Community Support

Friends of the Park

It is Park Pride’s mission to engage the community to activate the power of parks, and the formation of a Friends of the Park group is the most effective first step in creating positive and long-lasting changes in a neighborhood park.

Friends of the Park (FoP) groups tie into the core values of Park Pride by creating the framework for an inclusive, collaborative, and systemic approach to transforming greenspaces. Despite differences in size and scope, every Friends of the Park group features a group of park users (and community and business leaders) actively working to improve one or more parks in a defined geographical area – usually a neighborhood.

Program Benefits

Registered Friends of the Park groups have access to numerous programs and services to assist your greenspace initiatives, including:

Park Visioning Program

We provide professional assistance to communities as they develop master plans for their neighborhood parks. Learn More

Grant Programs

From the smallest clean-up project to a full-scale park overhaul – or even building a park from scratch – Park Pride’s matching grant programs offer multiple options for communities in City of Atlanta and DeKalb County to go about go creating and funding their ideal greenspace. Learn More

Fiscal Sponsorship Program

The Fiscal Sponsorship program provides easier access to funding for community groups trying to raise money for park projects. Learn More

Organized Volunteer Workdays

We can help bring out a team of volunteers to help with your park project. Learn More

Quarterly Park Meetings

The quarterly Park Meeting brings together FoP group members, community leaders, and park advocates from throughout Atlanta for education and networking, and to support each other in efforts to improve our parks and park system.

Capacity Building Resources + Workshops

Park Pride makes resources and information available to group members that support group organization and governance, skill strengthening, and best practices enhancement in your own time.

Friends of the Park group members also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn and build their capacity to serve their community and park. Workshops range from such useful topics as raising funds for your park, creating a planting plan, grant writing, volunteer leader training, and much more!

Park Play Library

When planning a fun event at your park, our Park Play Library offers rental recreational equipment packages for all kinds of activities. Learn More.

 

What to Expect

A Friends of the Park group truly has a positive impact on a park that can be both seen and felt by the surrounding neighborhood. Once your FoP group becomes active, you can expect:

  • To see a more vibrant active park
  • That your park will become a cleaner, safer place to enjoy nature in the city with your family and friends
  • That you’ll get to know your neighbors!

Get Started

Officially forming a Friends of the Park group will have many intangible benefits, such as giving neighbors an opportunity to meet and interact, and creating a single unified voice for the park.

Click below to register your new Friends of the Park group:

Register Your Group

 

Learn More

Friends of the Park Program Resources

Title Topic Description
Digital Toolkit WorkshopFriends of the ParkDemo video
Best Practices: Navigating the Park Project Approval Process VideoFriends of the ParkLearn about the approval process for community projects in parks.
2020 Park Design Workshop SlidesFriends of the ParkSlideshow from 2020 Park Design Workshop
2020 Check-In Survey ResultsFriends of the Park2020 Check-In Survey Results
Workshop: Invasive Species RemovalVolunteer Program, Friends of the ParkBest practices and the right tools for removal of invasive species
2019 Grant Programs PresentationGrant Programs - Legacy Grant, Friends of the Park, Grant Programs – Community BuildingPresentation from the 2019 Applying for Park Pride Community Building and Legacy Workshop
Best Practices: Volunteer Management VideoFriends of the ParkThis video will introduce you to the basics of recruiting, organizing, and successfully hosting volunteers for workdays in your park.
Best Practices: Community Fundraising PowerPointFriends of the ParkA short overview of fundraising best practices to set you on the path to raising money for your park.
Park Play LibraryFriends of the ParkWhen planning a fun event at your park, our Park Play Library offers rental recreational equipment packages for all kinds of activities.
Park Tool ShedFriends of the ParkThe Park Pride tool shed is a free service that provides basic landscaping tools and equipment to more efficiently equip volunteers for your park projects.

Group Volunteer Request & Waiver Forms

Title Topic Description
Atlanta Volunteer Parental Permission SlipVolunteer ProgramAtlanta Volunteer Parental Permission Slip
Volunteer Waiver for FoP Groups – BrookhavenVolunteer Program, Grant Programs – Small Change GrantVolunteer Waiver for FoP Groups - Brookhaven
Volunteer Waiver for FoP Groups — City of AtlantaGrant Programs - Legacy Grant, Volunteer Program, Grant Programs – Community Building, Grant Programs – Small Change GrantVolunteer waiver form for City of Atlanta FoP groups.
Volunteer Waiver for FoP Groups — DeKalbVolunteer Program, Grant Programs – Community Building, Grant Programs – Small Change GrantVolunteer waiver form for DeKalb FoP groups.
DeKalb Volunteer Parental Permission SlipVolunteer ProgramFor DeKalb FoP groups only: Volunteer waiver for minors volunteering in a park. Form needs to be signed by their parent/guardian.
DeKalb Parks Beautification Application FormVolunteer ProgramFor DeKalb FoP groups only: Submit this form to DeKalb RPCA for workday support, including borrowing of tools.