1. Purpose

This Partnership Agreement establishes a collaborative relationship between Park Pride, and your Friends of the Park group to support, enhance, and sustain your park for the benefit of the surrounding community.

The purpose of this Agreement is to:

• Define roles and responsibilities
• Support communication and coordination
• Ensure inclusive, community-driven park stewardship
• Promote transparency and accountability

2. Guiding Principles

Both parties agree to the following principles:

• Community-Centered: The park should reflect and serve the needs of the surrounding community.
• Inclusivity: Participation in the Friends Group must be open and welcoming to all.
• Collaboration: Decisions should be made collaboratively when possible.
• Stewardship: Activities should support, activate and advocate for the long-term health and sustainability of the park.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

3.1 Friends Group Responsibilities

The Friends Group agrees to:

• Serve as a community-based steward and advocate for your park
• Hold at least one annual meeting that is open to the public
• Engage diverse community members in planning and decision-making and communicate a clearly stated, publicly accessible path to membership and leadership positions
• Be intentional about setting annual park goals (including but not limited to strengthening the organization, activating the park, etc.)
• Communicate regularly with Park Pride regarding activities, needs, and concerns
• Follow all applicable city/county policies, permitting requirements, and safety guidelines

3.2 Park Pride Responsibilities and Benefits

Park Pride agrees to:

• Provide guidance, training, and technical assistance to the Friends group
• Support Friends group through information about Park Pride grant opportunities and volunteer project planning
• Deem Friends group eligible for design assistance and grants, depending on geography. Friends group members are also eligible for application to the Park Stewardship Academy.
• Provide tools, resources, and best practices for park stewardship
• Maintain regular communication and offer annual check-ins

4. Governance and Structure

The Friends Group will:

• Maintain a basic leadership structure (e.g., Chair, Treasurer, or equivalent roles)
• Include three or more members
• Establish clear decision-making processes
• Keep records of meetings and activities
• Operate in a manner consistent with Park Pride’s expectations for transparency and accountability

Park Pride may request periodic updates regarding leadership, membership, and activities.

5. Financial Management

5.1 Fiscal Structure

If raising funds for your park, the Friends Group will operate under one of the following structures:

• Independent volunteer group
• Fiscal sponsorship through Park Pride

5.2 Financial Responsibilities

• Funds raised for park-related purposes must be used in alignment with the mission of this Agreement
• The Friends Group will maintain basic financial records
• Park Pride may provide guidance on financial best practices

6. Communication and Coordination

Both parties agree to:

• Designate primary points of contact
• Share updates on events, projects, and community needs

7. Programs, Events, and Projects

The Friends Group may:

• Organize volunteer workdays, cleanups, and beautification efforts
• Host community events and programming
• Advocate for park improvements

All activities must:

• Comply with city/county regulations and permitting requirements
• Be coordinated with Park Pride when appropriate
• Prioritize safety and accessibility

8. Equity and Community Engagement

The Friends Group commits to:

• Actively engaging a diverse cross-section of the community
• Reducing barriers to participation
• Ensuring that programming reflects community needs and voices

Park Pride will support these efforts through training and resources.

9. Branding and Representation

• The Friends Group may use the name “Friends of your park”
• Any use of Park Pride’s name or logo must be approved in advance
• Both parties agree to represent the partnership accurately and respectfully

10. Term and Review

To ensure continued alignment, accountability, and active stewardship, the following guidelines apply:

• Inactive Groups & Leadership Transition: Friends of the Park groups are required to renew their registration annually to maintain active partnership status. In cases where a group has been inactive for two or more years and a new community member expresses interest in starting or reviving the group, the previous group will no longer retain decision-making authority. The new individual may move forward as the new leadership, in coordination with Park Pride.
• Registration Renewal: Friends Groups are expected to maintain active registration status. If a group fails to renew its registration, it will receive formal notice and be provided a 90 day grace period to complete the renewal process. Failure to renew within this period may result in a lapse of partnership status.

Registering a Friends group does not equate to activating the group or park. We encourage all Friends groups to be thoughtful about planning events and activities to activate their park regularly.

Park Pride will work in good faith to communicate renewal timelines, provide support, and ensure a smooth transition process when needed.

11. Addressing Concerns: A Tiered Approach

Park Pride’s partnership with Friends of the Park groups depends on stewardship that is community-centered, open and inclusive, consistent with the Guiding Principles (Section 2) and Equity and Community Engagement commitments (Section 8) of this Agreement. When concerns arise about whether a group is operating in this manner, Park Pride will take an approach that prioritizes dialogue, coaching, and a genuine opportunity to realign before considering more serious action. Park Pride reserves the right to move directly to a later tier where circumstances warrant, such as safety concerns or repeated unaddressed issues.

• Tier 1 – Informal Conversation and Support: A Park Pride staff member will reach out to Friends Group leadership to name the concern, understand context, and offer coaching, resources, or connections to help the group realign with its stewardship principles. This step is collaborative and undocumented beyond routine internal notes.
• Tier 2 – Written Notice and Improvement Plan: If the concern persists or is significant, Park Pride will provide written notice describing the specific concern and the principle(s) it implicates. Park Pride and the Friends Group will work together to develop an improvement plan with clear, achievable steps over a 30-60 day timeframe for demonstrating progress.
• Tier 3 – Probationary Status: If the improvement plan’s steps are not met within the agreed timeframe, the Friends Group will be placed on probationary status for 90 days. During this time, Park Pride may pause or limit specific forms of support while increasing check-ins and continuing to work toward resolution.
• Tier 4 – Suspension or Termination of Partnership Status: If concerns remain unresolved following probation, Park Pride may suspend or terminate the group’s partnership status in accordance with Section 12 (Termination). Where appropriate, Park Pride will support a leadership transition process, consistent with Section 10, so that committed community members may establish a new, aligned Friends Group.

At every tier, Park Pride will document concerns and communications in writing, act in good faith, and give the Friends Group a fair opportunity to respond and improve. A Friends Group may request reconsideration of a Tier 3 or Tier 4 action by submitting a written response to Park Pride within 14 days of notice.

12. Termination

Either party may terminate this Agreement with written notice.

Grounds for termination may include:

• Failure to meet responsibilities
• Misuse of funds
• Conduct inconsistent with the principles outlined in this Agreement
• Failure to resolve concerns raised through the tiered approach outlined in Section 11

13. Amendments

This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of both parties.

14. Acknowledgment and Signatures

By signing below, all parties agree to the terms of this Partnership Agreement.