Grants
One of the biggest challenges facing any community-build playground project is fundraising. That is why KaBOOM! offers communities occasional grant opportunities to begin or complete playspace projects.
KaBOOM! is not a direct grant-making foundation, nor do we act as a fundraising agent, seeking contributions for specific projects. Occasionally, however, we are able to administer challenge grant programs thanks to our dedicated and generous Funding Partners.
Current KaBOOM! grant opportunities:
Construction Grants
Open to schools / organizations / communties
Dr Pepper Snapple Group and KaBOOM! are excited to offer $15,000 Let's Play Playground Construction Grants to qualifying organizations using the KaBOOM! community-build model. Grantees will plan their project, and share best practices and challenges through the KaBOOM! website.
Follow these steps to apply:
- In order to be eligible for the grant, you must meet the following criteria:
- Submit a completed application by July 31, 2011 (Round 2).
- Award can only be used towards the purchase of playground equipment from a KaBOOM! Preferred Vendor.
- Applicant (future playground owner) must own the land or possess a long-term lease and must obtain permission from the land owner.
- Applicant must be a non-profit organization or governmental subdivision.
- Playground project cannot be supported through any other KaBOOM! funding.
- Playground project must be a part of the Project Planner as a part of the application process.
- Scope of playground project must include a total equipment purchase of a minimum of $24,000 and a maximum of $40,000.
- Project must be completed within a year of award.
- Demonstrated ability to maintain the playground and fulfill commitments of the grant program.
- To get started, you must either already have a KaBOOM! Project Planner page up and running, or you must start one now.
- Once you have created your KaBOOM! Project Planner page, sign in and navigate to the tab on the left hand side of the page that says "Grants."
- Read through each of the expandable sections so that you understand the complete program.
- Click the blue "Apply for a grant!" button.
- Next, fill out the entire online application, and provide supplemental materials as outlined in the instructions. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully so that we can process your application.
- If you have questions about the grant process please contact grants@kaboom.org.
If your community does not have the land to build a playground, there is also an option to apply for Imagination Playground in a Cart. For more information about this opportunity, visit grants.kaboom.org/grants/dpsipc.
Spruce grants
Open to schools / organizations / communties
Attention all playground owners! Thanks to generous support from Dr Pepper Snapple Group, KaBOOM! will be awarding grants of $750 each to communities this year who wish to make their playgrounds cleaner, safer and more inviting.
The Let’s Play Spruce grants are designed to reward communities that have maintained and "spruced" their playspaces since their playground build. Communities must demonstrate that they have maintained their playspace and they have led an improvement project in the last 60 days. Communities that demonstrate this will receive a $750 gift card to further enhance or improve their playspace. Click here to download the application.
Playful City USA Grants
Open to cities
Let’s Play grants are available to communities that are applying to be a Playful City USA community in 2011. See kaboom.org/playfulcityusa for more information.
A National Partner of KaBOOM!, Dr Pepper Snapple Group has made a $15 million, three-year commitment to the organization as part of the company’s Let’s Play initiative. Let’s Play is a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group designed to get kids active nationwide. Together through Let’s Play, DPS and KaBOOM! will build or fix up 2,000 playgrounds by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children across North America. For more information about Let’s Play, visit letsplay.com.
KaBOOM! Community Partner funding opportunities
We are currently doing outreach to locate potential Community Partners in cities and towns across North America to create playgrounds with KaBOOM! and our corporate partners in 2011. Ideal Community Partners are usually child-serving non-profit organizations, but can be community development organizations, neighborhood coalitions, schools or any organization that can mobilize a volunteer force and is in need of a new playground! Find out more about KaBOOM! Community Partner funding opportunities.
Other grant opportunities we've heard about:
The Stewardship Council 2011 Grant Fund -
The Stewardship Council will commit between $2.0 million and $2.5 million in grant funding for 2011. We will continue to offer three grant funds. Click on the fund name to go to the RFP and Application page for each fund.
- Catalyst* - Program grant requests up to $15,000
*Open only to organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000.
- Impact - Program grant requests up to $15,000-$50,000
*Open only to organizations with annual operating budgets of more than $250,000.
- Infrastructure- Infrastructure grant requests up to $200,000
State Farm Company Grants for Neighborhood Improvement - What makes a community great? Safe neighborhoods, strong neighborhoods, and educational excellence-which is why State Farm offers grants in each of these three areas. All US 501(c)(3)s are eligible. Grant Cycle: January 2 - October 31. Full Details
Do Something Mini-Grants - Are you working to start a community action project or program? Do you need money to turn your ideas into action? Do you have a sustainable community action project, program or idea? We give out a $500 Do Something Seed Grant every week to help young people just like YOU! Closing Date: Currently no deadline; 2-3 month notification.Full Details
School Breakfast Wellness Partnership - Action for Healthy Kids and the Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship Fund are offering 90 schools a chance to expand their daily breakfast programs. The award amount will be based, in part, on a school’s ability to mobilize parents and students around school breakfast initiatives. Priority selection will be given to schools with low student breakfast participation and to schools or districts that are nominated by or receive a letter of support from their state Action for Healthy Kids team. Full Details
Know of a playground related grant that's not listed here? Let us know! Email webmaster@kaboom.org with the details!
