Community Activated Park Projects
The Community Activated Park Project program is a process for neighbors, community groups, and partners to propose an improvement project on Austin parkland. The CAPP program is one way we can steward parks and shared spaces as a community.
The Community Activated Park Project program is now open for ecological stewardship projects. Proposal forms will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Overview
The Community Activated Park Project program supports community members, neighborhood groups, organizations, and nonprofits who want to lead improvement projects on Austin parkland, including parks and greenbelts.
The CAPP program began in 2018 as a way for Austin community members to be directly involved in the care of public parks. Since 2018, Austin Parks and Recreation has received over 580 CAPP submissions from community members, neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and partner organizations.
The CAPP program is currently reviewing proposals focused on ecological stewardship that help Austin’s parks and natural areas grow and recover. More information is available below.
Austin Parks and Recreation staff members review and assess all submitted proposals for feasibility, including whether the site conditions are right for the proposed improvements and whether it fits with how the park is used and managed. Once staff members identify the proposal is possible, we assign a staff member to support projects through delivery.
Learn more about the CAPP program and how you can participate:
CAPP Projects
Park improvement projects should align with both community needs and the priorities set by Austin Parks and Recreation to enhance access and upgrade parks and greenspaces in key areas. The feasibility of each proposal is assessed using the Austin Parks and Recreation Long Range Plan, current projects, staff availability, and equity maps.
Projects can be any physical park improvement, from new features to ecological restoration. Keep in mind that not all physical park improvements are suitable for the CAPP program. You can learn more about whether a project is right for the CAPP program in our Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Ecological Stewardship
We’re reopening CAPP with a focused phase dedicated to projects that restore and support Austin’s parks through various forms of ecological restoration. These places give us room to explore and connect with nature, and like all living things, they need care too.
Currently, we are accepting the following project proposals:
- Sapling and tree planting;
- Invasive species removal throughout a site;
- Wildflower meadow establishment;
- Revegetation and habitat restoration; or
- A combination of the above.
Not sure if your idea fits these categories? Reach out before you submit. We’d love to hear about it.
Photo: Neighbors brought this hand-painted Little Free Library to Georgian Acres Neighborhood Park through the CAPP Program in 2024.
CAPP Proposal Review Process
Every CAPP proposal goes through a feasibility review. This means our team looks at whether the project is possible at the site. We assess whether the conditions are right and if it fits with how the park is used and managed. After the review, staff members will provide feedback.
- Who Reviews Proposals?
Proposals are reviewed by staff members in different City of Austin departments. Depending on the project type and location, reviewers may include staff from:
- Austin Parks and Recreation (Planning, Development, Community PARKnerships, Natural Resources, Forestry, Operations and Maintenance)
- Austin Watershed Protection
- Austin Transportation and Public Works
- External partners, as applicable
You will receive a response within 6 weeks of submission with a decision or a request for more information. If your project is approved, a Parks and Recreation staff member will be assigned as your point of contact for next steps.
- How Proposals Are Reviewed
We review all proposals for feasibility. When doing so, we consider the following:
- Equity: We prioritize parks and communities with less access to green space and fewer past investments. We use data from sources including ParkScore, the Tree Equity Score, and the Neighborhood Prosperity Dashboard.
- Park Need: Sites with fewer existing amenities or features are prioritized over sites that have already benefited from past projects.
- Park Type: Improvements should match the park type. You can find a breakdown of park type on page 56 of the Long Range Plan. For example, an athletic field could be appropriate for a neighborhood park but not for a button park or greenbelt.
- City Resources: Due to limited staff time and supplies, the City may not be able to support every proposal.
- New Groups and Sites: Proposals from groups or sites that are new to CAPP are generally prioritized over repeat submissions. To ensure equitable access across the City, Austin Parks and Recreation cannot accept a new CAPP proposal for review if the same group or site already has a CAPP project in progress. An exception applies to organizations with an existing City agreement that requires CAPP support. These proposals will be prioritized regardless of prior participation.
- Alignment with City Plans: We consider whether a project aligns with park concept and vision plans, [Austin Parks and Recreation’s Long Range Plan] and other relevant city priorities.
- Community Representation: We look for projects that reflect the needs and culture of the surrounding community.
- Maintenance Capacity: We consider whether there is a realistic plan for long-term care of the project after it is installed.
- After Review is Completed
We will let you know whether your proposal has been approved or needs more information.
For smaller projects like invasive species removal, your group can begin scheduling volunteer work days with guidance from a parkland stewardship partner like Austin Parks Foundation or Keep Austin Beautiful. For projects that require a contractor, an Austin Parks and Recreation Project Manager will be assigned once funding is secured.
Submit a Proposal
Before you submit, here’s what’s helpful to have ready:
The name of the park and a description or map pin showing where in the park your project would go.
A description of what you want to do — no technical plans required at this stage.
Identify who would help maintain the project after it is completed
You do not need a detailed plan, a budget, or an organizational affiliation to submit. Early ideas are welcome.
Things To Consider Before Submitting a Proposal
- Project Location
Projects can take place on parkland owned and operated by Austin Parks and Recreation. You can view a full list of city park sites here. If your project is planned for a greenbelt or other natural area, it should align with Austin Parks and Recreation's long-term management goals, which you can find here.
- Budgeting
For projects like tree planting and wildflower meadow creation, you will need a three-year maintenance plan with a budget. This plan should cover watering or irrigation, weed control, and reseeding or replanting. Projects that involve removing invasive species or brush should include a brush management plan. Depending on how much plant material is removed, it may be able to stay on-site or may need to be hauled away. We can help you figure out the scope and costs of these activities based on the size of your project.
- Timelines
The best time for tree planting projects is mid-October through March. For other native plants, the best planting windows are late February through early April and early September through early November. The best time to seed wildflower meadows is between late September and early December. Parks and Recreation crews will mow the meadows after the plants drop their seeds in the fall, mimicking the role natural wildfires would play to stimulate growth cycles. See our wildflower meadow webpage for more information.
- Plant Selection
All plant and seed species must adhere to City standards and be approved by the proposal review team. See Austin Watershed Protection’s Grow Green Plant Guide for more information. If you know which species you’d like to include in your project, please share that information in your proposal description.
- Methods
If your project involves invasive species removal or habitat restoration, please describe which techniques and tools you plan to use. Note that members of the general public are not allowed to use power tools or apply herbicides on parkland. Any projects requiring power tools, mechanized equipment, or herbicide application must be carried out by licensed contractors or City staff.
Not sure if your idea is a fit for CAPP? Reach out before you submit. We are happy to talk through it with you.
Austin Parks and Recreation staff designed and installed this nature play area at the Walnut Bluffs Trailhead in 2024, proposed through the CAPP Program by Walnut Creek Neighborhood Association.
The Community Activated Park Project program is now open for ecological stewardship projects. Proposal forms will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Submit Your Ecological Stewardship CAPP ProposalFrequently Asked Questions
We encourage you to include a detailed plan in your CAPP proposal. That said, we understand if you see a need in your park but you’re not sure of the best way to address it.
You are welcome to reach out to our team before submitting a CAPP and tell us the need that your organization or neighborhood group has identified. We can help brainstorm an effective solution.
Before you submit a CAPP proposal, please make sure that your project is suitable for the CAPP program. Below is a list of park improvements that the CAPP program cannot review with links to the appropriate department.
- Art: managed by Austin Economic Development’s Art in Public Places Program.
- Community gardens: managed by Austin Parks and Recreation’s Community Gardens Program.
- Grow Zones: managed by Austin Watershed Protection.
- Large-scale capital improvements: The City of Austin has separate planning and funding processes for large-scale improvement projects, or Capital Improvement Projects. Learn more on the Capital Improvement Projects Explorer.
- Monuments and memorials: Austin Parks and Recreation has a memorial bench program managed by our Cemeteries Operations division. We are currently developing a process for other monuments and memorials on parkland. We will update this page with more information as it becomes available.
- Park concept and vision plans: If a park does not already have an active plan, Park Planning leadership can speak to the possibility of creating one.
- Projects from a group or at a site with a CAPP currently in progress: In order to share our time equitably across the city, Austin Parks and Recreation cannot accept a new CAPP proposal for review if the group or site already has a CAPP in progress.
- Projects at undeveloped sites beyond ecological restoration.
- Projects that change use of features: Austin Parks and Recreation cannot make changes to a feature that would change its established use and purpose.
- Projects that require additional maintenance: Except in priority areas, Austin Parks and Recreation currently does not have the staff capacity to commit to additional maintenance.
- Repair or maintenance of an existing park feature: coordinated by Austin 3-1-1.
- Safety lighting: managed by Austin Parks and Recreation’s Park Development team, reachable at parklighting@austintexas.gov.
The City of Austin prioritizes CAPP proposals by reviewing whether a project is a good fit for the site and the community. We look at site conditions, how the park is used, and factors like underground utilities, code requirements, and future planned projects. We also consider whether your project aligns with City of Austin and community priorities, since our goal is to make the CAPP program fair and effective for everyone. After the review, we'll share what we found and walk you through the next steps.
Austin Parks and Recreation uses these criteria for evaluation:
- Equity: We prioritize parks and communities with less access to green space and fewer past investments. We use data from sources including [ParkScore], the [Tree Equity Score], and the [Neighborhood Prosperity Dashboard].
- Park Need: Sites with fewer existing amenities or features are prioritized over sites that have already benefited from past projects.
- Park Type: Improvements should match the park type. You can find a breakdown of park type on page 56 of the Long Range Plan. For example, an athletic field could be appropriate for a neighborhood park but not for a button park or greenbelt.
- City Resources: Due to limited staff time and supplies, the City may not be able to support every proposal.
- New Groups and Sites: Proposals from groups or sites that are new to CAPP are generally prioritized over repeat submissions. To ensure equitable access across the City, Austin Parks and Recreation cannot accept a new CAPP proposal for review if the same group or site already has a CAPP project in progress. An exception applies to organizations with an existing City agreement that requires CAPP support. These proposals will be prioritized regardless of prior participation.
- Alignment with City Plans: We consider whether a project aligns with park concept and vision plans, [Austin Parks and Recreation’s Long Range Plan] and other relevant city priorities.
- Community Representation: We look for projects that reflect the needs and culture of the surrounding community.
- Maintenance Capacity: We consider whether there is a realistic plan for long-term care of the project after it is installed.
Proposals are reviewed by staff members in different City of Austin departments. Depending on the project type and location, reviewers may include staff from:
- Austin Parks and Recreation (Planning, Development, Community PARKnerships, Natural Resources, Forestry, Operations and Maintenance)
- Austin Watershed Protection
- Austin Transportation and Public Works
- External partners, as applicable
Not all CAPP proposals require funding. If your project requires funding, you do not need to secure those funds before proposing a CAPP. The City confirms that the project is feasible first. The CAPP review process is designed to refine project scope and improve cost estimates. Knowing the scope and estimated cost of your project is important to a successful fundraising campaign or grant proposal.
For ecological projects, like tree planting and wildflower meadow establishment, you will need a budgeted three-year maintenance plan that accounts for watering and reseeding. For projects requiring brush removal, you should account for the cost of hiring a contractor to chip the brush on site or remove it. We can help you determine those costs based on the size and scale of your proposed project.
When you receive CAPP approval and are ready to find funding for your project, resources are available to help. Austin Parks and Recreation does not have funding available for CAPP proposals, but other City and nonprofit programs can support projects on parkland.
The following resources can provide funding for CAPP proposals:
- Economic Development Department: Heritage Grant
- Development Services Department: Urban Forest Grant
- Office of Sustainability: Bright Green Futures Grant
- Transportation and Public Works Department: Neighborhood Partnering Program
- Austin Parks Foundation: ACL Music Festival Grants Program
- Fruitful Commons: Tree Care Mini Grant
Once approved and funded, the project can move into the implementation phase. For small projects like invasive species removal that require minimal to no funding, your group can begin to set up work days with the guidance of a selected nonprofit partner that can work with volunteer groups on parkland. For larger projects that require the work of a contractor, an Austin Parks and Recreation Project Manager will be assigned to the project when funding has been secured. The Project Manager will provide project coordination or oversight as required to implement the project.
No. All Austin community members are welcome to submit a proposal as individuals. You do not need to be part of a neighborhood group, nonprofit, or any other organization.
Yes, you can propose a CAPP at any of the joint-use sites (school parks). The City of Austin shares some school parks with Austin Independent School District. You will also need to submit Austin ISD’s Campus New Project Request form. Both the City and Austin ISD will need to review and approve your project.
Also, keep in mind that Austin Parks and Recreation cannot review projects at a school park that is under renovation. The CAPP will need to wait until any construction work is complete.
Artificial wildlife structures like birdhouses and bee boxes are generally not recommended for conservation purposes. There may be an exception if the target species is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the [Texas State Wildlife Action Plan] and specific circumstances make an artificial structure necessary. Structures installed for educational purposes may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
In either case, the structure would need to be safe, not provide resources for non-native species, and not create negative impacts for native wildlife.
Contact
For additional information or assistance, please contact the Parkland Stewardship team by emailing parkland.stewardship@austintexas.gov.
Taken in 2021 and 2023, these before and after photos show the growth of the wildflower meadow by the the parking lot at Balcones District Park. Friends of Balcones Park and Milwood Neighborhood Association proposed this wildflower meadow as a Community Activated Park Project (CAPP) and teamed up with Austin Parks and Recreation, Austin Watershed Protection, and Austin Parks Foundation to bring it from idea to reality. Photos by Erik Harris.