New York City has historically and inconsistently funded its parks. We spend less than half what many other large U.S. cities spend annually. Moreover, smaller parks in outlying, denser neighborhoods receive less per resident in both capital and operations spending compared with larger parks. Parks that serve New Yorkers of color are half as large and nearly five times as crowded as parks that serve a majority-white population. 

The management of public space that is not parks department land is spread across multiple city agencies and often relies on private investment through business improvement districts and others to improve and maintain the space. 

Effective management and activation of public space promotes community cohesion and supports safety, feelings of safety, and stronger community trust. Convening in public space can strengthen social networks, build trust between neighbors, and strengthen ties between community members and local organizations that provide essential services in housing, jobs, and health. But the social, economic, and environmental benefits that parks and public space deliver to their communities are only as strong as their design, operation, and management. 

Revson has invested in the following organizations to pilot new approaches to designing, using, and maintaining public space:

• Alliance for Paseo Park. The Alliance for Paseo Park is a start-up community organization ambitiously carving a path to create a park out of street space in Jackson Heights. Since COVID, and because of resident organizing, 34th Avenue has been a City designated “open street,” giving pedestrians and bikers protected space and adding greenery to the avenue. Led by diverse Jackson Heights residents, the Alliance is leading a community design and engagement process, budget planning, education, and advocacy to create green space in a neighborhood that ranks close to the bottom in the city for its access to parks. Their work has resulted in an $89 million capital allocation to redesign the open street. Revson provided seed funding to allow the Alliance to solidify community support, integrate resident preferences into a plan, and develop capital and park maintenance spending options. Their work will generate lessons for the future of building new parks in New York City and for financing their up-keep and use by the community.

• City Parks Foundation. Revson has been part of the NYC Green Fund since 2021. The Green Fund, managed by City Parks Foundation, is a pooled fund that redistributes approximately $2.5 million every year to parks across the city. From 2020 to 2023, the Green Fund raised and distributed over $8.6 million in grants. This funding has supported grassroots groups and larger nonprofits who keep parks activated, deliver programming in parks, and steward these spaces. The Fund also supports policy research and development to promote innovation, coalition building, and long-term improvements to the city’s parks and open space ecosystem. 

• New Yorkers for Parks. We provided support to New Yorkers for Parks to turn their Five Point Plan into actionable policy goals and to fortify the 1% for Parks campaign. For the last 40 years, parks advocacy in New York City has focused either on incremental funding issues or park-specific goals. This has resulted in marginal shifts in funding but has not addressed systemic capital and maintenance deficiencies. Over the past three years, NY4P successfully led a shift in the parks advocacy narrative toward one about the entire parks and open space system. Revson’s funding also allowed NY4P to research and release a report documenting the need for additional public investment in New York City parks. 

• The Urban Design Forum.  Revson supported the Urban Design Forum’s launch of The Local Center which has engaged 80 neighborhood leaders, designers, artists, and lawyers in eight New York City neighborhoods to realize innovative visions for public space. Alongside the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD), the Forum is facilitating community-led transformation of public space in low to middle income neighborhoods. The city, businesses, and residents increasingly consider welcoming, safe, and functional public space as an indicator of individual and community well-being. The Forum is strengthening the field of public space design and management by developing diverse stewards and technical assistance providers. They are also influencing public policy to support models for community-led public space design and management across the city.

• YMCA of Greater New York. New York City’s continued lifeguard shortage is not only a recreational equity issue, but a serious public health and safety concern that will only increase with the effects of climate change. In 2023, with seed funding from Revson, the YMCA of Greater New York created the NYC Interorganizational Lifeguard Task Force. This Task Force has become the city’s central vehicle for coordinated action to improve recruitment, certification, and the overall aquatics ecosystem. Revson’s support also allowed the Y to almost quadruple their certifications of lifeguards. Revson’s continued support allows the Y to facilitate the Task Force while also ramping up their aquatics programs to meet the need for more lifeguards, thereby strengthening the field and ensuring more equitable access to city’s pools and beaches.

To learn more, read:

“Park Lovers Urge Mayor to Restore Funding as Staffing Falls” in THE CITY 

“Community Groups Celebrate New Economic Hub in the South Bronx” in THE CITY 

“’Possibilities are kind of endless’ for 161st Street BID in Lou Gehrig Plaza” in BronxTimes

“Transforming Tompkinsville Park: Culturally vibrant events bring community to site working to shed negative image” in Staten Island Live

“Everyone Into The Pool” by Julie Sandorf in Vital City

Photo credit: Cameron Blaylock. Courtesy of the Urban Design Forum.