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10 Minute Walk Park Equity Fellow
Who We Are:
At TPL, we don't just save land—we save land for people to enjoy, from neighborhood parks to national parks. Our mission is to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Every park, playground, and public space we create is an open invitation to explore, wonder, discover, and play. We're proud to say that we've been connecting communities to the outdoors—and to each other—since 1972. Today, millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park or natural area we helped create, and countless more visit every year.
Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk® Program works with local government leaders to ensure that every resident has access to a quality park or greenspace within a 10-minute walk of home. Since 2017, more than 300 mayors, representing cities large and small, have committed to the 10-Minute Walk and to prioritizing access to high-quality parks and green spaces to create healthy, resilient communities. The 10-Minute Walk Program works across the country to identify, support, and accelerate local policy and practices, and to build the tools that are needed to advance equitable park systems and thriving communities. More information on the program can be found here: https://10minutewalk.org/
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is seeking a Park Equity Fellow passionate about elevating the role of local parks in addressing critical challenges related to health, climate, and equity. The Park Equity Fellow will play a key role in Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk® Park Equity Accelerator and will support the 10-Minute Walk program’s Key Park Equity Policy Framework by conducting research, assisting with data collection, and developing policy resources. The Fellow will report to TPL’s 10-Minute Walk®Associate Director of Policy and Public Affairs, and will work with staff from across TPL, including TPL’s 10-Minute Walk team and Land and People Lab.
A core goal of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for early career professional development for those interested in entering the world of urban parks. Key opportunities and skills you will gain from this fellowship include:
Responsibilities:
Policy Research and Resource Creation (40%)
Essential Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
This position will run through August of 2025 and can be performed remotely with a preference for candidates who reside within a commutable distance to a TPL office.
Compensation
This is a full-time, non-exempt position which will run through August 2025.
As an employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience. This fellow will be compensated at a rate of $29/hr.
Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.
At TPL, we don't just save land—we save land for people to enjoy, from neighborhood parks to national parks. Our mission is to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Every park, playground, and public space we create is an open invitation to explore, wonder, discover, and play. We're proud to say that we've been connecting communities to the outdoors—and to each other—since 1972. Today, millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park or natural area we helped create, and countless more visit every year.
Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk® Program works with local government leaders to ensure that every resident has access to a quality park or greenspace within a 10-minute walk of home. Since 2017, more than 300 mayors, representing cities large and small, have committed to the 10-Minute Walk and to prioritizing access to high-quality parks and green spaces to create healthy, resilient communities. The 10-Minute Walk Program works across the country to identify, support, and accelerate local policy and practices, and to build the tools that are needed to advance equitable park systems and thriving communities. More information on the program can be found here: https://10minutewalk.org/
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is seeking a Park Equity Fellow passionate about elevating the role of local parks in addressing critical challenges related to health, climate, and equity. The Park Equity Fellow will play a key role in Trust for Public Land’s 10-Minute Walk® Park Equity Accelerator and will support the 10-Minute Walk program’s Key Park Equity Policy Framework by conducting research, assisting with data collection, and developing policy resources. The Fellow will report to TPL’s 10-Minute Walk®Associate Director of Policy and Public Affairs, and will work with staff from across TPL, including TPL’s 10-Minute Walk team and Land and People Lab.
A core goal of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for early career professional development for those interested in entering the world of urban parks. Key opportunities and skills you will gain from this fellowship include:
- Opportunities to meet, network, and collaborate with TPL staff, local governments, organizations, and external partners in a wide range of locations across the country with the opportunity to attend select urban parks events and/or conferences.
- A strong understanding of the key policies and strategies to elevate the importance of parks.
- Mentorship and individualized professional development.
Responsibilities:
Policy Research and Resource Creation (40%)
- Conduct research and data collection on key Park Equity Accelerator topics, including specific policy areas and park quality and use, through literature reviews, interviews, and case studies.
- Analyze findings to identify insights and actionable recommendations.
- Develop policy resources and tools to share high-impact solutions and strategies, promoting socialization and uptake in the field.
- Serve in project management roles for specific efforts, including creating and implementing work plans.
- Assist with outreach to local governments, organizations, and external partners to collect data, build partnerships, and advance TPL’s city technical assistance efforts.
- Provide research and additional support to Park Equity Accelerator and other 10-Minute Walk® projects.
- Develop deliverables and resources to support climate resilience, health benefits, and equitable park access.
- Support logistics and planning for Park Equity Accelerator events and other program convenings.
- Attend select urban parks events and/or conferences.
- Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with colleagues, municipalities, and partner organizations.
- Participate in regular team and organizational meetings.
- Support and engage with other relevant projects as opportunities arise.
Essential Qualifications:
- Interest and curiosity in urban parks and greenspaces and their impact on community wellbeing.
- Positive attitude and an interest and ability to develop partner relationships while being sensitive to balancing research aims with partners’ needs.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively on a geographically distributed team and with staff in other departments.
- Detail oriented and organized.
- Willingness to adapt and remain flexible as projects and priorities change.
- Comfort with problem-solving.
- Excellent project management and research skills with strong attention to detail.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Commitment to the full fellowship term until August 2025.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Degree in urban planning, parks and recreation, geography, community development, or related fields or similar experience
- Experience preparing narrative reports, tables, charts and presentation graphics.
- Experience communicating research findings to specific audiences.
- Comfortable with data review and ability to make relevant data requests.
- Experience with data analysis software programs (e.g. Microsoft Excel functions)
- Experience with local government policies and structures.
- Applicant must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.
This position will run through August of 2025 and can be performed remotely with a preference for candidates who reside within a commutable distance to a TPL office.
Compensation
This is a full-time, non-exempt position which will run through August 2025.
As an employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience. This fellow will be compensated at a rate of $29/hr.
Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.
