Approved Public Benefit Programs

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission has adopted a fee structure that provides that programs and leagues may apply to be charged a reduced fee if they meet the requirements of an Approved Public Benefit Program (APBO). Programs that are not approved APBOs will be charged the Athletic Field Reservation - For Profit/Nonresident Fee which can be found in our Park Code Fees here.

If your program or league wants to be considered for the APBO reduced fees, you must submit an application. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before you accept any registration to ensure that your pricing of your program or league covers field costs (note for fall programs, the time limit will be reduced to 30 days).

Approval Conditions

The Staff will focus on two elements:

Not Generating Income

You must be able to demonstrate that you as the organizer is doing this as a volunteer and that you (and your family members) are not making any money from organizing this program. In addition, organizations must demonstrate that the programs are not generating profits that are used to fund other aspects of the organizations’ operations or to make charitable donations.

Factors to be considered:

  • Who is receiving compensation in connection with the program? Are directors and officers all volunteers? Programs administered or coordinated by paid coaches or administrators will be presumed not to meet this standard.
  • Is the program operating at a relative breakeven and what is the program doing with any excess revenues?
  • Has the program in the past followed San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) requirements including those regarding field clean-up, recognizing rainout closures, returning unused fields in a timely manner?

Benefiting Residents

At least 90% of the participants in each aspect of the program must be San Francisco (SF) residents. For leagues, each team must meet the residency requirement (no more than 2 nonresidents for teams up to 8th grade and 3 nonresidents for older and adult teams). Some questions you might have are:

  • Are participants limited to participating on one team per season in a particular sport/category?
  • Is the program open to all in San Francisco and does it provide scholarships for those who can not afford to pay?
  • Is there a non-biased method for determining who will participate (first come, first serve, lottery)?

Application Process / Rules

The application process and rules vary depending on the type of program/league you are participating in:

San Francisco-Based Leagues

  • Administration of Schedule: Schedule must be run by a SF based organization headquartered in SF
  • Exceptions: See details for exceptions:
  • Residency: Each Team participating in the league must meet the San Francisco Residency Requirement (no more than 2 nonresidents on a team for ages up to 8th grade and 3 nonresidents for older teams)
  • School based recreational teams
  • Small Youth Leagues and Start-Up Youth Sports Leagues

San Francisco Teams Participating in Leagues from Outside SF (Travel Teams)

  • Field Allocations: Teams will not be provided fields to meet the schedule run by the outside league. Rather they will be provided one field every other week. If there are two teams playing in the same non-SF league using the same size fields – one field will be provided for those two teams to alternate using the field
  • Residency: Each Team participating in the league meets the San Francisco Residency Requirement (no more than 2 nonresidents on a team for ages up to 8th grade and 3 nonresidents for older teams)
  • See Teams Participating in non-SF Leagues APB Rules for more information on SF Teams Participating in Leagues outside SF and the Application Process.
  • This applies to any team participating in a league outside of SF who desires an allocation of fields for scheduling home games in SF

San Francisco-Based Youth Programs

  • Each program must serve SF Residents only and fees must be limited.
  • View Program APB Rules for more information on SF Based Youth Programs and the APBO application process.