Parks California

When you support Parks California, you're helping build a future where nature truly belongs to everyone.

Parks California, created by the State of California to expand the reach and impact of its parks system, strengthens our public lands and inspires all people to experience these extraordinary places. 

As a public-private partner, we work alongside California State Parks, public lands agencies, tribal nations, community and nonprofit organizations to design solutions that make these spaces more inclusive, climate-resilient and sustainable. Together, we’re advancing a new partnership model that supports healthy communities and ecosystems to meet the needs of a changing California.

Our work is guided by three pillars:

• Access and Belonging— removing physical, cultural, and financial barriers so all people can experience parks and feel welcome.
• Climate and Stewardship— protecting and restoring landscapes, supporting park staff with tools and training and advancing climate resilience across ecosystems.
• Parks of the Future— shaping a park system that reflects community voices, supports innovation and prepares for a changing world.

Through this work, we support programs that provide transportation and field trips for students, fund community-led cultural and arts experiences, strengthen urban parks and create career pathways for the next generation of park stewards.

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Your unrestricted gift will help support the following areas and more:

Grant Programs

 Route to Parks removes transportation barriers, has served more than 20,000 participants — with 75 percent visiting a park for the first time.  

Arts in California Parks brings art and culture into parks and has supported more than 60 organizations and provided more than 200 free public arts events to date.

passPORTS is the 21st-century field trip model that connects students to parks through virtual and in-person experiences, operating in more than 55 parks and reaching more than 10,000 students. 

Urban Parks strengthens local parks through community partnerships that make them welcoming, safe and culturally relevant.

Career Pathways prepares the next generation of park stewards through paid training, mentorship and hands-on experience.

                                                                                                                   

Park Programs and Partnerships - Parks California supports efforts that protect landscapes, build climate resilience and strengthen park management across the state.

Climate Fellows contribute hands-on research and support climate resilience across California’s public lands. 

California Landscape Stewardship Network strengthens collaboration across agencies, tribal nations and community partners to care for public lands at a landscape scale, supported by tools like the Collaborative Stewardship Toolkit. 

Inclusive Planning advances climate-informed, community-driven planning for parks recovering from wildfires and storms, supporting rebuilding efforts shaped by local communities.

Prescribed Fire and Cultural Burns support the return of beneficial fire practices rooted in tribal knowledge. 

Watershed Restoration Partnership helps protect and restore California’s rivers, streams and wetlands. 

Immersive Educational Experiences connects students to parks through digital tools that expand access to learning statewide. 

EVERY gift helps turn ideas in to action — opening doors, restoring landscapes and ensuring California's parks remain vibrant and welcoming for generations to come.