NeighborSpace

About us

NeighborSpace is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to acquire and preserve the community-based management of small parks, gardens, natural areas, river edges, and scenic landscapes in the City of Chicago for preservation, conservation, and educational public open space purposes.

The City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, and Forest Preserve District of Cook County worked together to establish NeighborSpace as a non-profit in 1996 and charged the organization with the mission to acquire such properties and ensure their continued survival. These three governmental agencies continue to provide leadership and financial support to protect community-managed open spaces in Chicago.

NeighborSpace is the only nonprofit urban land trust in Chicago that preserves and sustains gardens on behalf of dedicated community groups. We shoulder the responsibilities of property ownership — such as providing basic insurance, access to water, and links to support networks — so that community groups can focus on gardening. NeighborSpace-protected gardens give young and old alike an opportunity to get their hands in the earth and enjoy nature, right in their own neighborhoods.

We understand that gardeners invest an enormous amount of time, funds, sweat and heart into these sites, and that these are the very ingredients that make community gardens beautiful and unique. The NeighborSpace land trust works to protect local sites by:
• Providing permanent protection against potential development
• Establishing local partnerships that ensure community management and control
• Covering basic liability insurance for gardeners and volunteers
• Developing resources and opportunities through the Stewardship Mini Grant Program
• Providing stewardship support, and technical assistance

Ben Helphand is the Executive Director of NeighborSpace.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.