INADEQUATE FUNDING

Lack of adequate funding can be a major contributing factor to the
challenges parks face. Park spaces require a certain degree of care
and supervision in order to function successfully, and often this care
requires financialsupport, in addition to enthusiasm and commitment.
Without sufficient financing, park administrators may be unable to:

- improve park design
- sustain maintenance activities (repair of park infrastructure and facilities, landscaping and mowing of grass, as well as frequent removal of trash and/or graffiti)
- organize park activities and events

Furthermore, prioritizing scarce funds may lead to tradeoff decisions, where one aspect of park upkeep may be sacrificed in order to sustain another. A more general tradeoff may exist when communities demand more open space. In this case, instead of using funding to improve existing parks, it is used to create more parks, potentially to the detriment of the quality and success of the existing areas. With finite and possibly deficient funding, such decisions can be difficult to make.

Sources of funding
Although parks administrators may be constrained by low public budgets, there are other opportunities for procuring financial support for park projects and facilities. These include foundation grants, corporate sponsorship, federal funds such as UPARR (Urban Park and Recreation Recovery program), as well as business activities. The Urban Parks Institute website gives a comprehensive picture of these options.

Resources/Links:

Urban Parks Institute, 'Funding' Section:
http://pps.org/topics/funding/
General information on funding -
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cdl.cfm?content_item_id=1175&folder_id=708