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San Francisco Parks Alliance
The San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA) was a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, improving, and advocating for parks and public spaces throughout San Francisco. According to its website, it was the only city-wide parks nonprofit in San Francisco and had been active for over 50 years. It was created in 2011 by the merger of the San Francisco Parks Council and the San Francisco Parks Trust.
In 1971, the Friends of Recreation and Parks was founded with the support of a $50,000 grant from philanthropist Walter Shorenstein. Its initial mission was to serve as a philanthropic partner and fiscal agent for the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, aiming to bring more resources and attention to the city's parks. In 2011, a merger between two predecessor organizations, San Francisco Parks Trust (formerly Friends of Recreation and Parks) and the Neighborhood Parks Council, created the San Francisco Parks Alliance.
The SFPA partnered with the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department and San Francisco Public Works, as well as community organizations, to facilitate the construction and maintenance of parks and community gardens. The SFPA also sponsored guides giving tours of Golden Gate Park, as well as partnering with San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Chronicle Charities to present "Opera in the Park".[citation needed] The SFPA ran a series of popular outdoor evening movie screenings in various parks around the city, but the program was abruptly cancelled as its financial situation worsened.
In 2020, the San Francisco Parks Alliance was linked to a federal corruption probe involving the former head of San Francisco Department of Public Works Mohammed Nuru and the San Francisco-based waste management company, Recology. Nuru used the SFPA as a conduit for what federal prosecutors described as a "slush fund." He controlled an account at the SFPA, and contractors, including Recology, funneled money through this account, often via other nonprofits, to curry favor with Nuru, who had significant influence over city contracts and garbage rates. These funds were then used by Nuru for staff parties, merchandise, and other discretionary expenses that benefited his department and associates. A federal investigation found that from 2014 to 2019, Recology funneled about $900,000 to a Nuru-controlled account at the SFPA in an attempt to influence him. This arrangement contributed to a broader "pay-to-play" culture in San Francisco city government, as described in city controller reports.
In 2021, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan raised concerns and called for investigations into the financial practices and influence of the SFPA. She questioned the SFPA's handling of donations, its role in city contracts, and broader issues of transparency and ethics. After Chan and Supervisor Aaron Peskin called for an investigation into the SFPA's finances, the Alliance responded by sending a letter to Chan. In this letter, CEO Drew Becher threatened to withdraw over $2 million in funding for the Richmond Playground—a project in Chan's district—unless she recanted her public statements and criticisms of the organization. This $2 million represented about two-thirds of the playground's total budget.
At a subsequent public hearing, Supervisor Shamann Walton read the letter into the record, stating that it "implied that if Chan didn't back off, she would lose a community playground." Walton described the letter as "100 percent a threat" that "should not be tolerated." The incident sparked concern among city officials, with Supervisors Chan, Peskin, and Walton interrogating Parks and Recreation Department Director Phil Ginsburg about his knowledge of the threat. There was speculation and accusation that Ginsburg was aware of, or complicit in, the SFPA's actions, though he denied prior knowledge. The SFPA later apologized for the "tone and mannerism" of the letter, but the episode was widely seen as an attempt to use financial leverage to silence a public official's oversight and criticism.
At Chan's request, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Legislative Analyst's Office (BLA) reviewed contracts between the SFPA and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (RPD). The review concluded that "...adequate controls against the possibility of corruption and financial transparency were found lacking." The report also reported that the SFPA had received up to $3 million in anonymous donations, possibly violating the city's sunshine ordinance. Some of the issues raised by the BLA report were addressed in a memorandum of understanding between the RPD and SFPA.
In 2025, the SFPA admitted to improperly spending at least $3.8 million in restricted funds—money that donors had earmarked for specific projects—on its own operating expenses. This included approximately $1.9 million from the Baker Street Foundation meant for playgrounds at Crane Cove Park, which have not materialized despite years of waiting by local families. The nonprofit acts as a fiscal sponsor for over 80 smaller organizations, holding and managing their funds. Many of these groups have reported long waits, sometimes months, to get reimbursed for basic expenses, even as the Parks SFPA's own operating costs ballooned. As the organization's finances deteriorated, top staff received salary increases and cash bonuses—a move criticized by nonprofit ethics experts given the circumstances. The Parks SFPA also lost money on fundraising events and saw key sources of grant funding dry up. Former staff members reported that senior executives and the board of directors were aware of the financial mismanagement as early as 2017, but dismissed staff concerns.
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San Francisco Parks Alliance
The San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA) was a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, improving, and advocating for parks and public spaces throughout San Francisco. According to its website, it was the only city-wide parks nonprofit in San Francisco and had been active for over 50 years. It was created in 2011 by the merger of the San Francisco Parks Council and the San Francisco Parks Trust.
In 1971, the Friends of Recreation and Parks was founded with the support of a $50,000 grant from philanthropist Walter Shorenstein. Its initial mission was to serve as a philanthropic partner and fiscal agent for the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, aiming to bring more resources and attention to the city's parks. In 2011, a merger between two predecessor organizations, San Francisco Parks Trust (formerly Friends of Recreation and Parks) and the Neighborhood Parks Council, created the San Francisco Parks Alliance.
The SFPA partnered with the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department and San Francisco Public Works, as well as community organizations, to facilitate the construction and maintenance of parks and community gardens. The SFPA also sponsored guides giving tours of Golden Gate Park, as well as partnering with San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Chronicle Charities to present "Opera in the Park".[citation needed] The SFPA ran a series of popular outdoor evening movie screenings in various parks around the city, but the program was abruptly cancelled as its financial situation worsened.
In 2020, the San Francisco Parks Alliance was linked to a federal corruption probe involving the former head of San Francisco Department of Public Works Mohammed Nuru and the San Francisco-based waste management company, Recology. Nuru used the SFPA as a conduit for what federal prosecutors described as a "slush fund." He controlled an account at the SFPA, and contractors, including Recology, funneled money through this account, often via other nonprofits, to curry favor with Nuru, who had significant influence over city contracts and garbage rates. These funds were then used by Nuru for staff parties, merchandise, and other discretionary expenses that benefited his department and associates. A federal investigation found that from 2014 to 2019, Recology funneled about $900,000 to a Nuru-controlled account at the SFPA in an attempt to influence him. This arrangement contributed to a broader "pay-to-play" culture in San Francisco city government, as described in city controller reports.
In 2021, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan raised concerns and called for investigations into the financial practices and influence of the SFPA. She questioned the SFPA's handling of donations, its role in city contracts, and broader issues of transparency and ethics. After Chan and Supervisor Aaron Peskin called for an investigation into the SFPA's finances, the Alliance responded by sending a letter to Chan. In this letter, CEO Drew Becher threatened to withdraw over $2 million in funding for the Richmond Playground—a project in Chan's district—unless she recanted her public statements and criticisms of the organization. This $2 million represented about two-thirds of the playground's total budget.
At a subsequent public hearing, Supervisor Shamann Walton read the letter into the record, stating that it "implied that if Chan didn't back off, she would lose a community playground." Walton described the letter as "100 percent a threat" that "should not be tolerated." The incident sparked concern among city officials, with Supervisors Chan, Peskin, and Walton interrogating Parks and Recreation Department Director Phil Ginsburg about his knowledge of the threat. There was speculation and accusation that Ginsburg was aware of, or complicit in, the SFPA's actions, though he denied prior knowledge. The SFPA later apologized for the "tone and mannerism" of the letter, but the episode was widely seen as an attempt to use financial leverage to silence a public official's oversight and criticism.
At Chan's request, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Legislative Analyst's Office (BLA) reviewed contracts between the SFPA and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (RPD). The review concluded that "...adequate controls against the possibility of corruption and financial transparency were found lacking." The report also reported that the SFPA had received up to $3 million in anonymous donations, possibly violating the city's sunshine ordinance. Some of the issues raised by the BLA report were addressed in a memorandum of understanding between the RPD and SFPA.
In 2025, the SFPA admitted to improperly spending at least $3.8 million in restricted funds—money that donors had earmarked for specific projects—on its own operating expenses. This included approximately $1.9 million from the Baker Street Foundation meant for playgrounds at Crane Cove Park, which have not materialized despite years of waiting by local families. The nonprofit acts as a fiscal sponsor for over 80 smaller organizations, holding and managing their funds. Many of these groups have reported long waits, sometimes months, to get reimbursed for basic expenses, even as the Parks SFPA's own operating costs ballooned. As the organization's finances deteriorated, top staff received salary increases and cash bonuses—a move criticized by nonprofit ethics experts given the circumstances. The Parks SFPA also lost money on fundraising events and saw key sources of grant funding dry up. Former staff members reported that senior executives and the board of directors were aware of the financial mismanagement as early as 2017, but dismissed staff concerns.