Our Mission
Groundwork Erie, a 501(c)3 organization, exists to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships that empower people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being.
Groundwork Erie Impact Map
Check out where the Green Team has worked so far in 2025!
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East Bayfront Greenway Trail
Groundwork Erie is partnering with the City of Erie and the Redevelopment Authority to reimagine a network of vacant lots throughout the Lower Eastside of Erie. Our Green Team maintains and beautifies these spaces in the summer. We also talk with neighbors about what they would like to see throughout the Greenway and advocate for the community’s voices to be central to the project.
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Erie Farm to School Partnership
Groundwork Erie’s Green Team partners with the Erie Farm to School project in the summer to assist with maintaining the school gardens that this program has developed at every public school in the City of Erie. Green Teamers learn about plants and gardening and helped to distribute fresh produce.
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Neighborhood Partnership
Groundwork Erie partners with many existing neighborhood organizations to help maintain, beautify and clean-up vacant lots throughout the city. Our Green Team picks up litter, installs landscaping, cleans up alleyways, removes invasive species, plants trees, and works in neighborhood community gardens.
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Urban Farms and Pay-What-You-Can Partnership
In 2025, Groundwork Erie’s Green Team has partnered with many local urban farmers to help grow, glean, and distribute produce for the Pay-What-You-Can Farmstands. Green Team grows at the new 4th St Community Farm.
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Urban Forestry Tree Crew
In 2025, Groundwork Erie launched its Tree Crew, a workforce development initiative designed for youth and young adults to build skills in forestry, arboriculture, and other cooling and stormwater infrastructure.
Groundwork USA’s Vision for Community-led Change
“Nearly a decade ago, Groundwork realized our work goes beyond changing places and changing lives; our success requires and enables us to work together to change systems. It’s how we do our work to change places and lives that creates systems change.”
