Friends of Waterfront Park Strategic Plan: 2025‑2030
Aerial view of Waterfront Park from the West side. Photo by Erik Holsather.
A Park for the People, a Plan for the Future
From 2012 to 2025, Friends of Waterfront Park worked alongside the City of Seattle, residents, and community partners to transform a bold civic vision into a living, breathing public space. Over the years, Friends raised $170 million to help build the park and fuel its first thirteen years of work; convened more than 10,000 community members to shape its design, programming, and public safety; and welcomed millions of visitors as each acre came to life—culminating in a Grand Opening Celebration that brought more than 50,000 people together on our waterfront.
Now, with the full 20-acre, world-class park complete, Friends is turning the page and looking toward the next five years. What is a park without its people? Our work now centers on managing, resourcing, programming, and stewarding this civic space in partnership with the community—ensuring both Waterfront Park and Friends remain strong, healthy, and financially resilient for generations.
Five years from now, the park should feel even more beautiful and alive—its landscapes matured, its spaces well cared for, and its programs vibrant, inclusive, and rooted in belonging. It should continue to be a place where everyone feels at home in their city, safe and connected to one other and the natural world.
This is the vision that guides us. At the heart of Waterfront Park is a promise of connection between people, nature, and the city itself. And at the heart of Friends is a commitment to sustain that connection, nurture it, and ensure it endures.
We invite you to help shape what comes next and to be part of this rich and dynamic community.
Let’s be Friends.
-Joy Shigaki
President & CEO
Our Mission
To bring people and local communities together to ensure Waterfront Park thrives as a vibrant gathering space—fostering connections and honoring Seattle’s natural beauty and stories.
Our Vision
Seattle is transformed by Waterfront Park, a public space sparking joy, connection, and belonging with every visit.
Core Values
Community
We cultivate an inclusive, connected community that honors every local’s voice and history.
Equity
We prioritize historically marginalized communities, ensuring fair access to Waterfront Park’s benefits.
Care
We care for our park, our people, and our neighbors.
Collaboration
We work together with communities, partners, and stakeholders to create a thriving, vibrant park.
Adaptability
We stay agile and open to new ideas, evolving to meet the needs of our community.
Strategic Goals & Key Initiatives
Safety & Stewardship are Foundational
A safe, clean, and accessible park and an approach that is human centered, community driven, and grounded in care.
- Evaluate and improve Friends’ approach to safety and maintenance
- Shape public perception with strategic messaging
- Advocate for public funding and safe park access
Centering People in Place, Today and Into the Future
This strategy integrates an earned revenue program that provides the financial means for Friends to continue to champion free public programs that support Seattle’s diverse communities and their deepening connection to Coast Salish lands.
- Launch updated mission, vision, and values
- Define and balance earned revenue activations with cultural programming
- Set criteria for partnerships and storefront activation
- Support advocacy for permanent public space on Pier 48
Sustainability for Generations
Financial sustainability and Friends’ position as a leading organization on the waterfront and downtown are key outcomes. The strategy emphasizes diversified funding, adaptive leadership, and data driven decision-making to ensure Waterfront Park is resourced for generations to come.
- Target key government funding
- Grow individual giving and community support
- Launch an evergreen program fund
- Use storytelling and strategic communications to grow awareness
Photo by Brandon Patoc
A World Class Park Deserves a World Class Organization
Investing in systems, processes, staff, and Board of Directors that position Friends as a trusted leader in managing and activating Waterfront Park.
- Build internal systems for data, alignment, and collaboration
- Reorganize staffing and roles to meet strategic needs
- Cultivate a Board that reflects, supports, and champions our mission, vision, and values