We get a variety of Placemaking Micro-grant applications from our REALTOR® Associations to build playgrounds in their communities.   Additional funding is usually always needed.    I just came across another grant available from KaBOOM!  to support the creation of playgrounds so that children, and their families, have a safe place to gather and play.

There is also a Toolkit available which is particularly helpful as it is designed to walk you through the process of how to create a community-build playspace. From fundraising to volunteer recruitment, this Toolkit can help you take your project from start to finish with over a decade's worth of KaBOOM! knowledge, advice, and best practices in building playspaces.

As for the grant, Dr Pepper Snapple & KaBOOM! have teamed up to offer $15,000 grants to be used toward the purchase of playground equipment. Grantees will lead their community through a self-guided planning process, using the $15,000 grant towards the total cost of playground equipment and assembling the playground using the KaBOOM! community-build model. Grantees have up to one year to build the playground and will have the support of a remote KaBOOM! Grants Manager and an onsite Certified Playground Installer. For more information about the community build model, go to kaboom.org/toolkit.

Next steps:

  1. Apply today! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year so be sure to submit an application pro-actively.
  2. Applications will be reviewed when complete. If eligible, all applicants will be contacted by email of eligibility and instructions for next steps.
  3. Funding Application Deadlines
    • Cycle 1: April 29
    • Cycle 2: July 1
    • Cycle 3: September 9

Applicants with fully submitted applications will be notified of their status two (2) months after each funding application cycle deadline.

Eligibility:

Municipalities, schools, and child-serving nonprofit organizations without a playground or with existing equipment that is unsafe for children are eligible for this opportunity.

Applicants must:

  • Own land or have permission to build
  • Spend $24,000 to $40,000 on playground equipment (not including surfacing, site prep, freight, contractor fees, benches, and other non-playground equipment items)
  • Work with a KaBOOM! Preferred Vendor (BCI Burke, Landscape Structures, Playworld Systems or Miracle Recreation)
  • Use the KaBOOM! community-build model to plan and build the playground
  • Finish project within 12 months of award
  • Serve a low-income population
  • Demonstrate a strong need for a new playspace in the community

If you have any other questions about the application process, please email grants@kaboom.org with "Community Construction Grant" in the subject line.

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