CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
September 21, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Mark J. Gluba, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SUBMITTAL OF GRANT APPLICATIONS TO THE STATEWIDE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-109 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING APPLICATIONS FOR THE STATEWIDE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Adoption of this Resolution (Attachment 1) will allow staff to submit separate five (5) grant applications to the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program for Garfield Park, Hamilton Park, Memorial Park, Philadelphia Park, and Washington Park.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact in submitting a grant application. There is no grant match.
DISCUSSION
The Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) is a competitive grant program that creates new parks and new recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities across California. It is the largest park-related grant program in California’s history, with more than $1.2 billion in funding awarded through the 2018 Proposition 68 and 2026 Proposition 84 Bond Acts, along with State General Funds. With the addition of Round 5 funding through Proposition 4 (Climate Bond Act of 2024), the SPP program is anticipated to surpass the 1.3 billion in total park investments supporting critically underserved communities throughout California.
California State Parks’ Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) is now accepting applications for Round 5. A total of $188.5 million is available statewide for the acquisition and/or development of new parks and the renovation or expansion of existing parks. The maximum grant request is $8.5 million per application, and the deadline is December 17, 2026.
SPP funds projects in critically underserved communities; therefore, staff assessed all 31 parks utilizing Community Fact Finder, a web-based tool that combines mapping and demographic data within a half-mile radius of a project location in California. Competitive applications will be evaluated and ranked based on critical lack of park space, significant poverty, and climate-vulnerable populations. This is an extremely competitive application process, and it is crucial to select parks in critically underserved areas as well as include projects that can demonstrate a high recreational benefit to the associated community. The chart below depicts the rankings:
Based on the maximum points given, staff weighed and ranked each park and concluded that Garfield Park, Hamilton Park, and Memorial Park had the most competitive data in comparison to other park locations, as they ranked within the top five parks. Although Veterans Park ranked third, it was not selected due to restrictions of the funding source, as well as the projected earmark funding through Congresswoman Norma Torres’ Office. Public Works and Community Services, including the Parks and Recreation Commission, underwent a parks needs assessment to identify deficiencies and establish a prioritized list of recommended park improvements. This process balanced staff’s responsibility to address safety and risk management needs along with the Commission’s advisory role in representing community use, priorities, and values. The list is intended to serve as a guide for projects of the highest priority and to guide park improvement funding. Philadelphia Park and Washington Park ranked 11 and 15, respectively, and were selected to apply for SPP funding based on factors such as size, age/condition of amenities, operational needs, and community use. The project scopes of each project will be determined by community meetings, which are required for each application.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS:
This item supports the 2026-2027 City Council Priority 1: Strengthening Quality of Life and Community Safety – Goal C: Support safe and healthy environments for children and youth.
Prepared by:
__________________
Monica Belloso
Management Analyst
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2026-109
Statewide Park Program Grant Opportunities