§ 10–302. Authority of Department of Parks and Recreation.
(a) The Department may accept donations, gifts by devise or bequest, grants, and any other type of asset from individuals, clubs, groups, corporations, partnerships, and other governmental entities, except that such acceptance must be approved by the Mayor before it occurs.
(b)(1) Department buildings and grounds may be used for fund-raising activities by the Department, Friends Groups, Designated Organizations, and for-profit organizations contracted for and supervised by the Department, Friends Groups, or Designated Organizations; provided, that Friends Groups and Designated Organizations may use Department buildings and grounds for fundraising activities no more than 12 times per year.
(2) Except with regard to fundraising activities by Friends Groups and Designated Organizations, the Department shall manage received property or funds in accordance with the provisions or conditions of the donation, gift, grant, or other type of transfer, including the investment of the principal of such property or funds. The Mayor shall consider the donor’s choice of which site, program, or operation should be the recipient of the property.
(3) All property and funds obtained by the Friends Groups and Designated Organizations shall be for the benefit of Department facilities or programs. All funds raised for or by Friends Groups and Designated Organizations shall be deposited in a dedicated bank account in the name of the Friends Group or Designated Organization and expended solely for improvements, costs, or services for the associated park, program, event, recreation facility, or other Department facility, in accordance with the terms of the Park Partner Agreement, if applicable.
(4) Friends Groups and Designated Organizations shall provide semiannual accounting to the Department of all funds collected.
(b-1) On a property under its jurisdiction, control, or use, the Department may charge reasonable prices for department activities and issue fee-based use permits in accordance with § 10-302.01.
(c) Department buildings and grounds shall not be used for any commercial, profit-making, fundraising, or other solicitation by any agency, individual, or organization, except as specifically provided in this section.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the Department’s authority to issue permits pursuant to § 10-137.01.
(e) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2017, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Department shall issue a $235,000 grant to an organization to provide programming for low-income children who are District residents at Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The grantee shall have experience in providing such programming and shall not charge a participation fee to low-income residents.
(1) Shall issue a grant of not less than $150,000 to an organization to plan, promote, and manage events and programs for the community in the new Eastern Market Metro Park. The organizer shall obtain permits, book talent, publicize programming, and supervise the site during events and clean up.
(2) May issue one or more grants to individual program providers and nonprofit organizations to assist the Department in implementing a comprehensive program of public recreation as described in § 10-213.
