The Tacoma Parks Foundation (TPF), formerly Greater Metro Parks Foundation, has supported the critical work of Parks Tacoma, formerly Metro Parks Tacoma (MPT), for more than 35 years. The Foundation is proud to continue this legacy by raising critical funds to bridge the gap between the resources available and the needs of our community.
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our funding
Innovation fund
Parks Tacoma places and programs have always been a part of Tacoma’s heartbeat. They hold our games, our walks, our neighborhood cookouts. They’re where kids grow up and where we go to breathe when the world feels heavy.
Supporting TPF’s Innovation Fund rallies behind something simple but powerful: flexibility. A gift to our Innovation Fund allows us room to act fast, supporting the work that keeps our parks, programs, and centers vibrant, safe, and welcoming for everyone.
greatest need
Parks tacoma camps
For thousands of Tacoma kids, a Parks Tacoma summer camp is much more than a fun way to spend the day. It's a safe place to belong, grow, and thrive when school is out. It's the difference between a summer of possibility and a summer of uncertainty.
In 2026, 697 families enrolled in full-day Parks Tacoma summer camps, giving 2,658 kids a full summer of adventure, friendship, and growth. The programs meet kids exactly where they are at every age, ability, and stage of life.
1 in 5 families needed financial assistance or fee-waivers to participate in Parks Tacoma Camps. You can make a difference in the life of a child this summer.
youth
Senior programs
The need for connection, purpose, and belonging is just as important as we age. Across Tacoma, older adults are finding new friendships, staying active, and building community through programs designed to help them thrive. From social gatherings and recreational opportunities to valuable resources and a welcoming place to connect, Parks Tacoma's senior programs create meaningful experiences that enrich daily life and support healthy aging. With hundreds of participants in senior programs and thousands of visits to Senior Hubs at People's Center and Eastside Community Center, these programs are helping seniors remain engaged, independent, and connected to the people and places that make Tacoma home.
Supporting seniors: connection, community, & joy
Capital Projects
Peck Community Sports Park is transforming Central Tacoma into a destination where every family belongs.
Imagine a place where your kids can shoot hoops under the lights, kick a soccer ball on a championship-quality synthetic turf field, climb a bouldering wall, race through a pump track, and then grab a basketball or soccer gear from the equipment checkout building - no cost, no barriers, just play.
peck community sports park
That's exactly what Peck Community Sports Park is becoming. Phase 2 is already underway, and with your support, Phase 3 will bring the full vision to life: lighted multi-purpose sports fields, playgrounds for every age from toddlers to teens, lighted sport courts for basketball, pickleball, and futsal, a bicycle pump track, native gardens, a traffic garden for young riders, and a sprawling green lawn adjacent to the picnic shelter for watching pickup games while spending lazy afternoons in the sun.
Spread a blanket on the grass, grab a shady seat under the picnic shelter, and watch the whole community come alive around you. And at the heart of it all is a free sports equipment checkout building. Because every child deserves a chance to discover a sport they love, regardless of what's in the family budget.
This park isn't just infrastructure. It's an investment in equity, health, and community pride for the neighborhoods of Central Tacoma. Be part of building it.
MEMORIAl bench PROGRAM
Our parks, gardens, and open spaces are part of what makes living in Tacoma so special. The Memorial Program is a wonderful philanthropic way to honor a loved one.
Participation in the Memorial Program begins at $6,000. Honor a loved one by sponsoring a park bench with a personalized commemorative plaque.
Memorial Program gifts are tax deductible. If you are interested in learning more or to set up an appointment, please contact Claire Williams at claire@tacomaparksfoundation.org.
Leave your legacy
Beyond the Bell activities are offered at every elementary school grades K-5.Tacoma Public Schools and community partners have come together to offer fun, meaningful after school activities to elementary school students. Activities take place at all of Tacoma's elementary schools from when school gets out until 5:45 pm, Monday-Friday.
Born from community concern and care, Summer Late Nights is a summer evening program that offers safe, welcoming spaces for Tacoma’s middle and high school students. Launched in 2023, this free drop-in initiative gives youth a place to connect, eat dinner, and enjoy games, art, music, and leadership activities. Programs take place weeknights from June 23 through August 29 across multiple neighborhood sites, thanks to a coalition of partners including Parks Tacoma, Tacoma Public Schools, Greentrike, the YMCA, and the Boys & Girls Clubs.
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Make a Gift Today
Whole Child whole community
Summer late nights
Beyond the bell
Club b
Club B activities are offered at every middle school grades 6-8. Tacoma Public Schools and community partners have come together to offer fun, meaningful after school activities to middle school students. Activities take place at all of Tacoma's middle schools from 2:45-5 pm, Monday-Thursday.
IMPORTANT UPDATE AS OF 6/24/2026
Whole Child Community partners remain deeply committed to serving Tacoma’s children and families. Tacoma Public Schools has committed to continuing the Beyond the Bell and Club B programs in the 2026-2027 school year. While awaiting decisions as the partners continue to explore solutions, advocate for continued investment, and identify resources that will help preserve these vital supports for Tacoma youth and families, the Tacoma Parks Foundation will continue to receive contributions for these programs and will pass your gifts to the school district once they are ready.
Summer Teen Late Nights started with no cuts the week of June 22, 2026. The Boys and Girls Clubs of SPS and the YMCA of Pierce County are securing philanthropic funds to support programming this summer. TPF is happy to accept your donation and will pass your gifts to the appropriate agency.
As we navigate these changes together, we will continue to provide timely updates regarding program status, fundraising efforts, and opportunities for community members, businesses, and supporters to help sustain this important work through donations and advocacy.
Strategic
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building a brighter future
Parks and recreational programs accessible to all, enhance our quality of life in many ways, providing health, social, physical, and environmental benefits to all who live, work or play in Tacoma.
