2023 Sprouts Fund RFP
View the 2023 Sprouts Fund Winners.
Overview
A primary strategy of the Milwaukee Parks Foundation is supporting Milwaukee County Parks through partnerships with community groups that anchor the park they call home. We know that a bond between a neighborhood and its park means both are healthier, safer, and stronger. Acknowledging the long history of systemic racism, MPF focuses on partnerships with grassroots groups working in our most historically disinvested communities as ranked within the Milwaukee County Parks Equity Index.
Whether it’s a neighborhood gathering, community programming, small infrastructure improvement or beyond, MPF trusts community members to identify projects that meaningfully serve their park and community. Additionally, MPF seeks to support the growth of grassroots leaders and their continued investment in the possibility of parks.
With this purpose in mind, we will distribute up to $40,000, with grants between $500 to $10,000 through our first request for proposals, called the Sprouts Fund. For our 2023 grant cycle, we invite projects connecting to the focus areas of Healing & Health, Community Care, and Collective Joy. It is our intent to grow this fund as our organization grows.
The Sprouts RFP is closed for 2023. Please check this page for updates.
About Milwaukee Parks Foundation
Milwaukee Parks Foundation (MPF) was established in 2019 with the mission of engaging our community in supporting Milwaukee County Parks to collectively steward a thriving park system. The Foundation fosters dynamic connections through our land and community, expanding what is possible in our neighborhoods, and engaging residents in supporting a safe and vibrant parks system that benefits all.
Young people decorate pumpkins at a mural feedback session in Lucille Berrien Park hosted by Milwaukee Alliance Against Racism & Political Repression and True Skool.
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Sprouts Fund 2023 Focus Areas
Drawing upon lessons gained from existing community partners, for the 2023 Sprouts Fund, we seek projects embodying the focus areas of Healing & Health, Community Care, and Collective Joy. We interpret the focus areas as follows:
Healing & Health
Work advancing wellbeing, restoration, and/or physical activity
Community Care
Projects addressing the needs of a park’s immediate community
Collective Joy
Because what’s all the work for if we don’t get to play?
To learn more about the community work Milwaukee Parks Foundation has previously supported, visit our Sprouts page.