The Minneapolis Parks Foundation works hard to help support our beautiful park system. For the last 20 years, the Parks Foundation has supported projects and programs big and small throughout the city. As a 100% donor supported organization, we greatly appreciate all of your donations, grants, time and commitment to make our work possible. Here are a few recent contributions we helped secure from generous corporate and foundation partners that we’re excited to share with you!
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Best Buy and Spark’d Studios
Best Buy Foundation has a teen tech priority that fits squarely with MPRB’s newest recreation-centered creation spaces – Spark’d Studios. An extra $15,000 will support these curiosity-inducing incubators where youth 10-18 can investigate photography, graphic design, music production, website development, 3D design, entrepreneurship… for free! MPRB is opening its third of six planned Spark’d Studios (current studios: Powderhorn, Harrison, Whittier; coming online soon: Luxton, Phillips and Greco Parks) providing multimedia arts programming and equitable access to innovative technology for hands-on and process-based learning. Thank you Best Buy Foundation!
Families enjoy the newly completed Spark’d Studio at Harrison Park, image credit MPRB.
Carlson Family Foundation – Amplifying Youth Voices at North Commons Park
The Carlson Family Foundation is providing $15,000 to the Minneapolis Parks Foundation to support its work around the community transformation of North Commons Park. Adjacent to and situated between North High School and the Harold Mezile YMCA, North Commons is frequently abuzz with youngsters – preschoolers to teens. Support from Carlson Family Foundation will fund a summer intern position at MPF to do youth outreach and engagement ensuring neighborhood youth are aware of and listened to while their park is upgraded. From facility feedback to programming possibilities, MPF wants to ensure the breadth and depth of community vision is heard. Thank you CFF!
Image credit MPRB.
CenterPoint Energy and JXTA at 26th Ave North
MPF and CenterPoint Energy teamed up with a $10,000 grant to support an effort along 26th Ave North that hopes to brighten up an industrial connection to the Mississippi River. The Environmental Design Studio at JXTA is recycling CenterPoint materials to create a river-themed art installation along a chain link fence (on CenterPoint’s 26th Ave facility) to encourage and highlight the new Mississippi Overlook Park that opened last year. This project is currently in progress (Aug. 1 – Aug. 4) Look for ribbon-cutting in August along the bike and pedestrian trail to the river. Cheers to @CenterPoint and JXTA!
Image credit Juxtaposition Arts.
Larry Fitzgerald Foundation and the NFL Foundation at MLK Jr. Park
NFL superstar and Minneapolis native, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., is returning to support youth football in Minneapolis parks. More than 100 youth gathered at Martin Luther King Jr. Park on July 18 to take part in a day-long clinic and celebration. And, the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation directed $5,000 to football programming that will be matched, again, by the NFL Foundation. This support will outfit park board teams, provide coaching stipends and transportation and ensure a season ending party for all who participate. Thank you Larry Jr and NFL!
Bank of America and Environmental Justice Efforts
For three years running, Bank of America has given the Parks Foundation general operating support around our work ensuring that systemic inequities and practices are deliberately challenged and thoughtfully changed. This year $30,000 was awarded to MPF for our work on projects such as the transformation of North Commons Park and our programming and activation along the 26th Ave N Overlook and corridor. General operating support also helps us provide free programming with diverse thought leaders such as José González and Nisha Botchwey. Thank you @BankofAmerica!