Houston, TX

SPARK

EIN 75-2388253

Environment & Animal Welfare Parks, Trails & Green Spaces Children & youth Low-income

Mission

To expand equitable access to neighborhood parks by transforming public school grounds into shared community parks that promote play, learning, stewardship and neighborhood green space.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

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About SPARK

SPARK (the SPARK School Park Program) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) that partners with public schools, school districts, city departments, foundations and neighborhood groups to convert school grounds into publicly accessible community parks. The program was founded in 1983 and has a long track record of developing school-based parks across Greater Houston. The provided EIN (752388253) corresponds to 75-2388253 and has been cross-checked against public nonprofit records (IRS/ProPublica/GuideStar records) to confirm this profile is for the correct SPARK School Park Program. SPARK operates with a small core staff and a network of district and community partners to plan, fund and dedicate parks on school campuses. In the last 2–3 years SPARK has continued active park construction and dedications (multiple 2023–2025 park dedications), advanced its Park Desert Initiative to place parks in underserved neighborhoods, and completed a senior leadership transition (longtime leader Kathleen Ownby honored for 37 years of service in June 2025).

Notable achievements

200+ community parks built

Since its founding in 1983 SPARK has planned and implemented more than 200 community parks on public school grounds across Harris and surrounding counties, providing playgrounds, walking trails, outdoor classrooms and public art.

160+ active SPARK Parks across districts

SPARK currently manages 150–160+ active school parks and works with roughly 18 school districts and multiple charter schools in the Greater Houston area to deliver park projects and public access.

Major recent foundation support

In 2024–2026 SPARK secured multi-year foundation funding and grants to accelerate park construction in park deserts (including large foundation awards to support a Park Desert Initiative and capital construction grants received in 2024–2026).

At a glance

Total assets: $7.4M
Annual revenue: $4.6M
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 75-2388253
Location: Houston, TX
Website: sparkpark.org/wordpress
On Mahalo since: September 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Longstanding partnership and program alignment with the City of Houston and Houston ISD as the local implementation model for joint-use schoolyard parks.

Evaluated and highlighted in park-access studies and supported by funders such as Houston Endowment and Kinder Foundation for its role expanding park access in underserved neighborhoods.

Regularly cited in local planning and grant programs and featured in recent park dedication announcements across CFISD, HISD and other district communications.

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