Park Foundation Grant Program

The Park Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Ithaca, New York, with a long-standing commitment to advancing progressive social and environmental causes. With a mission to support work that furthers a just, equitable, and sustainable society, the Foundation provides financial backing to organizations across eight distinct program areas, including Democracy, Civic Participation, Media, Environment, Animal Welfare, Sustainable Ithaca, Community Needs, and School Food and Nutrition. The Foundation also engages in mission-aligned investing and maintains an annual grantmaking average of $26 million, supporting approximately 330 grantees. Applicants interested in seeking funding from the Park Foundation are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Foundation’s program descriptions to assess alignment with the funder's priorities. While not mandatory, prospective applicants—especially those seeking support for documentary work, new to the Foundation, or uncertain about program fit—are advised to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) before proceeding with a full proposal. LOIs and proposals should be submitted through the Foundation’s web portal to ensure timely and efficient processing. Applicants without internet access may submit materials by mail to the Foundation’s physical address in Ithaca, New York. For the 2025–2026 cycle, the Foundation has established six proposal deadlines: January 10, 2025; January 31, 2025 (specific to the Building Decarbonization Fund); March 27, 2025; July 8, 2025; September 19, 2025; and January 7, 2026. Applications are reviewed quarterly, and all proposal submissions are considered confidential. The Foundation may consult external stakeholders such as peer funders, partner organizations, or community members as part of the review process, but all input remains confidential unless deemed beneficial to the applicant. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations designated as 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(2) under IRS guidelines or work through a qualified fiscal sponsor. The Foundation is prohibited from awarding grants that would exceed two-thirds of an applicant's annual operating budget, in compliance with public support test guidelines. Nonprofits with small operating budgets or without independent nonprofit status should plan to secure fiscal sponsorship in advance of applying. Submissions are conducted electronically through the Park Foundation’s grant portal. First-time applicants must use dedicated application links for LOIs or full proposals. Application instructions and forms are also available for download in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats. For those unable to submit online, the Foundation offers a mail-in option using downloadable templates. General inquiries can be directed to info@parkfoundation.org or by phone at 607-272-9124. Questions about the application process, account access, or portal usage are also addressed via the same contact information. The Park Foundation is committed to reducing barriers in the grant application process and streamlining communication. It encourages grantees to reach out directly to program staff for guidance before submitting proposals, helping ensure alignment with program objectives and increasing the likelihood of funding success. The Foundation does not require LOIs from organizations that have previously received funding, allowing them to proceed directly with full proposals.

Submit through portal; use LOI if unsure about alignment; contact program officers with questions.