Ex-Leaders of Parks Alliance to Testify on Misuse of Millions in SF Park Funds

Former leaders of the San Francisco nonprofit that shut down in June after allegedly misspending millions of dollars meant for city parks will testify before the Board of Supervisors on Thursday.

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee is set to question former San Francisco Parks Alliance CEOs Robert Ogilvie and Drew Becher, as well as former treasurer Rick Hutchinson, about how the nonprofit mispent at least $3.8 million.

“I have questions about internal controls that were in place; how and who became aware of what and when; and how our community organizations in the city are going to be made whole if the funding has completely dried up,” Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who chairs the committee, told KQED on Wednesday.

What’s happening: Former leaders of the Parks Alliance, who the city’s government oversight committee subpoenaed in June, will take questions from supervisors on Thursday. They’re expected to explain how the Alliance, a nonprofit that worked closely with the city’s Recreation and Parks Department and acted as the fundraising arm for about 80 community groups, misspent nearly $4 million, though Fielder said they plan to appear with attorneys.

“Hopefully we’ll get some answers as to how this all transpired and happened, although it’s unclear … as they’re also going to be there with their lawyers,” Fielder said.

Catch up fast: Partner organizations began raising concerns about the Parks Alliance’s finances in late April, after struggling to get reimbursements. In May, the board chair, Louise Mozingo, told a donor in leaked emails that the Alliance had used at least $3.8 million earmarked for specific projects to cover operating expenses, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

More than $1 million of the misspent money is owed to the city’s Recreation and Parks Department.

Days later, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins launched a criminal investigation into the Parks Alliance. City Attorney David Chiu and Controller Greg Wagner also announced a public integrity review of the nonprofit’s finances. On May 23, Mayor Daniel Lurie directed departments to halt all funding to the organization. The organization collapsed in early June.

Warning signs: This isn’t the first time the Parks Alliance has been mired in scandal. In 2020, former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru funneled nearly $1 million in donations from city contractors into a Parks Alliance bank account for personal use. He was convicted of fraud and sentenced to seven years in federal prison two years later.

In 2021, Supervisor Connie Chan raised concerns that the nonprofit’s donations were unfairly influencing investment decisions by the parks department. Her concerns prompted a subpoena of financial transactions between the Parks Alliance and the parks department.

What we’re watching: One of the biggest questions now is what happens to the Alliance’s many community partners — groups that coordinate park cleanups, maintain public water fountains and staircases, and perform habitat restoration and trail maintenance, among other things.

Most of the groups don’t have tax-exempt status and rely on the Parks Alliance to hold and distribute funds. While many are volunteer-run, a few had employees who were technically employed by the Parks Alliance — and were laid off in June.

The groups said in June that about $1.7 million they raised collectively was misappropriated by the nonprofit.

“We put our money that we raised under very difficult circumstances, with trust into San Francisco Parks Alliance. And we’re wondering where that trust has gone and what can be done about it,” Devi Joseph, who founded Friends of Cabrillo Playground, told supervisors at a June oversight committee hearing.

KQED’s Matthew Green contributed to this report.