- EXPLORE OUR PARKS
- Park Improvements
- Bonds and Initiatives
- Community Opportunity Fund (2020 Bond)
Community Opportunity Fund (2020 Bond)
Thank you, neighborhood park advocates, for your continued support of the Community Opportunity Fund program, which is in its third Bond cycle. We are updating the process for the next application cycle, Round 6, and will have more information on those changes in 2024. Please check back for updates.
What is the Community Opportunity Fund (COF)?
COF is a citywide program that provides an opportunity for neighborhoods, community groups, park advocates and partners to nominate capital projects for funding.
Park users know how to make their parks better and we want to help you make change happen. The COF promotes community stewardship, enhances park identity and experience, and leverages resources from the community.
Established in 2008 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, to date the COF has improved 35 city parks, utilizing $5 million from the 2008 Clean and Safe Parks Bond (COF Rounds 1,2,3) and $12 million from 2012 Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond (COF Rounds 4 and 5), and an additional $13.7 million in philanthropic investment, in-kind donations, and sweat equity.
What are the COF's Goals?
The COF has three main policy goals:
1. Foster community stewardship and improve park partnerships: By listening to the park needs of San Francisco residents and enhancing park experience based on those needs, the program increases the number of park users of all ages committed to civic investment and a sense of community. The program improves partnerships between Recreation and Park Department and community organizations by streamlining the park capital improvements process and clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities for City staff and community partners.
2. Enhance park identity and experience: The program creates well-designed and efficiently constructed park features to enable the city to continue providing a diverse set of safe, clean, sustainable, and high-quality park experience.
3. Leverage additional resources from the community: All contributions, such as volunteer hours, monetary and in-kind donations, expand park funding beyond the $6 million provided by the 2020 Bond.
Completed Projects:
For list of project awards approved by the Recreation and Park Commission, please visit:
- Round 1 projects, awarded December 2010
- Round 2 projects, awarded October 2011
- Round 3 projects, awarded January 2013
- Round 4 projects, awarded November 2014
- Round 5 projects, awarded November 2016
Some completed COF projects include:
- Bayview Playground (MLK Pool) Improvements.
- Camp Mather $103,903: Court improvements to make a multi-purpose basketball and sports court
- Corona Heights States Street Community Garden Improvements: $15,000: Improvements to the existing community garden working with the community gardeners
- Fillmore Turk Mini Park $330,000: will revitalize the park with new landscaping, drainage, and seating within the park
- Golden Gate Heights Park $289,534: New improved landscaping, pathways, seating and natural play area.
- Hilltop Park Skate Park Renovation.
- Juri Commons $324,488: New improved pathways, landscaping, irrigation, and entry
- Lake Merced Boat Ramp Improvements.
- Tank Hill Trail Improvements.
- Waller Street Skate Park $65,331: Addition of skatepark elements
- West Portal Playground Renovation.
- Youngblood Coleman Park: $70,000: New park elements including benches, grills, picnic tables, activity boards, bollards, and drinking fountain
Project Updates
If you would like to sign-up for Project Update blog posts like the ones below, click here, scroll down to the News Flash section, and then select "RPD Park Improvements | All Project Updates" to receive updates on all our active projects, or pick-and-choose your blog subscriptions by project name. You’ll receive an email that includes a link to confirm your new subscription for each blog for which you sign-up.
- Project Update Blog
- Examples of Past Projects
- Getting Started
- Round 5 Application Instructions & Materials
- Staff Reports
- Workshop Materials
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Fillmore Turk Mini Park | Project Update May 2023
Construction at Fillmore Turk Mini Park is moving right along! Most all of the necessary digging is now complete Read on... -
RPD Capital and Planning Team wins three awards at the 5th Annual SF Collaborative Partnering Awards
At the end of January, three project managers from Rec and Park's Division of Capital and Planning were recognized for their excellence in partnership Read on... -
Community Opportunity Fund Update - 07/29/22
Thank you, neighborhood park advocates, for your continued support of the Community Opportunity Fund Program, . . . Read on... -
FILLMORE TURK MINI PARK – OCTOBER 2019
Exciting News! Late September, Recreation and Park Commission approved design for Fillmore Turk Mini Park Read on... -
RALPH D HOUSE COMMUNITY PARK GRAND OPENING!
The Ralph D House Community Park reopened on Wednesday May 29th! Read on... -
YOUNGBLOOD COLEMAN COF PROJECT COMPLETE!
The drinking fountain has been installed and the grill replaced with a double wide version. Read on...
Round 1 Awarded Projects
Round 2 Awarded Projects
Round 4 Awarded Projects
Who & What Is Eligible
Any group or individual with an idea for how to improve their park can apply. To be considered, projects must fit these basic requirements:
- Proposed project must be located on land owned by the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
- Proposed project must be a Capital Project. This means that the proposed work must be permanently affixed to the park property and be an investment in the future of the park. Events, classes, programs, and maintenance work cannot be funded by the COF. Installation or replacement of the following are all examples of Capital Projects:
- Benches
- Drinking Fountains
- Paths
- Playgrounds
- Sports Courts
- Proposed project must meet the required three evaluation criteria:
- Enhance park aesthetic or reduce maintenance
- Have broad community support
- Have a complete design, budget, and schedule
For a complete list of parks that are not eligible please see page three of the COF Round 4 Overview and Instructions
document in the Round 5 Application Instructions and Materials tab.
How to Apply
Attend a mandatory Applicant Workshop to find out how to get started. View Workshop Materials for workshop dates (please note the next round will begin in late 2015). Application forms and instructions, from the previous round, are available in the Round 5 Application Instructions and Materials tab.
Please note if your project has been selected for the Failing Playgrounds Program, the project may not be eligible for funding from the 2012 Bond cycle. View guidelines regarding Failing Playgrounds selection exclusions (PDF).
Round 5 - Application Forms
Round 5 is now concluded. Please read through the Overview and Instructions (PDF) which contains information about the background, process and eligibility requirements for Community Opportunity Fund projects. View the following forms for your project application:
- COF Guidelines for Parks Identified by the Failing Playgrounds Program (PDF)
- COF Round 5 Application Form (PDF)
- COF Round 5 Application Form (XLS)
- COF Round 5 Donor Disclosure/Gift Acknowledgement Form (PDF)
- COF Round 5 Overview and Instructions (PDF)
- COF Round 5 RPD Tax-Exempt Determination (PDF)
- Rec and Park Commission Gift Policy (PDF)
- Rec and Park Commission Naming Policy (PDF)
Round 5 - Application Reference Materials
The General Plan Recreation and Open Space Element High Needs Map and a City-Wide Map with Park Service Areas and Supervisor's Districts are available for your reference:
- City Wide Map with Park Service Area Info and Supervisor's Districts Lines
- High Needs Areas Map from the General Plan Recreation and Open Space Element (PDF)
Round 5 - Sample Meeting Materials
Round 4 - Application Forms (Funding Cycle Complete)
Please read through the Overview and Instructions (PDF) which contains information about the background, process and eligibility requirements for Community Opportunity Fund projects. View the following forms for your project application:
- COF Round 4 Application Form Due July 9th (PDF)
- COF Round 4 Application Form Due July 9th (XLS)
- COF Round 4 Donor Disclosure/Gift Acknowledgement Form (PDF)
- COF Round 4 Overview and Instructions (PDF)
- COF Round 4 RPD Tax-Exempt Determination (PDF)
- Rec and Park Commission Gift Policy (PDF)
- Rec and Park Commission Naming Policy (PDF)
- Rec and Park Donor Recognition Guidelines (PDF)
- 10-02-2016 Staff Report (PDF)
- 10-17-2013 Staff Report (PDF)
- 11-17-2016 Staff Report (PDF)
- 11-20-2014 Staff Report (PDF)
- Item 5C 2012 Bond Community Opportunity Fund Program Changes 101713 staff report
- Item 5C Community Opportunity Fund Staff Report 111716
- Item 5D Noe Courts Park - COF - Staff Report 071615
- Item 5E Community Opportunity Fund Program Round 4 Recommendations Staff Report 112014
- Item 5H Lawn Bowling Green no.1 Golden Gate Park Staff report 061815
COF Applicant Workshops
All scheduled workshops for Round 5 have passed. Past workshop dates include:
- Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 6 pm to 8 pm. City Hall - Hearing Room 408
- Thursday, November 6, 2014, 6 pm to 8 pm. Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center Auditorium (Capital Avenue and Montana)
- Saturday, December 6, 2014, 10 am to Noon County Fair Building - Rec Room
- Thursday, December 11, 2014, 6 pm to 8 pm. Joe Lee Recreation Center - Multipurpose Room 2
Past Workshop Meeting Materials
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Marien Coss
Project ManagerPhone: 1-628-652-6647