Fall is Here!
Fall is a wonderful time to visit New York City’s parks to glimpse the spectacular autumn colors. Join a fall foliage tour, head out on your own on a hiking trail, or just stroll through the best NYC parks to go leaf-peeping. There are some great events in your local parks this month and hiking trails in every borough! There are also ghoulishly great Halloween events…if you dare. You’ll be bewitched by your options. Whether you’re brave enough to go on a haunted tour, silly enough to dress your dog in costume, or creative enough to craft a fancy pumpkin you’ve plucked from one of our patches, we’ve got an event for you.
HIGHLIGHTS
STATEN ISLAND PARKS CONNECTIONS
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Saturday, October 13, 2018
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Greenbelt Nature Center
700 Rockland Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10314
Are you a park volunteer or supporter in Staten Island? Come to this workshop to meet other community members caring for local parks, and hear about the amazing work park groups are doing across Staten Island! You’ll learn about ways to spruce up your neighborhood park, work with NYC Parks staff in your borough, get funding, and more. Enjoy a light brunch as you mingle and get plugged into the larger network of park volunteers & staff in your borough.
Topics Include:
Navigating NYC Parks and the many resources available to you
Planning park events and obtaining necessary permits
How to speak “Parkie”, a guide to the common idioms and acronyms to know as a park volunteer
Guidance and inspiration from other active community leaders in Staten Island
For more information or questions, please email relzinga@cityparksfoundation.org.
Community Connections 2018: An Evening of Networking for Park Group Leaders
Manny Cantor Center, 197 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Sunday, October 23 2018
6:00pm -8:30pm
Join us for a fun evening of networking with other NYC Parks and green space enthusiasts, as well as NYC organizations and agencies with resources to share. Enjoy refreshments on the roof deck, participate in icebreakers, and enter to win prizes in our FREE raffle. NYC Parks Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh and City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov will honor the 2018 Partnerships Academy Fellowship participants, who took dedication to their parks to the next level by successfully completing our Fellowship training program.
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TRAININGS
Partnerships Academy
Want to build skills that will help make a difference in your neighborhood park? We offer free workshops for park volunteers (of all experience levels) through our Partnerships Academy. To learn more or find an upcoming workshop, please visit partnershipsforparks.org
OPEN SPACE DIALOGUES: PARKS AND TRANSPORTATION
NEW YORKERS FOR PARKS
Description: How can transportation system improvements yield more open spaces? What opportunities does a transit crisis present for change in the public realm? What does the future of public realm inter-agency and public-private partnership look like? Panelists will present on and respond to these questions about two areas of public infrastructure.
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 6:00 PM
Link: RSVP here!
FUTURE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING
BE SOCIAL CHANGE
Description: Join us for an inspiring and engaging conversation on the Future of Community Building with experts sharing strategies, techniques and best-practices for creating in-person and online communities.
Date/Time: Monday, October 10, 2018 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Link: Learn more here!
GRANT WRITING AND GARDEN DESIGN
GROW TO LEARN
Description: Join the Grow to Learn team to learn how to write a successful grant application and stay for the Garden Planning workshop to create your optimal garden vision.
Date/Time: Monday, October 10, 2018 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and again from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Link: Learn more here!
INTRODUCTION TO FINDING GRANTS
FOUNDATION CENTER
Description: Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory course. Learning objectives include:who funds non-profits and what are their motivations, what do funders really want to know about the organizations they are interested in funding, and how to identify potential funders and make the first approach.
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 11, 2018 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Live Webinar on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Link: Learn more here!
NEW YORK NONPROFIT CONNECTOR
BE SOCIAL CHANGE
Description: Join Be Social Change for a facilitated networking event focused on connecting individuals and organizations driving impact in New York’s nonprofit sector. It is an opportunity to create meaningful connections, build new partnerships, and share ideas and resources.
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
Link: Learn more here!
SEEKING GRANTS AS AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST
FOUNDATION CENTER
Description: Artists sometimes struggle to find funding opportunities in their field, as most foundations are only capable of funding nonprofit organizations rather than individuals. Attend this in person training and learn the best methods for artists to find viable grant opportunities, and how to position themselves in the best possible light for obtaining those opportunities.
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 17, 2018 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Link: Learn more here!
ORGANIZING FOR GARDEN SUCCESS: BYLAWS
GREENTHUMB
Description: This two-part workshop series is designed to help your garden group build a strong foundation to deal with the many issues that arise in a community space. In this workshop, we will be discussing writing garden bylaws that assist in decision-making, and that will satisfy the GreenThumb requirement for bylaws.
Date/Time: Thursday, October 18, 2018, from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Link: Learn more here!
INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE DESIGN: AN EXERCISE IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
GREENTHUMB
Description: This class covers ethics, fundamentals, nature-based decision making matrix, and design principles with hands-on experiences developing Permaculture systems.
Date/Time: Repeats every Sunday between August 5, 2018 through November 18th, 2018, from 10: 00 AM – 4:00 PM
Link: Learn more here!
NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Description: Attend any of Citizen’s Committee for New York City’s five installments of their Neighborhood Leadership Institute. These all-day workshops take place in Manhattan on Saturdays between the end of September until the end of October. Below are the dates and topics of each workshop, more details to follow.
RSVP to Shawn Whitehorn at swhitehorn@citizensnyc.org or 212-822-9563
Dates:
October 6 – Group Structure
October 13 – Media Tool
October 20 – Navigating City Government
October 27 – Grassroots Fundraising
NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Description: The Progressive Multiplier Fund (PMF) provides grants and loans to progressive non-profits like yours to help you test new and innovative fundraising ideas, or to help you scale up your current revenue generating programs.Attend one of the webinars below and learn how to qualify for PMF grants, recoverable grants, or loans, and more.
Dates: November 7, December 5th, January 2nd. February 6, March 6, and April 3 at 12:00 pm. Register here!
IOBY: PREVIOUSLY RECORDED WEBINARS
Description: Check out any of the many informative webinars ioby offers. Some exciting new additions are the Resilience for All: Community-Driven Design and Crowdfunding for Racial Justice webinars.
Link: https://www.ioby.org/resources/webinars
PROGRAMMING AND FREE EVENTS
Annual Pumpkin Festival
Date/Time: Saturday, October 6, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Willowbrook Park
Description: Staten Island Greenbelt’s Annual Pumpkin Festival where the prettiest pumpkins prevail in our patch! Pumpkins are for sale on a first come/first served basis. Family friendly activities ranging from I FISH NY – fishing lessons to a nature-inspired craft led by the Greenbelt’s environmental educators and face painting “Aunt Viv’s Kitchen” will also be on site selling delectable sweets and savory treats!
More info: https://sigreenbelt.org/annual-pumpkin-festival-saturday-october-6-12-noon-4-pm/
Contact: If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact us in advance here. volunteer@sigreenbelt.org or by phone: 718-667-2165, ext. 115.
NYRR Rising New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners offers a 100% free youth running/physical literacy program to after school sites, community centers and youth groups throughout the city. The program provides free incentives, events, staff training and many other resources. For information and application, contact risingnyrr@nyrr.org.
NYRR Open Run
Join New York Road Runners for free weekly runs in your neighborhood! Open to all ages and experience levels. Walkers, strollers, and dogs on leash are welcome. No advance registration required. For more information, visit nyrr.org/openrun
Silver Lake Park
Date/Time: Sundays, 9:00 a.m.
Location: Meet at the lake bridge, down the hill from the intersection of Victory Blvd. and Eddy St.
Conference House Park
Date/Time: Sundays, 9:00 a.m.
Location: Meet off Hylan Blvd., next to the parking lot, on the path that leads to the water
Shape Up NYC
Shape Up NYC is a FREE citywide fitness program offering classes such as Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics, Kickboxing, and Senior Fitness! NYC Parks is looking to expand where these classes are offered throughout Staten Island and have recently added new classes at Lyons Recreation Center and Curtis High School! Please see the attached flyer for more information and host site requirements. If you are interested in hosting a class, contact 212.360.3300.
Link: Learn more here!
Urban Park Ranger Program
For over 30 years the Urban Park Rangers have helped to connect New Yorkers of all ages to the natural world through environmental education, outdoor recreation, wildlife management and active conservation. Through their various FREE programs, New Yorker’s can hike, camp out, canoe, fish, bird watch, and enhance their outdoor skills. Checkout what the Rangers have coming up in a park near you by downloading the current issue of the Urban Park Rangers Calendar of Events.
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
It’s My Park Beautification Projects
Partnerships for Parks invites you to get involved in hands-on beautification projects in all five boroughs. Volunteers of all ages and abilities are invited to join in activities from painting benches and planting bulbs, to weeding and cleaning.We offer free tools to community parks groups hosting regular park beautification projects. To host a project, submit an application online. Applications are due the first day of the month before the proposed project date. Not ready to host your own project? Search and join any of our projects happening around the city by visiting itsmypark.org
GRANTS AND RESOURCES
PARTICIPATORY BUDGET
Description: The Participatory Budget is a democratic process where community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget on a capital project. This process can be an opportunity to advocate for improvements in your community, park, and more! Learn more from the organization Participatory Budgeting Project who support this process.
Date/Time: Deadline to submit ideas is Friday, October 5, 2018.
Link: Learn more and submit your ideas here!
BEN & JERRY’S FOUNDATION: GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE PROGRAM
Description: The Grassroots Organizing for Social Change program offers general or project support to non-profit organizations throughout the United States that embody the theory of change that the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation stands by.
Date/Time: The Pre-Application closes October 15th, 2018, at 4 pm ET.
Link: Learn more here!
PROGRESSIVE MULTIPLIER FUND GRANT
Description: The Progressive Multiplier Fund (PMF) provides grants and loans to progressive non-profits like yours to help you test new and innovative fundraising ideas, or to help you scale up your current revenue generating programs. See informational webinars below!
Date/Time: Friday October 19th, 2018
Link: Application here!
GROW TO LEARN MINI GRANT
Description: Registered school gardens can apply for a Grow to Learn Mini-Grant of $500 to $2,000 to start expanding your school garden. Any educational growing space is eligible for funding.
Date/Time: Deadling to apply is October 26, 2018.
Link: Learn more here!
RETAIL GRANTS PROGRAM
PATAGONIA
Description: The Patagonia Retail Grants Program funds environmental work that takes place near a Patagonia store. It supports small grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas, working strategically on multipronged campaigns to preserve and protect our environment. We help local groups working to protect local habitats and frontline communities through bold, original actions.
Date/Time: Applications for NYC Stores are suggested to submit by November 1, 2018.
Link: Learn more here!
2018 EVERY DAY CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Description: Every Day Capacity Building Grants provide Friends Groups with grants of up to $5,000 to build their organizational capacity to serve public lands.
Date/Time: Applications are due November 5th, 2018 at 11:59 PM
Link: Learn more here!
LOVE YOUR BLOCK GRANT
CITIZENS COMMITTEE
Description:Love Your Block is an initiative that provides a unique opportunity for neighborhood groups to transform communities through local action while leveraging City services. Resident-led volunteer groups receive a grant of up to $1,000 and City services provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Sanitation of New York, and the Department of Environmental Protection to help improve their block.
Date/Time: Deadline to apply is November 7, 2018
Link:Learn more here!
IOBY HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS CHALLENGE
Description: Have an idea to make your community a healthier place to live? Need some cash to make it happen? The Healthy Neighborhoods Challenge supports residents taking an active role in creating a culture of health in their neighborhoods. So if you have a great idea that makes your community healthier, start a project today and make your fundraising work go twice as far!
Date/Time: Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Link: Learn more here!
GARDENS FOR THE CITY GRANT
NEW YORK RESTORATION PROJECT
Description: Is there a community space in your neighborhood you’d like to see transformed? If so, apply for help from NYRP below. NYRP provides support for projects of various scales — from building a few vegetables beds to large-scale restoration work.
Date/Time: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
Link: Apply here!
GIVEAWAYS
TREE GIVEAWAYS WITH NYRP
Description: New York Restoration Project continues to partner with community organizations throughout the five boroughs to give away hundreds of free trees to New Yorkers during the spring and fall seasons.
Date/Time: Throughout the month of October in various locations.
Link: Learn more here!
Partnerships for Parks
A joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks
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For questions or concerns, contact your borough Outreach Coordinators:
Stefanie Gutierrez | Staten Island Senior Outreach Coordinator
stefanie.gutierrez@parks.nyc.gov
Carmine Raimondi | Staten Island Outreach Coordinator
carmine.raimondi@parks.nyc.gov
