Saint Paul Parks Conservancy and Great River Passage Conservancy merge to expand impact

Two of Saint Paul’s leading park nonprofits – the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy and the Great River Passage Conservancy – will merge on Jan. 1, 2026. Together, under the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy name, the two organizations will combine their passion, expertise and community spirit to strengthen partnerships, simplify fundraising and make it easier to create and invest in the vibrant, welcoming parks and river spaces Saint Paul is known for.
“This merger builds on years of partnership and shared purpose,” said Michael-jon Pease, Saint Paul Parks Conservancy president and chief parks champion. “By uniting our efforts – much the way our rivers come together in a confluence – we can mobilize greater resources, amplify our reach and accelerate our impact. As one, we can help make every Saint Paul park and mile of river welcoming, vibrant and accessible.” 
A natural evolution for a shared mission
The two conservancies have long shared a common goal: connecting people to the beauty of Saint Paul’s outdoors. The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy, founded in 2008, has raised nearly $5 million for neighborhood park projects that bring people together and expand outdoor access across the city.
Since 2018, the Great River Passage Conservancy has helped people experience Saint Paul’s 17 miles of the Mississippi River in new and more accessible ways, turning community input from the 2012 Great River Passage Master Plan into real-world projects and programming.
Starting in January, the Great River Passage will continue as an initiative within the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy, keeping its strong focus on connecting people to the river through signature projects and creative programs that celebrate this defining feature of our city.
“The Great River Passage Conservancy isn’t going away – it’s becoming even more effective and impactful,” said Peter Myers, Great River Passage Conservancy board chair. “Together, we can do more for the river, for the parks and for the people of Saint Paul.”
Rooted in parks, flowing with the river
With 184 parks citywide and 99% of residents living within a 10-minute walk of one, nature is an everyday part of life in Saint Paul. Nearly half of the city’s parkland lines the Mississippi River.
“Saint Paul’s identity is deeply rooted both in its parks and in the river,” said Andy Rodriguez, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation director. “This merger strengthens the public-private partnerships that make our park system one of the best in the nation and ensures it stays that way for generations to come.”
The success of Saint Paul’s parks system is due, in part, to the collaboration between the City and its nonprofit partners. While the City oversees operations and maintenance, organizations like the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy and Great River Passage Conservancy make it possible to dream bigger – raising private dollars for new projects, creative programming and large-scale community improvements.
The merged Conservancy will operate under a unified board of directors, led by President and Chief Parks Champion Michael-jon Pease. Jodi Massey, currently interim executive director of the Great River Passage Conservancy, will serve as director of the Great River Passage Initiative, and Shari Blindt will continue as director of parks and play.