Trust For Public Land - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $182,179,357 (2023)
Number of Awards: 91 grants (2023)
Grant Range: $20,000 - $5,000,000+
Geographic Focus: National (United States)
EIN: 23-7222333
Founded: 1972
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Contact Details

Website: www.tpl.org Main Office: San Francisco, CA Phone: 415-495-4014

Overview

Trust For Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1972 with a mission to "create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come." With over 50 years of history, TPL has completed 5,000 park-creation and land conservation projects across the United States, protected over 4 million acres, and helped pass nearly 700 ballot measures—creating $110 billion in voter-approved public funding for parks and open spaces.

In fiscal year 2023, TPL distributed $182,179,357 in grants to 91 organizations. While TPL is best known as a land conservation organization that creates parks and protects open spaces, they also operate as a grant-making foundation through several targeted programs that support community organizations, municipalities, schools, and tribal nations working on park equity, climate resilience, and outdoor access projects.

TPL's strategic approach focuses on data-driven solutions to address park access disparities, with research showing that neighborhoods where most residents identify as people of color have access to 43% less park acreage than predominantly white neighborhoods. The organization's current leadership includes Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, who became President and CEO in 2024.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Equitable Communities Fund

Grant Range: $20,000 - $80,000
Made possible through funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Supports community engagement work and park development in underserved communities
Recent recipients include grassroots organizations working on pocket parks, community outreach, and park design projects

10 Minute Walk Partnership Fund

Grant Range: $25,000 - $50,000
Total program funding to date: $2.4 million to nonprofits and city leaders in more than 50 cities
$350,000 awarded in recent cycle to ten nonprofits across eight metropolitan areas
Focuses on expanding park access so everyone lives within a 10-minute walk of quality green space

Community Schoolyards Program - Forested Schoolyards

Grant Range: Varies, recent awards over $4.5 million to five cities
TPL serves as national pass-through partner for U.S. Forest Service funding
$3,460,000 allocated for tribal Community Schoolyards projects
Transforms asphalt schoolyards into culturally relevant green spaces
No match funding required for tribal nation applications

L.L.Bean Community Awards

Partnership program promoting greater access and equity in outdoor spaces
Recent 2024 awardees included projects in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Maine

Climate-Smart Cities Grants

Supports tree canopy and climate resilience projects in community schoolyards
Taps funding from the Inflation Reduction Act
Awards of $4.5 million+ to incorporate climate solutions into schoolyard projects

Priority Areas

Park Equity & Access: Creating parks in underserved communities with little to no access to quality outdoor spaces; ensuring 10-minute walk access to parks for all urban residents
Climate Resilience: Parks and green spaces as solutions to climate change, cooling communities, absorbing floodwaters, and reducing greenhouse gases
Community Schoolyards: Transforming asphalt schoolyards into vibrant green spaces that serve as community parks
Tribal & Indigenous Communities: Land return and access programs for tribal nations and Indigenous communities
Black History & Culture Sites: Preserving sites of significance to Black history and culture
Environmental Justice: Addressing park access disparities in neighborhoods where people of color and low-income communities are underserved
Trail Connectivity: Creating thousands of miles of connected trail systems

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, TPL's grant-making appears focused exclusively on:

Park creation and improvement projects
Land conservation initiatives
Community engagement related to outdoor spaces
Climate-smart green infrastructure

Projects unrelated to parks, land conservation, outdoor access, or climate resilience through green spaces would fall outside their funding scope.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser - President and CEO (appointed 2024)

Previously President and CEO of Colorado Mountain College, where under her leadership CMC was named a Hispanic Serving Institution and increased graduation rates to historic levels
Quote: "Our national parks and public lands are among our nation's heirlooms and greatest legacies—and their protection and stewardship must be among our highest priorities"
Quote: "TPL's powerful and impactful purpose of ensuring that the outdoors and nature are accessible and beneficial to everyone is a positive and unifying goal"
Quote: "Outdoor experiences and access to nature are essential for the physical and mental health and well-being of every American" and "public lands are our shared legacy and a cornerstone of the U.S. economy"

Diane Regas - Former President and CEO (2018-2024)

Championed the organization's commitment to connecting communities with nature and advancing equity and access
Quote: "Your work doesn't just change landscapes; it changes lives"

Board of Trustees

TPL is governed by a National Board of Trustees (specific member names and backgrounds were not accessible during research).

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important Note: Trust For Public Land does not appear to have a centralized, open application process for all grant programs. Their grant-making operates through several distinct mechanisms:

Program-Specific Applications:

Some programs like the Forested Community Schoolyards for Tribal Nations have specific application windows and processes
The Equitable Communities Fund appears to work through identified community partnerships rather than open solicitation
Partnership programs (10 Minute Walk Fund, L.L.Bean Awards) may have periodic application cycles

Partnership-Based Approach:

Many TPL grants appear to flow to organizations they are already working with on park creation projects
TPL often identifies and approaches community partners based on their project work in specific cities and regions
Grants frequently support community engagement and outreach components of larger TPL park creation initiatives

Pass-Through Grant Programs:

TPL serves as a pass-through partner for federal funding (U.S. Forest Service, Inflation Reduction Act funds)
These programs have specific eligibility requirements and application processes announced when funding becomes available

For current funding opportunities, interested organizations should:

Monitor TPL's website and news announcements for program-specific opportunities
Contact TPL regional offices directly to discuss potential partnership opportunities
Watch for announcements when TPL is working on projects in your community

Getting on Their Radar

Since many TPL grants support organizations working on projects where TPL is already active:

Monitor TPL's Project Work: TPL announces projects in specific cities through their website and press releases. If TPL is working on creating or improving parks in your community, there may be opportunities for community engagement grants
Regional Presence: TPL has regional offices across the country. Building relationships with regional staff working in your area may lead to partnership opportunities
10-Minute Walk Campaign Cities: If your city has taken the 10-Minute Walk Pledge (200+ U.S. mayors have), there may be future funding opportunities through this initiative
Tribal and Indigenous Communities: TPL has a dedicated Tribal and Indigenous Communities Land Return and Access Program with over $13.5 million in USDA grant funding
Climate-Smart Cities Program: Cities participating in TPL's Climate-Smart Cities program may have access to funding for climate resilience projects

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary significantly by program:

Program-specific grants appear to be announced periodically rather than on fixed annual cycles
As a pass-through partner for federal funds, timelines may be dictated by federal agency schedules
Community engagement grants supporting active TPL projects may be awarded on rolling basis as projects develop

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. With 91 grants awarded in 2023 totaling $182 million, grants skew toward larger awards (average ~$2 million), suggesting grants may be concentrated among fewer recipients for significant projects rather than many small grants.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policies are publicly documented. Given the partnership-based and project-specific nature of many grants, reapplication would likely depend on the specific program and project circumstances.

Application Success Factors

Based on TPL's documented priorities and funded projects:

Alignment with TPL Mission and Active Projects:

Organizations working in communities where TPL is already developing or improving parks are strong candidates for community engagement grants
Projects that directly advance the 10-Minute Walk goal of ensuring everyone has park access within a 10-minute walk
Initiatives addressing documented park access disparities in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods

Community-Centered Approach:

Strong community engagement and grassroots organizing capacity
Cultural relevance and responsiveness to community needs
Projects designed with meaningful community input and participation
Examples: Recent grants supported organizations like Groundwork Bridgeport ($50,000 for Sliver by the River community outreach), D3 Arts ($50,000 for West Via Verde Pocket Park), and Active San Gabriel Valley ($50,000 for Zamora Park engagement)

Climate and Environmental Justice Focus:

Projects that address climate resilience through green infrastructure
Work in communities most vulnerable to climate change impacts
Tree canopy and cooling benefits in heat island communities
As Dr. Hauser noted, outdoor access is "essential for the physical and mental health and well-being of every American"

Data-Driven Impact:

Clear metrics showing park access gaps or deficits in target community
Quantifiable outcomes related to park equity, climate resilience, or health benefits
Alignment with TPL's research and data on park access disparities

Partnership and Collaboration:

Projects involving multiple partners including municipalities, schools, community organizations
Collaborative approaches that leverage additional funding sources
Track record of successful community organizing and project implementation

Specific Populations:

Tribal nations and Indigenous communities (dedicated program with USDA funding)
Black and African American communities, particularly projects preserving cultural heritage sites
Latinx and Hispanic communities in underserved urban areas
School communities (Community Schoolyards program)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This is not a traditional open grant program - Most TPL grants appear to support organizations working on projects where TPL is already actively involved in park creation or improvement
Geographic alignment is critical - Monitor where TPL is working on projects in your region; community engagement grants often support TPL's active park development initiatives
Partnership approach - TPL functions more as a partner organization that may provide grants to support community engagement components of larger park projects, rather than as a traditional foundation accepting unsolicited proposals
Watch for pass-through programs - TPL periodically serves as a pass-through partner for federal funding with specific application windows (e.g., Forest Service funding for tribal schoolyards)
10-Minute Walk cities have advantages - Communities in cities whose mayors have taken the 10-Minute Walk Pledge may have access to partnership funding opportunities
Tribal nations have dedicated resources - Indigenous communities should explore TPL's Tribal and Indigenous Communities Land Return and Access Program with $13.5+ million in available funding
Climate focus is growing - Projects incorporating climate resilience, tree canopy, and heat island mitigation align with TPL's increasing emphasis on climate-smart parks funded through Inflation Reduction Act resources

References

All sources accessed December 2025.