Communities of Practice

Building on the 10-Minute Walk Park Equity Policy Framework, the Policy Incubator will collaborate with cities to workshop local policy challenges as it relates to:

• Institutionalizing park needs assessments and community engagement

• Leveraging public financing tools and explore land use policies

• Providing tools for multi-sector collaboration and political will-building

Participants should have a baseline understanding of their local policy challenges.

What to Expect

The Park Equity Policy Incubator is an opportunity to join a tight knit network of practitioners and advocates who are committed to adopting policies that drive equitable park access. From October 2024 to June 2025, the Incubator will provide a curated blend of:

• Virtual workshops (90 minutes) to enhance local capacity for impactful park policies, rooted in real-time data and policy insights from across the nation.

• Subject matter experts and case studies to strengthen your city’s approach to policy change.

• Peer support and networking to increase knowledge exchange, deepen collaboration, and foster community building for park advocates.

Eligibility and Application 

To join the Policy Incubator, complete the application which includes the following:

1. 1. Describe your policy challenge. Share a brief description of your local policy challenge, and what you hope to achieve through collaborating with 10-Minute Walk and peer cities.
   2. Create a city team. Bring together 2-4 members from different departments and sectors to form one city team. The team can include (but is not limited to) park departments, mayoral offices, and representatives from city planning, economic development, health, climate, nonprofits or other groups that are interested in exploring shared goals and opportunities related to park equity. All team members will be required to attend each session.
   3. Nominate a team leader. Each city team will appoint a team leader to drive strategy for the submitted policy challenge and act as the main point of contact working with 10-Minute Walk.
   4. Submit before September 25. Apply to join the Policy Incubator here.

Session Topics

We will meet every other month on Wednesdays, 2PM – 3:30PM ET

• 10-Minute Walk Park Equity Policy Framework — October 2, 2024

• Local Policy Challenges — December 4, 2024

• Community Engagement for Park Needs — February 5, 2025

• Levers for Funding and Land Use Policy — April 2, 2025

• Roadmap for Policy Change — June 4, 2025

Apply by September 25