OUTREACH & CONSTITUENCY BUILDING

Direct outreach and assistance to community groups in all five boroughs fuels our effort to spur citizen involvement in parks. By supporting grassroots efforts to revitalize local parks, we sustain a citywide network of advocates for public space. A strong constituency devoted to park revitalization can rally not only more community support, but backing from corporations, individuals, and government as well. As parks reflect the character of a neighborhood, they can raise it up or pull it down; they can provide solace from urban stress or intensify an image of urban decay. Caring communities that invest in parks not only improve their neighborhoods, they also serve as valuable models for other sites and cities.

Outreach Coordinators

Based in all five boroughs, our 12 Outreach Coordinators work as community organizers, ombudsmen, consultants, and facilitators. They are able to respond to local needs by coordinating community meetings, mediating interests, and linking groups to other resources within Partnerships and throughout the city. This field staff provides a crucial link, not only among parks groups, but also between park supporters and the Parks Department.

Partnerships Database

Our growing, citywide constituency is reflected in our database of over 4,000 organizations, of which 1,136 are solely dedicated to parks. These high devotion groups range from small "Friends of Parks" groups that meet over card tables and coffee, to large nonprofits with office space and bylaws. Our database has grown steadily, from an initial list of 450 volunteers in 1995 to now include over 65,000 interested parks supporters-all of whom receive the Leaflet, Partnerships for Parks' newsletter. The database is an important tool for targeted outreach, providing detailed information about people, organizations and volunteer activities in parks.

Constituency Building

To further link neighborhood groups, we support five borough coalitions that organize events and promote park advocacy in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Each coalition represents hundreds of individuals and a number of smaller parks groups, civic organizations, corporations, and nonprofits. At monthly meetings and special events, coalition leaders work to develop strategies that meet local needs. Special events like the Bronx Parks Speak Up unify parks supporters within a borough and help to build a citywide network of public space advocates.

To learn more about outreach and constituency building, please call the Outreach Coordinator in your area.