Parks & Recreation Secures Top Ranking for $4.6M in State Grant Match

Parks & Recreation Secures Top Ranking for $4.6M in State Grant Match

Grants will need to be funded by Washington State Legislature to be awarded

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Monday, September 21, 2026 at 3:48 p.m.

Spokane, Wash. - City of Spokane Parks & Recreation recently applied for five Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) grants to enhance upcoming park levy improvement projects. The applications earned top six rankings, giving them good odds to receive matching grants if the Washington State Legislature votes to approve funding.

The grant applications, totaling $4,641,000, align with Parks & Recreation's goal of seeking 20% State and Federal grant funding to match local Park Levy dollars, giving the community maximum return on their tax investment.

"Together Spokane and our voter-approved park levy program reflect what we heard in our outreach - our community wants to see efficient spending, maximum return on investment, and smart collaborations," said Parks and Recreation director Garrett Jones. "By applying for state and federal matching grants, we can leverage our local taxpayer dollars to stretch their investments further. Meadowglen Park is a great example - this year, we received two RCO matching grants totaling $2.5M that are augmenting local dollars to build a park in a neighborhood without park access."

Grant applications were submitted to the Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) for the following projects.

1. Franklin Park Youth Ballfields Renovation
   • RCO Youth Athletic Facilities program for $1,500,000 - ranking #5 of 58
2. Iron Bridge River Gateway
   • RCO Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account for $500,000 - ranking #1 of 16
   • RCO Washington Wildlife and Recreation program for $965,000 - ranking #3 of 17
3. Minnehaha Community Park Redevelopment
   • RCO Washington Wildlife and Recreation program for $500,000 - ranking #5 of 58
   • RCO Youth Athletic Facilities program (for a pump track) for $1,176,000 - ranking #6 of 58

The RCO Board will vote on the ranked list on October 27. To receive an award, the Washington State Legislature must allocate funding to the grant programs in the 2027-2029 budget.

Projects supported through this program are planned to begin design in late 2027 and enter construction in 2028/2029. All project applications support projects deemed to be 'first tier' community priorities in the 2022 park master plan and the Together Spokane park levy package.

To learn more about Park Levy projects, please visit TogetherSpokane.org/parks-levy.

About City of Spokane Parks & Recreation

City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, natural lands, aquatic centers, golf courses, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

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