San Rafael, CA – Which age group uses Marin’s parks the least? Survey results showed it is residents aged 14 to 24. So, Marin County Parks and the Marin County Youth Commission are taking that as a challenge.
A visitor study indicated that the 14-24 age group was underrepresented in local parks and open spaces, so the Marin County Youth Commission and Marin County Parks are teaming up to make progress on it.Following a Declaration of a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health by the American Academy of Pediatrics last year, Marin County Parks partnered with the Youth Commission to implement a survey helping to inform this year’s Parks Measure A funded community grants and future work to improve access to Marin’s parks. The survey included questions about interests and barriers, and focused on the 14-24 age group, which a 2018 visitor study indicated was the least represented in local parks and open spaces.
Over the next few months, up to $200,000 will be awarded to community-based organizations to help overcome barriers and connect communities to parks. The maximum grant is $8,000 per applicant. Youth Commissioners will join Parks and Open Space Commissioners to review and recommend grant awards.
The Youth Commission parks survey was shared by young residents and community organizations through social networks this spring. The commission received 335 responses from a diverse cross-section of the community and showed that Marin's young people like to go outdoors with friends and family. Although the respondents answered that they value alone time, 95% noticed a positive difference in the way they felt after going outdoors. Most relied on trusted relationships or social media to learn about new places to explore and said the greatest barrier to visiting the facilities was the lack of familiarity with park locations and what to do there. Complete survey results are now available.
Established in 2014, Parks Breathe (Respira in Spanish) Community Grant Program is designed to break down barriers faced by some residents in visiting the County’s outdoor facilities. Over the next month, local community organizations are invited to complete an online form to apply for the competitive grants that facilitate more visits to local parks, introduces new residents to recreation via public outreach, and provides bridges to enjoying the outdoors.
All qualifying criteria and funding restrictions, along with detailed information about the program and grant decision-making process, are available in the FAQ section on the Breathe/Respira Measure A Community Grant Program webpage.
Parks will consider funding projects or programs that support an underserved community as long as that community is adequately described in relation to the Breathe/Respira program. Proposals will be reviewed after the June 24 application deadline, and grants will be awarded in July in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Commission. They will be announced in August following approval of grant agreements by the Board of Supervisors.
Breathe/Respira is funded by Parks Measure A, a countywide quarter-cent sales tax otherwise known as the Marin Parks, Open Space, and Farmland Preservation Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance of 2012. Parks and open space preserves across Marin are being cared for like never before thanks to Measure A. To find out more about the range of benefits this tax measure is bringing to your favorite outdoor places, check out the most recent Parks annual report.