Meet Kelsey Johnson, Committee Chair for the People for Parks Fund Chair and Program and Grants Associate at the McKnight Foundation. Since 2020, Kelsey has worked to make grantmaking more accessible while championing social and environmental justice. From teaching abroad to amplifying local food systems, she’s dedicated her career to elevating diverse perspectives. With the 2026 People for Parks Fund grant cycle opening this February, we talked with Kelsey about her story, the Fund, and the “why” behind her passion for parks as spaces for connection and growth.
Can you share a bit about your path to the McKnight Foundation and what initially drew you to work in climate, energy, and grantmaking?
Originally, I wanted to be a professor of literature. I have always been motivated by art and philosophy and by thinking about what we are doing here and why it matters. After undergrad, I took time to travel before returning to school full time, living in Ecuador while working at the Fulbright Institute in Quito and later moving to Ireland to study comparative literature.
Living abroad really shifted my perspective. It was my first real exposure to global inequities and power imbalances, and it made me realize that while I loved academia, it no longer aligned with what I wanted to do. That time was an important step in figuring out my path. We often expect people to know exactly what they want before they have had the chance to explore, and those experiences helped me see the world more clearly.
I moved back to the United States right before the pandemic, feeling a strong pull to make change at home. Climate work felt like a natural orientation for me, but over time my focus shifted toward the people side of the planet. It is about supporting thriving communities and healthy lives. That perspective now guides my work at McKnight, both in food sovereignty and climate work, which increasingly has to be centered in democracy.
How did you first get connected to the People for Parks Fund, and what motivated you to step into a leadership role as committee chair?
I first saw the opportunity online, probably through an email. What really motivated me to get involved was my relationship to parks when I moved to the Twin Cities. I moved here during the pandemic, the same weekend that George Floyd was murdered, and I was incredibly isolated. I became a frequent visitor of the parks, to go for walks, meet up with friends, or just to connect with something in some way. I grew this really strong affinity for the park system, and I wanted to support my neighbors.
I also know that parks are not neutral spaces. They should be, but they are shaped by racial, political, and historical forces, and people do not experience them equally. As a committee member, and now chair, my motivation is to lift up other voices and support community leadership, remembering that our role is not to bring the ideas but to connect people to resources. What I really value about the People for Parks Fund is that it is a way to get money directly into the hands of the community. Ideas are coming from the ground, not from institutions telling people what they should want.
How does People for Parks approach funding decisions in a way that centers community voice, lived experience, and local leadership?
It is 100% essential that funding decisions center community voice and lived experience. I cannot come into a community with assumptions about what I think is best. People for Parks approaches funding as a response to what people in a community identify as their needs, priorities, and aspirations.
That perspective also shapes how we read and evaluate applications. Working in grants management, it is easy to default to a narrow idea of what a strong proposal looks like. My background in comparative literature and translation theory reminds me to take in as much context as possible and to be mindful of cultural and linguistic differences in how ideas are expressed.
Local leadership and connection are equally important. We are not looking for projects coming in from the outside to help. We are looking for ideas that are rooted in place, relationships, and genuine community ownership, led by people who are deeply connected to the communities they serve.
What does belonging in parks mean to you?
Belonging starts with people feeling safe. Belonging also means people feel comfortable bringing their culture into parks, whether that is music, food, or gathering styles. Safety and ownership look different across cultures.
It also means pride. Pride in the space, pride in how it is cared for, and pride in the community that forms there. Especially right now, parks can be places where people feel seen, valued, and connected during really difficult times.
The Posters for Park Show highlights local artists and supports the People for Parks Fund. Why is the intersection of art, parks, and people so powerful for building community?
What I love about the Posters for Parks show is that it brings together all the good things! Art and parks make life feel meaningful, and they are not commercial or exclusionary. They draw people into community at a time when we are experiencing a real crisis of loneliness.
Art and parks allow us to be fully present, in our bodies, in our surroundings, and with each other. There is something deeply heartwarming about that. Those moments of shared presence, the kind that make you feel warm and scrunchy inside, remind us of what actually matters and help strengthen the sense of connection we all need.
What excites you most about the future of the People for Parks Fund?
I think the People for Parks Fund is a real example of what it looks like to center community leadership. It is about ideas coming from within communities themselves and giving people the resources to act on what they care about.
I am excited about the fund’s potential to grow and to help people feel a deeper sense of pride and belonging in their parks and shared spaces. Access to green space is directly tied to people’s ability to thrive, and even small improvements can quite literally affect the longevity of our lives. The People for Parks Fund has an opportunity to help communities not only feel more invested in their parks, but to have the means to invest in the green spaces around their homes. Getting people outside and together in community is always a good thing, and this fund feels like a meaningful way to support change that people can feel in their everyday lives.
Does investing in initiatives like People for Parks help communities stay resilient through climate and social change?
Yes, absolutely. Investing in places and people is fundamental to building both environmental and social resilience. A rain garden supports climate adaptation. A gathering space supports human connection. Those things are deeply intertwined.
Climate action is also inseparable from democracy. We cannot meaningfully address climate change without strong, connected communities. Parks are public spaces where people can gather without barriers, organize together, and care for something shared.
Well maintained green spaces make community engagement easier. They give people something to invest in and feel proud of, while culturally responsive programming helps ensure those spaces feel welcoming and inclusive. Together, these investments build the relationships and trust needed to respond to larger social and environmental challenges. Connection, resources, and investment are essential to true community resilience.
If someone wants to get involved in parks, environmental work, or community building, where should they start?
Living in the Twin Cities is such a luxury when it comes to opportunities for involvement. There’s so many options! I would say, start with what you care about and find groups that are tackling that issue. Get out there and talk to people, find speaking engagements or workshops. And just ask how you can help, because people always need help.
The first way I got involved here was through canvassing. Someone knocked on my door, I had questions, I followed up, and I showed up. That led to relationships I still rely on today. It all comes together when you show up.
Do you have a favorite Minneapolis park?
I have to say Boom Island Park. I would go every day, twice a day, when I moved here in 2020. I walked the loop, crossed the bridge to Nicollet Island, and spent time by the river. That space really held me during hard times. I also cycle a bunch, so I love that river path!