Grant Programs

The Florida State Parks Foundation is proud to offer small grant opportunities to our CSO members, in addition to parks that do not have a CSO. In 2022, the Foundation is offering two rounds and awarding a total of $25,000 in grant amounts up to $5,000 in each cycle. The list of the 2022 grant recipients for the first round includes Friends of St. Joseph State Parks, Friends of Fort Cooper, Friends of Silver Springs State Park, Friends of Collier-Seminole State Park and Friends of the Islamorada Area State Parks. The application for the 2022 second round will be open August 15 – October 31 with decisions expected in late November.

Florida State Parks play an indispensable role in preserving the jewels of Florida’s natural environments and historical and cultural history. The Foundation believes it’s vital that children understand the importance of these environments and to know of Florida’s deep history and past cultures. Florida State Parks offer excellent educational opportunities designed specifically for school field trips. However bus field trip transportation costs may not be within reach by many schools and school districts. The purpose of Yellow Buses in State Parks is to assist with these costs so that no child is deprived from the benefits of these valuable educational experiences. Yellow Buses in State Parks grants can be requested for paying transportation costs only directly to the provider.

The Foundation supports the Florida Park Service’s commitment to providing inclusive experiences to every park visitor. Many innovative advances have been made that allow people with disabilities unprecedented access to the outdoors: all-terrain power wheelchairs able to handle deep sand or rugged trails; accessible kayak launches; roll out matting that transforms sandy beaches into stable easily traversed paths; and more. Access for All grants can be requested to provide funding for accessibility projects, equipment and services.

LIFE is a model for science-based environmental education on public conservation lands. The Foundation is proud to host the program that was started by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Each program represents a partnership between the Florida State Parks Foundation, a State Park citizen support organization (CSO) and their park and the school or school district. Florida State Parks provide a unique outdoor classroom where students can learn and have science lessons reinforced. Grants are intended to assist with LIFE program startups and then transition to a self-sustaining program through the CSO/state park/school partnership. Some of the most successful LIFE programs are at parks where local companies have donated the program’s transportation costs year after year. This is great community relations for them and it’s tax deductible.