In our current cohort of grantees we are supporting Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council to explore the potential of a ‘parks sponsorship model’ which would allow local businesses to support parks with revenue and skills. We are also currently supporting Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to set up their own parks foundation. They hope that the foundation will facilitate CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) by coordinating staff from local businesses volunteering in parks and greenspaces.

Our experience of trialling new ways for parks and local businesses to work together falls into these categories:

Giving- Walsall Connecting Greenspaces project, and the Darlington Rethinking Parks project both focus on how corporate and local business donations of revenue, time and expertise can benefit parks and greenspaces.

CSR- The Redcar and Cleveland Parks Foundation is looking at how an independent non-profit body can coordinate volunteers from local businesses to help parks.

Repurposing Assets- Eastbrookend Rekindled and Park Hack worked on how to provide spaces for businesses in parks.

PID (Parks Improvement District)- Bloomsbury² explored whether businesses would be willing to pay voluntary and compulsory levies to help sustain local parks.