SCORP Home

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)

The SCORP is an inclusive plan for all agencies that operate more than 14,000 parks and provide recreation services throughout California. It serves as a vision for public outdoor recreation grant priorities in urban and rural neighborhoods, cities, and regions. California’s SCORP reaches a statewide and national audience including health agencies, the Governor’s Office, and the Secretary of the Interior.

California’s SCORP Action Plan is updated every five years to establish grant priorities to address unmet needs throughout the State.

Child with binoculars looks up into the trees

California's Next 2026-2030 SCORP Development

To help shape the vision for California’s 2026-2030 SCORP, the Community Engagement Division (CED) formed an Advisory Council (AC) in spring 2024 that included local park directors and planners, nonprofit organizations, and college professors. The AC Meetings took place in Fresno, Long Beach, Redding, Richmond, Salinas, San Diego, Santa Maria, and Sacramento.

The next phase in the SCORP development is to meet with residents throughout the state. During the Public Focus Groups, residents will be asked to share their thoughts about parks and recreational programs in their community. CED aims to learn and understand the nexus between parks and recreation and health and safety challenges within communities from the residents’ point of view, in addition to changes to local park and recreation needs since the pandemic. The Public Focus Groups began in summer 2024 and will last through fall 2024 in over 30 locations throughout California.

If you would like to participate in giving feedback on California's next SCORP report, please email your contact information to SCORP@parks.ca.gov.

2021-2025 Report Summary

View 2021-2025 Summary 

This report sets grant priorities for outdoor recreation access in California for the next five years. Building on the 2015-2020 SCORP, this SCORP empowers local communities to create, expand, and improve close-to-home parks for all Californians.

Community Based Planning

View the Planning Guide 

Designing successful parks is an art — and one that is so much more meaningful when community members themselves participate directly in the design process. Find out what we have learned from 20 years of community-based park planning.

Vision for Park Equity

View Park Equity Data Guide 

Knowing where people need parks is not as simple as it sounds. Over more than a decade, we have developed data and tools to accurately use both park acreage data and demographics to assess where park access is needed. Find out how we did it, and where California can go from here.

2017 Focus Groups

In 2017, we convened focus groups across the state and hundreds of Californians attended to share their vision about how parks and outdoor recreation can improve health in their communities.

Focus Groups 

Advisory Council

Our advisory council has provided expert input on the 2020-2025 SCORP. Representatives of more than 100 public agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations have helped inform priorities for the 2020-2025 SCORP.

Advisory Council 

2015 SCORP: Meeting the Park Needs of All Californians

California’s 2015 SCORP was the result of extensive public input and a statewide evaluation of existing park and recreation lands.

The upcoming 2020-2025 SCORP will prioritize public health in parks, building on California’s 2015 focus for park access and park equity.

View 2015 Report 

Who is the SCORP Team?

The Team is within the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS). OGALS is a full-service organization dedicated to meeting California's diverse park and recreation needs. Since 1964, over 7,500 parks have been created or improved through OGALS’ grants. Since 2000, nearly $4 billion in grants have been administered by OGALS.

The SCORP is required for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants through the National Park Service.