SPARK School Park Program

What SPARK School Park Program does

SPARK School Park Program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1983 by Houston City Council Member Eleanor Tinsley to develop community parks on public school grounds. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a 6-person staff, SPARK has built over 200 community parks across 18 school districts and 4 charter schools in the Greater Houston area, with 160+ parks currently active. Each park is uniquely designed based on input from the school and surrounding neighborhood, and typically includes modular playground equipment, walking trails, benches, picnic tables, trees, outdoor classrooms, and a public art component. Parks are open to the public after school hours, on weekends, and on holidays, directly addressing park deserts in Houston/Harris/Fort Bend Counties.

The business model is a community-led, grant-funded non-profit operation. SPARK receives major funding from the Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, and Powell Foundation, with the City of Houston and Harris County providing Federal Block Grant funding. Each selected school is required to raise $5,000 through community fundraising, and the corresponding school district contributes a matching $5,000 plus construction oversight and ongoing maintenance. Corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and workplace giving through EarthShare of Texas provide additional revenue. The Park Desert Initiative, launched in 2016, has undergone three multi-year grant cycles ($5.5M, $5M, and $7M) to systematically build parks in underserved areas. SPARK operates without proprietary technology, with its core delivery model centered on design partnerships with the University of Houston Graduate Design/Build Studio, Trees for Houston, Houston Arts Alliance, and Urban Harvest. The organization completed a planned leadership transition in June 2025, with Elizabeth Howley succeeding Kathleen Ownby as Executive Director after Ownby's 37 years of service.

Name

SPARK School Park Program

Legal name

SPARK School Park Program

Website

https://sparkpark.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SPARK School Park Program is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that builds community parks on public school grounds across 18 school districts and 4 charter schools in Greater Houston, serving more than 200 parks since 1983 through foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and community fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Park Development Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO)

Keywords

• Community park development
• School park program
• Nonprofit park building
• Park desert initiative
• Public school partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: SPARK relies on donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals, as well as grants from organizations like Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, and Powell Foundation. Federal Block Grants through City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department also support qualifying schools.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide $5,000+ for each park. They participate in groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies and often provide volunteers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SPARK School Park Program partners with public schools and school districts to develop community parks on public school grounds. Each selected school raises $5,000 and partners with its school district (which provides $5,000) and local community to build a park featuring modular playground equipment, walking trails, benches, picnic tables, trees, outdoor classrooms, and public art. Built parks are open to the public after school hours, on weekends, and holidays.

Product overview

SPARK School Park Program is a non-profit organization that develops community parks on public school grounds throughout the Houston/Harris County area. Since 1983, SPARK has built over 250 community parks. The core offering is the Community Park Development program, which creates neighborhood parks featuring modular playground equipment, walking trails, benches, picnic tables, trees, outdoor classrooms, and public art components. The Park Desert Initiative targets underserved areas lacking park access. Public art integration is a key add-on module that has been incorporated into over 100 schools. Each park is unique, designed based on the ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods, with 160+ currently active SPARK Parks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Park Development

Quantifiable outcome

• Built over 200 community parks since 1983; currently 160+ active SPARK Parks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust for Public Land (TPL) compiles the City of Houston's park score and has partnered with SPARK to assess SPARK Parks. TPL conducted an audit of approximately 150 SPARK Parks in Harris County in 2014, collecting usage data and demographics. This partnership led to the $5.5 million grants in 2016 and 2019 for building parks in park desert areas.
• Trees for HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrees for Houston provides native Texas trees which they plant in and around SPARK Parks. Classes often 'adopt a tree' and receive instruction in proper watering techniques.
• Urban HarvestsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Harvest has provided programming and helped to develop garden areas in SPARK Parks. Provides gardening and nutrition education for youth.
• Houston Arts AlliancesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouston Arts Alliance provides grants for public art in SPARK Parks.
• EarthShare of TexascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSPARK is a member of EarthShare of Texas, a 501(c)(3) non-profit federation enabling workplace payroll contribution campaigns. Through EarthShare, SPARK receives donations from employees at hundreds of public and private sector workplaces including City of Houston, HISD, and Cy-Fair ISD campaigns.
• University of Houston Graduate Design/Build StudiosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Houston Master of Architecture students design and construct site-specific solutions for SPARK Parks. Has participated in multiple SPARK parks including Alief SPARK Park & Nature Center, McReynolds Middle School, Roberts Elementary, Hamilton Middle School, Paul Revere Middle School, and Lockhart Elementary.
• Reliant EnergysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerReliant's EcoShare program allows customers to support EarthShare of Texas organizations like SPARK through carbon offset purchases. Monthly donation options of $1 or $2 to EarthShare Texas.
• City of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1986, funding has come from City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department in the form of Federal Block Grants for qualifying schools. Mayor's office provides office space and related supplies. City Council members attend groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies and contribute through council district service funds.
• Harris CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarris County provides Federal Block Grant funding and Harris County Precincts 1, 2, and 4 have provided funds and in-kind contributions for schools in their districts.
• Houston ISDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of 18 school districts partnering with SPARK. Provides $5,000 per park and oversees construction and maintenance.
• Alief ISDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of 18 school districts partnering with SPARK in Greater Houston area.
• Clear Creek ISDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool district partner where Wedgewood Elementary became the first SPARK Park in Friendswood.
• Katy ISDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool district partner with multiple SPARK Parks including Franz Elementary and Memorial Parkway Elementary.
• YES PrepsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharter school partner with two SPARK Parks: YES Prep East End and YES Prep Gulfton.
• Connect CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides insight on community needs in the Gulfton area.
• Avenue CDCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides assistance in Houston's Near Northside and Northline areas.
• H-E-BsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected EarthShare of Texas (including SPARK) as April beneficiary for in-store coupon promotions recognizing Earth Day.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights14 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit that conserves land and creates parks, and is an active SPARK partner that conducted SPARK Park audits in 2014. Broader in scope (land conservation + park creation nationwide) but directly comparable in mission and partnership overlap.

Direct peers

• Trees For Houston: Trees For Houston is a Houston nonprofit that plants and donates trees across the metro area, including in SPARK Parks. Comparable in nonprofit structure, Houston focus, school and community partnerships, and urban greening mission.
• KABOOM!: KABOOM! is a national nonprofit that builds playgrounds, primarily in underserved communities, partnering with local organizations to construct kid-designed playspaces. Highly comparable to SPARK in mission (community-built play infrastructure), nonprofit structure, and grant-funded operating model, though operating at much larger national scale.
• The Park People: The Park People is a Houston-based nonprofit founded in 1978 dedicated to creating, improving, and protecting parks and green spaces. Directly comparable to SPARK in geography (Greater Houston), nonprofit mission around urban park access, and civic partnership model.

Regional players

• Baton Rouge Green: Baton Rouge Green holds a SPARK trademark license (since 2001) to operate a SPARK program at Banks Elementary in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A direct regional licensee of the SPARK model and the only other operational SPARK-branded program of significant tenure.
• San Antonio Sports: San Antonio Sports holds a SPARK trademark license (since 2012) to operate a SPARK program in Southwest ISD. A regional licensee, with focus on community sports infrastructure rather than SPARK's school-ground community park model, but directly comparable via the licensing arrangement.

Others

• Greater Houston Community Foundation: Greater Houston Community Foundation is a regional grantmaking foundation supporting Houston-area nonprofits. Not a direct peer, but a complementary funder in the Houston nonprofit ecosystem that supports SPARK-style community development organizations.
• City Parks Alliance: City Parks Alliance is a national nonprofit that champions the value of urban parks and works to create and expand parks through policy, research, and grants. Adjacent peer - operates in the same urban-park space at a national advocacy level rather than building individual parks.
• Houston Parks and Recreation Department: Houston Parks and Recreation Department is the city government body that builds, operates, and maintains public parks across Houston. Closely related to SPARK's mission and a key institutional partner, but as a public-sector agency rather than nonprofit, it provides a public-sector comparator to SPARK's school-ground park model.

Emerging players

• Playworks: Playworks is a national nonprofit that improves recess and play in elementary schools. Comparable to SPARK through school-based youth development focus, though Playworks emphasizes programming/curriculum rather than physical infrastructure (parks/playgrounds).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spark-school-park-program

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPARK School Park Program