Program areas at APF
Park improvements: during 2023, apf made park improvements both large and small. Three of the largest park improvements during the year were: govalle ballfield lighting, dove springs basketball court renovation, and mcbeth recreation center improvements. See schedule o for more detail on apf projects completed in 2023. Other smaller park improvement projects included funding for pomerleau pocket park, scenic brook pocket park, and brush square.
Park adopter support: funding was awarded to park adopter groups for design and improvements in their neighborhood Parks. Apf oversees all projects and pays contractors directly see schedule o for additional detail regarding grants awarded in 2023 and projects from prior grant awards, completed in 2023.
Park activation, programming, volunteerism & park maintenance: apf engages the community and works to fill the gap in public funding by providing vital improvements to keep the city's Parks in good condition. Apf's park activation and programming includes it's my park day, where thousands of community members come together to improve and maintain their Parks; the Parks summit which provides an open forum for discussion between experts and stakeholders on important topics; playdates in the park, movies in the park and the adopt-a-park program, where community members become the stewards of their neighborhood Parks and have the option of opening a sponsored fund account to efficiently fundraise and reinvest in their own community Parks. See schedule o for additional detail.
Other program expenses include $1,951,098 primarily of funds to the city of Austin and approximately $200,000 in maintenance costs in zilker park paid by apf related to the Austin city limits (acl) music festival. The acl festival is the largest annual park activation program held by Austin Parks Foundation and brings tens of thousands of local residents and visitors from all over the world into one of Austin's premier Parks each year.