The primary focus of the grant program is to provide funding for "re-naturing" or "re-greening" the more densely developed sections of the metropolitan region. The grant program also targets areas that are park deficient and have significant low-income and/or minority populations.

Projects submitted for funding under this grant program MUST be on publicly-owned land and they MUST have a "capital" component. Mary Rose will explain what that means. She will also explain the application process, which requires applicants to start by submitting a Letter of Interest. We will also have someone from Portland Parks and Recreation to talk about potential partnerships on land they own.

In November, Eileen Argentina and Lisa Turpel will share information about software that permits citizen's to report and track park maintenance needs on-line. The software is currently used by the park department in San Francisco, which has an opportunity to help implement the program in two or three additional cities.

The Portland Citywide Parks Team is an ad hoc citizens group, formed in February 2005. Monthly meetings provide a forum for information-sharing and an exchange of ideas -- and for respectful discourse on park issues and policies. There are also opportunities to network with others who are working and volunteering to make Portland's parks even better than they are today. It's citizen-initiated, citizen-led, citizen-owned, and intended for all Portlanders who care about getting things done in and for parks in Portland.

The Citywide Parks Team meetings are open to anyone. The group doesn't have designated members or a formal committee structure. Interested individuals are encouraged to drop in whenever they can. It's a self-selected, ever-changing group that meets monthly, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the third Thursday, in the Forest Park Conference Room at the Portland Building. Attendance has ranges from 5 to 40+ people, depending on the topic.

Sign up for the group's e-mail listserve by sending a blank email message to: Team4PortlandParks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com."