As Forest Park gains increasing national recognition, so does Forest Park Forever. 

This month, the Trust for Public Land published an in-depth study titled “Public Spaces/Private Money: The Triumphs and Pitfalls of Urban Park Conservancies” (PDF). In their three-page case study of our organization, the authors stated: 

Forest Park Forever is perhaps the nation’s most successful park conservancy in a smaller city. Former Forest Park Forever President Jim Mann attributes much of that to the master planning process — which was completed before fundraising or politics could influence a project wish list, he notes. Although getting the 1995 agreement was arduous, the document is still in force today. This unified vision has guided fundraising, reassuring donors that the conservancy has the city’s blessing in any and all projects. 

In a follow-up article titled “Private Funding Helps Spark ‘Golden Age’ in Public Parks,’ Report Says,” the Chronicle of Philantrophy shined its spotlight on Forest Park Forever as one of a very small number of conservancies leading in this area. 

Thank you to all of our supporters over the years for helping Forest Park Forever grow from a grassroots fundraising organization to a robust conservancy with a national reputation.