The Goettingen Neighbors Group spent more than six years building Steps to Wisdom, a tiled stairway in San Francisco’s Portola Garden District. Days after they finished, their fiscal sponsor became insolvent.
The grant money wasn’t lost, but the group couldn’t access it. Their tile contractor was still waiting to be paid for labor and materials.
Then they found Greening Projects. The San Francisco City Attorney had to find a legal way to set up a new contract, and it took six months. Our team, Mike Doherty and Jorge Romero-Lozano, walked the group through the process and made the connections that got it done. Group member Ruth Wallace says they found us “just in time.”
Stories like this are why we exist. Neighbors usually know what could work on an overlooked stairway, a forgotten stretch of pavement, or a corner that needs shade. They need a partner to help with planning, funding, permits, construction, and long-term care. That’s what we do.
What 2026 made possible
Bernal Heights Rec Center: a $578,000 Green Infrastructure Grant, finished conceptual designs, and approval from the Recreation and Park Commission.
Howard Langton Community Garden (SOMA): a $500,000 Community Opportunity Fund grant will turn it into a green oasis for residents.
Visitacion Valley: a $1.5 million Community Opportunity Fund grant will turn a lot next to a middle school into an interactive green learning space.
Cortland Community Garden: official street-park designation, with groundbreaking set for February 2027.
Kimbell and Mariner’s Village: community outreach and design moved forward, and both sites are preparing for construction in 2027.
Halloween on Cortland: for the third year, families filled a car-free street with music and costumes, supported by local merchants and the Civic Joy Fund.
Why your gift matters, even with big grants
Grants don’t arrive first. Before one exists, someone has to pay for research, design, and feasibility studies. Someone also has to put up the community match that makes a project competitive.
Your gift covers those early costs. Once we cover them, we apply for grants that unlock 2 to 3 times the initial investment. Then we lead construction until the project is a lasting public space. Your dollar goes in first, and it makes the rest possible.
It also keeps neighbors going. Fran Martin of Visitacion Valley Engage Green says we’re “quickly responsive” when she needs grant advice. Lori Eanes of Bernal Wild began with a plan to clear Scotch Broom from a hillside. With our help, her group now has a website, a fundraiser, and a budget for plants and tools, so they can focus on habitat restoration.
Parks take years to build, so steady support matters as much as any single large gift.
Monthly donors help us keep projects moving between funding cycles.
What’s next in 2027
We reach our fifth anniversary next year. Our plans:
Break ground on five projects in the Bayview, Bernal Heights, and Mission
Move four new projects forward after they secured financing in 2026
Raise funds to grow our team
Create a Green Benefit District to guarantee long-term care of shared spaces
Help us get there
Next year, another group of neighbors will have an idea and a long road ahead. Your gift this season helps us be there for them. You can give once or monthly:
$50 one-time, or $10/month helps grow a community garden
$250 one-time, or $25/month helps buy native plants for the pollinators
$1,000 one-time, or $100/month helps keep finished green spaces thriving
Give today → Help Neighborhood Projects Start and Finish
Can’t give right now? Volunteer at a neighborhood workday or introduce us to a group in your community.
Thank you to our donors, volunteers, civic partners, and neighbors for believing in what’s possible.