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Board recognizes community leaders who raised $2 million to reimburse groups after Parks Alliance collapse
Summary
Supervisors honored a Community Partner Network that secured roughly $2 million and fiscal sponsors to reimburse community groups left unpaid after the Parks Alliance collapsed; leaders said more than 80 groups have recovered a majority of owed funds.
The Board of Supervisors recognized seven community leaders and the broader Community Partner Network for raising private philanthropic funding and organizing fiscal sponsorships to make whole dozens of local organizations left unpaid after the Parks Alliance's collapse.
President Mandelmann and several supervisors praised the effort. Ildiko Polanyi, executive director of Sutro Stewards, said the group's priority was to "prevent future harm" and to recover funds for the organizations left in limbo after investigative reporting exposed the Parks Alliance's dysfunction. Rasheek Zarif said the network identified fiscal sponsors and donors and that "over 80 community groups have received more than 80% of their money back." (Ildiko Polanyi; Rasheek Zarif)
City officials and donors — including named philanthropic contributors mentioned during the recognition — were credited for supporting a rapid recovery that distributed funds by December. Supervisors said the effort provides a model of public‑private collaboration to restore services and support stewardship of parks and open spaces. (President Mandelmann; Supervisor Melgar)
Why it matters: The Parks Alliance collapse left many small community stewards unpaid and projects stalled; the private fundraising and fiscal sponsorship effort restored funds and allowed organizations to resume programs that maintain parks and trails across San Francisco.
What comes next: Supervisors commended continued collaboration between community groups, the mayor's office and donors, while noting some community partners still need fiscal homes and will continue to organize. (Provenance: topic introduced SEG 1322; last related remarks SEG 1696.)
