Mission:
The NYC Parks and Open Space Partners (POSP) coalition works to organize, elevate, and sustain a community of practice amongst organizations dedicated to caring for our City’s open spaces. The coalition fosters a network of peer support, shares ideas to address common challenges, amplifies advocacy efforts, and offers concrete technical assistance and guidance in service of an equitable and resilient parks system for all New Yorkers.
Vision:
A resilient citywide parks and open space network that prioritizes health, equity, accessibility, and biodiversity.
Interested in learning more about the Coalition? Sign up here or email Yaisa Coronado at ycoronado@cityparksfoundation.org.
Interested in supporting the Coalition? Please contact Billy Fidler at bfidler@cityparksfoundation.org or donate online here.
In March 2020, amidst growing concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of open-space nonprofit leaders from across NYC started an ad-hoc weekly discussion. As the group grew, it evolved into the NYC Parks and Open Space Partners, a 50+ member coalition, with the initial goal of coordinating to help address the impacts of decreased staffing at a time of rising usage of public space. In May 2020, the coalition released the “Report on COVID-19 Impact on Open Space,” building awareness of the funding needs to keep public spaces open, clean, and maintained.
A collective of national, family, and community foundations responded to the call to action by launching the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund to support stewardship organizations that care for New York City’s parks and open spaces. Throughout the pandemic, the Fund was a lifeline of financial support for open spaces and stewardship groups during a time of unprecedented use and need, ultimately impacting millions of New Yorkers who benefit from access to local green spaces.
Since 2020, the coalition has continued to evolve, with City Parks Foundation serving as the coalition’s organizer and convener. The coalition serves as a support network for open space-focused nonprofits—sharing insights and resources to advance New York City’s public realm.
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Lynn Kelly Executive Director, New York Restoration Project Co-Chair and Citywide Representative, POSP |
Morgan Monaco President and Administrator, Prospect Park Alliance Co-Chair and Brooklyn Representative, POSP |
Merritt Birnbaum President & CEO, Riverside Park Conservancy Manhattan Representative, POSP |
Andrew Blancero Development Officer, Freshkills Park Alliance Staten Island Representative, POSP |
Stephanie Ehrlich Executive Director, Van Cortlandt Park Alliance Bronx Representative, POSP |
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Rebecca Pryor Executive Director, Guardians of Flushing Bay Queens Representative, POSP |
Jessica Wilson Executive Director, NYC Audubon Citywide Representative, POSP |
Adam Ganser Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks Ex-Officio, POSP |
Heather Lubov Executive Director, City Parks Foundation Ex-Officio, POSP |
Lynn Kelly
Executive Director, New York Restoration Project
Co-Chair and Citywide Representative, POSP
Morgan Monaco
President and Park Administrator, Prospect Park Alliance
Co-Chair and Brooklyn Representative, POSP
Merritt Birnbaum
President & CEO, Riverside Park Conservancy
Manhattan Representative, POSP
Andrew Blancero
Development Officer, Freshkills Park Alliance
Staten Island Representative, POSP
Stephanie Ehrlich
Executive Director, Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
Bronx Representative, POSP
Rebecca Pryor
Executive Director, Guardians of Flushing Bay
Queens Representative, POSP
Jessica Wilson
Executive Director, NYC Audubon
Citywide Representative, POSP
Adam Ganser
Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks
Ex-Officio, POSP
Heather Lubov
Executive Director, City Parks Foundation
Ex-Officio, POSP
NYC’s parks are critical infrastructure that have been overlooked and underfunded for too long. City parks cover 14% of NYC but the NYC Parks budget is just 0.5% of the total City budget. The Mayor and City Council need to adopt the Five Point Plan for Park Equity and fully dedicate 1% of the budget to NYC Parks so that New Yorkers can finally secure the equitable, 21st-century parks system they deserve.
Take Action for Parks!
Sign the petition calling on Mayor Adams to fund parks at 1% of the City Budget.
Contribute to the well-being of your fellow New Yorkers by donating to the NYC Green Fund – a fund created to support organizations that help keep our parks and open spaces clean, green, and vibrant centers of community.
More than ever before, New Yorkers have come to rely on parks and open spaces, the most fundamentally democratic and accessible of public resources. Parks and open spaces are critical to New Yorkers’ health and well-being – offering respite, recreation, and connection to nature – and a crucial part of our city’s infrastructure and environmental resiliency.
