SUBJECT
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SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS AND DONATIONS AND RATIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND DONATIONS EXCEEDING $5,000 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND RELATED CEQA EXEMPTION (DISTRICTS: ALL)
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OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego (County) Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) enhances quality of life in the San Diego region by providing exceptional parks and recreation experiences and preserving significant natural resources so that people can enjoy clean air and water, rich biodiversity, and access to open space. DPR’s ability to provide exceptional customer service to millions of patrons each year is supported by donations from the San Diego County Parks Society (Parks Society). County Board of Supervisors (Board) Policy A-112, Acceptance and Use of Gifts and Donations, permits the acceptance of donations by the administrative head of each County department. County Administrative Code Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, requires Board ratification of the acceptance of such gifts and approval prior to the expenditure of the gift if the amount exceeds $5,000.
During the reporting period of July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, DPR received cash and in-kind donations from the Parks Society totaling $165,401.76. These donations provided materials and funding for multiple public holiday events, recreational activities, and educational programs at parks throughout the region. This includes recurring, donation-supported events that take place countywide, such as Summer Movies in the Park, the Discovery Program, and the First Time Camping Program. The Parks Society is a non-profit organization established in 1980 to support and improve the County’s vast park system. The Parks Society’s support helps maintain and operate County parks and assists with ongoing and expanded programming.
In addition to donations from the Parks Society, DPR received non-cash donations valued at $154,918.38 from three non-profit organizations. These organizations, and their respective donations, include the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center, who donated audiovisual equipment to the Fallbrook Community Center totaling $94,088.92, the Fallbrook Senior Center, that donated kitchen appliances for the Fallbrook Community Center totaling $30,175.26, and the Valley Center Little League, that donated baseball infield soil totaling $30,654.20.
Today’s proposed actions are to accept DPR’s Report of Gifts and Donations for the period of July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, to ratify the acceptance of those gifts and donations to DPR totaling $320,320.14, and to authorize the Chair of the Board to sign letters of appreciation to donors whose donations exceed $5,000.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find that the proposed actions are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(3) and 15378(b)(5).
2. In accordance with County of San Diego (County) Administrative Code Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, and Board of Supervisors (Board) Policy A-112, Acceptance and Use of Gifts and Donations, accept the County Department of Parks and Recreation Report of Gifts and Donations from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 from the San Diego County Parks Society totaling $165,401.76, the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center totaling $94,088.92, the Fallbrook Senior Center totaling $30,175.26, and the Valley Center Little League totaling $30,654.20 (Attachment A).
3. In accordance with County Administrative Code Section 66 and Board Policy A-112, ratify the acceptance of gifts from the San Diego County Parks Society, Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center, the Fallbrook Senior Center, and the Valley Center Little League for the period of July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, that exceed $5,000.
4. Authorize the Chair of the County Board of Supervisors to sign letters of appreciation on behalf of the County of San Diego to the San Diego County Parks Society, the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center, the Fallbrook Senior Center, and the Valley Center Little League (Attachment B).
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The acceptance of donations assists the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) in continuing and expanding special events, community celebrations, activities in nature, and active recreation for the benefit of all residents and visitors. Donations allow DPR to provide additional supplies and services for youth, families, and communities that encourage sharing experiences, cultural traditions, and resources to strengthen a sense of belonging.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Acceptance of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s (DPR) Report of Gifts and Donations supports several of the County of San Diego’s (County) Sustainability Goals, including Sustainability Goal No. 4, protecting health and well-being, by expanding opportunities for community members to access outdoor recreation and nature through special events, programs, and activities that are supported through donations DPR receives. In addition, donations to DPR support County Sustainability Goal No. 6, providing opportunities for all residents to access and enjoy the outdoors, by protecting and expanding open space and park/recreation access through aligning available services with resources to maintain fiscal stability and ensure long-term solvency.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with today’s recommendations. During the July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 reporting period, the Department of Parks and Recreation received donations from the San Diego County Parks Society totaling $165,401.76, the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center totaling $94,088.92, the Fallbrook Senior Center totaling $30,175.26, and the Valley Center Little League totaling $30,654.20. The total of all donations received is $320,320.14, with $55,783.99 donated in cash and $264,536.15 donated in-kind. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The County of San Diego (County) Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides numerous educational, social, and physically active programs and celebratory holiday events annually throughout its parks system. Established in 1980, the San Diego County Parks Society (Parks Society) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support DPR goals, activities, and programs, and to preserve and enhance cultural, community, and natural resources through charitable contributions. The Parks Society offers these donations to assist in offsetting the costs of public events and programs that support the County’s effort to provide exceptional customer service.
Donations received from the Parks Society support DPR’s mission to enhance quality of life in the region by providing exceptional parks and recreation experiences and preserving significant natural resources. Donations are accepted for County parks and programs that take place in the County parks system throughout the region. These programs and events introduce new opportunities for many people who have never participated in a hike or campout, or had the opportunity to visit parks outside their neighborhood. Through donations from the Parks Society, DPR can provide these opportunities at little to no cost to participants. This includes donations that support events and programs taking place countywide, such as the Discovery Program, the First Time Camping Program, Summer Movies in the Park, and Women in the Wild. Donations to the Discovery Program helped immerse students and teachers from urban areas in nature-related activities designed to educate about scientific phenomena and the history of the local environment. These experiences included a classroom visit by a County Park Ranger and a follow-up field trip to the Park Ranger’s facility. This period also included donations for “Back 2 School Jam” events at both Lakeside and Spring Valley Teen Centers, where each event provided backpacks to youth before the start of their school year. In addition, donations from the Parks Society supported a new Pages in the Park event at Heritage County Park, where the event fostered social connection, further grew the county’s community of readers, and simultaneously inspired an appreciation for nature. Donations also supported holiday-related special events throughout the region, including various fall and holiday-themed festivals such as the Waterfront Park Pumpkin Patch and the 13th Annual Fallbrook Holiday Tree Lighting Festival.
DPR also received a donation from the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center of modern audiovisual equipment for the Fallbrook Community Center auditorium to enhance recreational and enrichment programs, community special events, and facility rentals. A donation was also received from the Fallbrook Senior Center of new kitchen appliances for the Fallbrook Community Center for use by the Senior Center’s longstanding senior lunch program, customers renting the kitchen, and for DPR-sponsored community special events and enrichment programs. A donation was also received from the Valley Center Little League for new baseball infield soil to provide additional practice and game ballfield space for use by the league and the public at Valley Center Community Park.
Donations received during this reporting period of July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 provided opportunities to improve residents’ mental and physical health and helped educate residents on the region’s native animals and the environment we share with them. Donations were also used to improve special events and facilities, so communities could come together to celebrate and support their local community.
In accordance with County Administrative Code Section 66, Acceptance of Gifts, DPR is reporting donations for the period of July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, as shown in Attachment A. The total of all donations received is $320,320.14 ($165,401.76 from the San Diego County Parks Society, $94,088.92 from the Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center, $30,175.26 from the Fallbrook Senior Center, and $30,654.20 from the Valley Center Little League).
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
The proposed actions are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3) 15378(b)(5). The actions to accept the Report of Gifts and Donations from the San Diego County Parks Society, Friends of the Fallbrook Community Center, Fallbrook Senior Center, and Valley Center Little League are covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA only applies to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. It can be seen with certainty that today’s actions will not result in a significant effect on the environment because they are administrative in nature. Also, today’s actions are not projects as defined by Section 15378(b)(5) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the actions are administrative in nature and will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action to accept the donations shown in Attachment A supports the Sustainability and Community Strategic Initiatives in the County of San Diego’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by protecting and promoting our natural and agricultural resources, diverse habitats, and sensitive species, and providing programs and services that enhance the community through increasing the well-being of our residents and our environment.
Respectfully submitted,
Dahvia lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - Department of Parks and Recreation Report of Gifts and Donations
Attachment B - Letters of Appreciation