Supported momentum for park equity efforts in Los Angeles.

In 2025, anticipating high-stakes funding decisions in 2026 for community groups and park agencies, Prevention Institute (PI) was a key contributor to multiple park equity efforts across the Los Angeles region. PI staff served on the LA Park Needs Assessment steering committee over a year-long development process, which provided unmistakable documentation of the city’s structural underfunding of park facilities and staff and serves as a vital prioritization tool for reinvestment. Coinciding with this report, we worked with key conservation groups and park advocates to craft a citizen-initiated ballot measure in Los Angeles for Fall 2026 that would help restore fiscal health to the city’s park system before the current 30-year funding assessment lapses. We also served as core team members of the county-wide Park Needs Assessment+ Coalition, which has developed a 10-year implementation plan for urban greening/biodiversity, climate resilience, and brownfield remediation investments in the region.

Funder: Prevention Institute relies only on unrestricted funds to support our grassroots and direct lobbying efforts. Non-lobbying support was provided by The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foundation. 

Image by the city of Los Angeles.