Volunteering with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is a powerful way to give back. By joining us, you’ll help enhance local parks, support urban forestry, and inspire environmental stewardship. Whether you’re planting trees or leading a cleanup, your time makes a real difference.
Ready to get started?
Help protect natural resources in our parks and green spaces through workdays and continued education.
Join our next tree planting, park cleanup, or park support project. No experience needed – just bring your enthusiasm!
Become certified through hands-on training. Lead projects and help grow our urban forest!
Take a leadership role in the care of your neighborhood park. Our Adopt-a-Park program connects passionate neighbors with their local park and provides tools and support to help bring their vision to life. Adopt-a-Park stewards commit to leading four park beautification projects per year.
Create an experience tailored to your group’s size, availability, and interests. Our volunteer program provides an excellent opportunity for corporate groups and organizations to give back while strengthening their own teams. We can identify a park or tree project that your group will love.
Explore our Volunteer Handbook for detailed guidance on getting started, FAQs, and essential tips for making the most of your volunteer experience.
Volunteers must complete a waiver before participating in a volunteer project. If you sign up for a project online, you can fill out the form here! If not, we will bring printed forms available at the event.
*All volunteers under the age of 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent and/or guardian. Any volunteer under the age of 18 without a signed waiver will not be able to participate.
Most of Friends’ volunteer opportunities are great for teens and even children to participate in! We do not require a parent or guardian on-site for volunteers 14 years and older; volunteers under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
It is mandatory that all volunteers have a complete volunteer waiver on file before participating in a project. If you register your child online, you can fill out the form here! If not, we will blank printed forms available at the event.
Be prepared to get dirty! Wear clothes you are comfortable possibly getting oil-based paints, woodchips, and dirt on. All volunteers at tree planting and pruning projects must wear closed-toe shoes.
We also suggest layers. You can work up quite a sweat planting trees!
Volunteers should bring a snack and water. Friends does its best to provide a water source for volunteers but this is not always possible. Bring sunscreen if you are prone to sunburn.
Quite often, we plant trees and clean up parks in (light) rain or shine! Our team monitors weather reports if inclement weather is expected, and will send out an email communication before the project time if we decide to cancel. All projects will be postponed in the event of thunder.
All are welcome to volunteer! Friends of Grand Rapids Parks provide equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sexual preference, age, or disability. Volunteers are expected to follow all instructions given by Friends of Grand Rapids Parks staff or team leader at volunteer project.
Use of tobacco and other substances is not allowed at any Friends of Grand Rapids Parks event, with the exception of alcohol at ticketed and regulated fundraising events.
Contact us if there is a volunteer opportunity that you want to see happen in our community’s parks!
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Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is a federally recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. EIN 26-1406547
