work to connect our residents with nature, these organizations are out there doing the same," she notes. "They are working directly with the community and are making an impact that is palpable with each class day, each urban garden activity, each planted seed. We look forward to seeing what these organizations accomplish in the coming years." 

The Program grant recipients have two years to use the grant funding to complete their project, and the Open Space Authority looks forward to the work these organizations will do in the months to come. For more information about the Urban Grant Program click here.

To watch the recording of the award announcements, click here. 

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About the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority conserves the natural environment, supports agriculture, and connects people to nature, by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and working farms and ranches for future generations. Since 1993, the Authority has protected almost 30,000 acres of open space, natural areas and working lands, watersheds, and wildlife habitat – providing ecologically friendly outdoor recreation and preserving the natural beauty and environmental health of the Santa Clara Valley. Accredited as a District of Distinction by the Special District Leadership Foundation, the Open Space Authority is committed to sound fiscal management, and governance policies and practices to effectively operate and govern a special district in a transparent manner. For more information, please visit openspaceauthority.org or read the agency’s 2022 Year in Review in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.