The Alliance launched The Community Green Access (CGA) grant in 2024 to offer financial and technical support to five local groups seeking to connect their community members to nature. In addition to supporting their projects, we offered resources, networking, peer learning, and technical skills training. Organizations leveraged these tools to make the biggest impact in their local project, ultimately leading to sustained environmental stewardship in places of greatest need across the watershed. With over 52 years of experience cultivating community partnerships, the Alliance was excited to apply our knowledge and administer results-oriented grants to support local groups and build organizational capacity where it is needed most.

NeighborSpace of Baltimore County is a nonprofit in Towson, Maryland that enhances the livability of Baltimore County’s urban communities by protecting, restoring, and stewarding land for small parks, gardens, trails, and natural areas. Their awarded project empowers six NeighborSpace communities to independently enhance, maintain and guide the future use of their local green spaces.

The six communities in which the green spaces exist have high environmental effect and socioeconomic factor indicators on EJ Screen, as well as being historically underserved. Community leaders requested more programming to assist with engaging more – and younger – neighbors in the care of their public green spaces.

With this funding, NeighborSpace looked to understand each community’s environmental and social needs by conducting community assessments to gauge interest in the parks and understand current usage and environmental conditions. Then, they equipped community members with skills and tools for park stewardship. This includes ongoing training and resources like maintenance manuals, gardening tools, and supporting community-led management plans. This project informed a structured volunteer program and established environmental baselines for future improvements.

Welcome to Chestnut Park

At Turner Station in Dundalk, Maryland, a sign welcomes neighbors to Turner Park.

a group of people in lawn chairs listening to a speaker

NeighborSpace hosts a training with the Turner Station community to share skills, tools, and resources to support their community-led park management plan.

a person smiles while holding a shovel in a garden

Turner station community members help establish the native plants in their community park.

people bend over and remove weeds from a garden

Phyllis Joris, NeighborSpace Executive Director, works with two Turner Station volunteers to pull weeds as a part of their ongoing maintenance to sustain their community park.

two people look at plants in a garden

Arkia Wade shows the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay what is growing in their community garden.

a group of people gathered around a table of food

The Turner Station community utilizes their green space to host cook outs.

Learn more below.

Through this project, NeighborSpace engaged a total of 275 community members. In response to their survey, they co-hosted 30 events that combined environmental education with social activities.

Their efforts enabled them to build stewardship. This ongoing effort built an improved relationship and understanding with each community and its volunteers.

At the close of the Community Green Access Grant, NeighborSpace will continue its work in building stewardship capacity!

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