Adopt a Park Stewardship Program 

Become an ADOPT A PARK STEWARD and take an active role in beautifying and activating your park! 

Program Summary 

The Adopt a Park Stewardship Program is a partnership between the City of Detroit, Detroit Parks Coalition, and community groups who beautify and activate their local parks.     

Adopt a Park stewards commit to hosting cleanups and events in their local parks. The City of Detroit and the Detroit Parks Coalition (DPC), will connect Stewards with resources such as potential grants, fiscal sponsorships, trainings, some supplies for clean-ups and events, and other potential benefits provided by DPC and the City. The City will give stewards priority in permitting their events and waive permit fees for qualified events.  

Adopt a Park Stewards will be responsible for:  

• Completing a minimum of 2 clean-ups per year. DPC will help provide clean up supplies with advance notice through their Supplies Library (see below for details).  
• Programming a minimum of 2 events in the park per year (see programming section for more details). The City will streamline the event permitting process for Stewards. DPC can provide event supplies through their Supplies Library   
• Assisting Parks & Rec Marketing with park announcements (such as community meetings) as needed.  
• Encouraging and fostering respect of the park and stewardship within the community.  
• Adhering to all park rules and City of Detroit Parks and Recreation guidelines and processes.

Upon completion of a successful season, Stewards will also receive a signed certificate.

Starting in 2026, eligible stewardship organizations can be considered for the Advanced Stewardship Cohort. This group will be trained in sustainability and natural areas management practices such as green stormwater infrastructure, invasive species management, and native plant gardening. Interested stewards would need to commit to four training sessions, and one hands on workday. Stewards will be selected based on factors such as park size and geography.

The Adopt a Park season runs from April 1st to November 1st, 2026. 

Adopt a Park Stewardship Program Application 

This application is for community groups and organizations who wish to partner with the City of Detroit for city park stewardship.  The information provided on this form will be used to evaluate the proposed park stewardship.  

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN THE APPLICATION 

Applications are due January 31, 2026. This application window is to give stewards priority when scheduling their permitted events. Applications will be accepted after this window until March 18, 2026, but the City cannot guarantee the steward’s preferred event dates will be available. 

 
Park Clean-up Events  

Park Stewards will be responsible for organizing at least two park clean-ups per year. The City will coordinate with GSD Maintenance staff for the identified target dates. Clean-up events can be hosted by the Adoptee or any affiliated group that is coordinated by the Adoptee. DPC will help provide clean-up supplies with advance notice.     

Park Programs & Events  

Park Stewards will be responsible for organizing at least two park programs or events per year. This includes providing either at least 2 one-time events or recurring programs in the park that are open to the public and free. Examples of events or programs include yoga, fitness classes, movies in the park, jazz concert, school supplies giveaways, celebratory events, etc. DPC has programming materials that can be used with advance notice. DPC may be able to send a photographer with enough advance notice.

Please inform the City of any changes to your event and clean-up schedule.  

All events and cleanups will be posted on a public-facing calendar by the park steward via DPC’s Event Calendar (contact Rob Streit for assistance). 

After each event and clean-up, Stewards will send a short description and/or photos of the events that took place to Rob Streit.

The City will coordinate with Rec Permitting staff to streamline the process for the identified events. Events submitted by the application deadline will be given priority scheduling, and fees from GSD will be waived (other fees may still apply for larger events that require the Special Event Management Team). Please allow 2-3 weeks at minimum for processing the requested events. Future events and programs that are not submitted here can be submitted through the normal process at detroitmi.gov/recreation.   

Please note: membership meetings of the steward’s organization do not count towards events, unless they are open to the public (examples: fitness classes, picnic, school supply giveaway). Submitting and signing the AAP Application does NOT indicate that events on the application are approved but are pending review.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rob Streit at [email protected] or 248-885-6355, or call GSD at 313-224-1100. 
  

 
Thank you for helping us keep Detroit’s parks activated and beautiful! 

Adopt a Park Stewardship Program FAQs 

Who can apply to be an Adopt a Park steward?  

This program is for community groups and nonprofit organizations who wish to partner with the City of Detroit for city park stewardship and can include block clubs, park friends' groups, and others. Businesses and for-profit organizations are not eligible but may partner with Adopt a Park stewards in their activities.  

What if multiple groups apply to adopt the same park?  

If there are multiple groups that are interested, we encourage them to collaborate on a joint application.  

What if I want to adopt a park but it is past the application deadline?  

Applications submitted after the deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Can I apply for event permits besides what I submitted in the application?  

Yes, Adopt a Park stewards are welcome to hold events and programs in addition to what was submitted in the application, but they will then have to use the standard permitting process, which can be found here – LINK  

Can other groups permit the park if my group has adopted it?  

Yes, other groups are able to permit events in the park, as long as they do not conflict with existing, approved events, including those submitted by the Adopt a Park steward.  

What support is available for stewards?  

With advance notice, stewards can schedule to pick up and check out limited clean-up supplies such as trash buckets, bags, and garbage pickers from DPC’s Supply Library. The library also has event supplies such as canopy tents, folding tables, PA system, and solar generator. The Supply Library is located at Historic Fort Wayne. Pick up can be scheduled by reaching out to Rob Streit at [email protected]  

What benefits will Stewards receive?  

• Stewards will be connected with potential grant opportunities and be eligible for fiscal sponsorship through DPC.   
• All Adopt a Park Stewards can post their events on a public-facing calendar hosted by DPC.   
• The City will streamline the event permitting process and give preference to Stewards by opening permitting to those in the program before the general public.
• DPC will also be hosting in-person training sessions for Stewards several times a season. These “Lunch and Learn” trainings will focus on topics such as capacity building for organizations, how to throw a successful event, or how to navigate City processes. They will also provide an opportunity for networking among Stewards and a forum to give feedback about the Adopt a Park program.  
• After a successful Adopt a Park season, Stewards will be formally recognized and receive a signed certificate for completing the season. If the steward completed their two clean-ups and two community events, the Steward’s Adopt-a-Park application for the following year will be streamlined.  

Adopt a Park History  

Adopt a Park fosters partnership between the City and caring citizens in an effort to maintain Detroit’s parkland.   

The program began in 1977 under the Coleman A. Young administration. Adopt a Park was created by then Detroit Parks and Recreation Department Director Leon Atchison and was one of the first of its kind in the nation. It saw several iterations over time, including a period where adopters focused on grass mowing when the city was going through municipal bankruptcy.  

More resources became available for Detroit parks over the years, and the Adopt a Park Stewardship program now focuses on two areas: park clean-ups and community events. These park activations are meant to instill a sense of belonging and ownership among stewards for the parks they adopt.