(The Center Square) – The King County Parks and Recreation Division plans to do a better job going forward, following a King County Auditor’s Office report released earlier this month that found the division’s grant management has not kept pace with its rapid growth since 2017.
The division’s grant program has expanded dramatically, growing from $3 million in 2017 to more than $100 million projected for 2026 through 2031. The primary driver of that growth is the $1.45 billion, six-year Parks Levy approved by voters in August 2025, which brings in an average of $20 million annually in grant opportunities.
The audit, which analyzed 288 grants in 2023 and 2024, did not find evidence of fraud but spotlighted gaps in financial practices that prevented confirmation that all payments aligned with the intended program goals.
“We appreciate the Auditor’s Office’s rigorous review of our community grants program, which found no evidence of fraud, waste, or misuse of public funds,” King County Parks Director Warren Jimenez said in a statement provided to The Center Square. “We will fully implement each of their recommendations to strengthen our evaluation processes to make sure we’re producing the desired outcomes for each public dollar we invest.”
According to the audit’s executive summary, “The Parks Division recently made substantial improvements to its process; however, the program is still relatively under-developed given its size and responsibilities, and it would benefit from more focus on planning and governance. Parks has not yet defined specific and measurable objectives to guide its grants program, increasing the risk that it distributes its resources in ways that do not support the grants program’s intent.”
Key audit findings include:
The division did not establish specific, measurable goals for its grant programs, creating a high risk of misalignment between funding allocation and intended outcomes.The division lacked adequate monitoring of grant recipients, making it difficult to verify if projects met their aims or to demonstrate the overall impact of the funds.Gaps in financial procedures and documentation prevented auditors from verifying that payments to grantees were consistently aligned with program objectives.Compliance requirements were not tailored to risk, applying the same documentation standards to grants regardless of their size, ranging from $2,000 to $2 million.
The Parks Division accepted all 11 recommendations from the King County Auditor’s Office, including implementing a risk-based financial strategy; establishing clearer, measurable goals; and improving invoice documentation.
“We’re also grateful that the report acknowledges the improvements we’ve already made, reinforcing our reputation as trusted financial stewards,” Jimenez said. “The stronger framework will make our grant program even more effective under the renewed levy, supporting trusted community-based organizations that help us expand the places and activities that keep us healthy and connected.
“We’re taking immediate actions on each of the Auditor’s Office recommendations.”
