Grant and Fundraising Resources

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) periodically posts information about grant and fundraising opportunities that are available for park and recreation agencies, affiliated friends group, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Any opportunities listed under “Current NRPA Grant Opportunities” are sponsored through NRPA. All other resources and opportunities are through outside agencies. Be sure to review the provided Fundraising and Marketing Resources section at the bottom of this page to support your funding journey!

Find the funding opportunities you are looking for by using the “filter by” function on the right side of the page. Click the arrows next to “Categories”, “Projects”, and "Deadlines" to see the keywords you can use to filter by. Please note the project categories will change as new funding is made available, so be sure to check back often. Click on a funding opportunity to learn more and access the application links. 

If you are interested in learning more about NRPA's fundraising resources, please contact Miriam Lamoreaux at mlamoreaux@nrpa.org.

 

Walmart Foundation, Parks as Community Nutrition Hubs grantee Berea, KY

 

Current NRPA Opportunities

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Workforce Development Community of Practice

Funding, Grants, NRPA Opportunities, Workforce Management, Programming, Upcoming

Park and recreation agencies in rural locations (populations fewer than 50,000) are invited to apply to NRPA’s Workforce Development Community of Practice (CoP). This dynamic 12-month-long community of practice will provide park and recreation professionals with technical support and peer learning toward workforce development. This is a funded opportunity for rural agencies that currently provide workforce development programming through their out-of-school time (OST) services to youth (ages 14-21). The CoP will allow agencies to connect and learn from peers, problem-solve challenges, and receive assistance from cohort peers and industry experts. This CoP will take place from June 2024 to July 2025. Agencies will receive up to $20,000 as part of their participation. The application period for NRPA's Workforce Development Community of Practice begins May 10 and will close on June 10, 2024.

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Other Grant Opportunities

These grant opportunities are not sponsored by NRPA. More information can be found in the links below. 

 

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Pool Safely Grant Program

Funding, Grants, Health & Wellness, Infrastructure, Operations/Maintenance, Upcoming

The Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP), administered by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), intends to improve water safety and prevent drownings and drain entrapments in pools and spas. The PSGP provides funding and resources to state, local, and tribal governments to assist in implementing enforcement and education programs. Applications are due by July 12, 2024.

Knight Emerging City Champions

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Equity & Inclusion, Partnership Opportunities, Advocacy, Workforce Management, Upcoming

Knight Emerging City Champions (KECC) is a fellowship and micro-grant program for young civic innovators with bold ideas for developing engaged, inclusive and equitable communities toward a more effective democracy. This program is powered by 8 80 Cities and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Selected applicants will receive $5,000 in seed funding along with a $500 tech grant to kickstart their community projects. Applications are due by May 27, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

USA Archery Explore Archery Grant

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Categories, Health & Wellness, Projects, Programming, Upcoming

The USA Archery Explore Archery Grant is administered by USA Archery thanks to generous contributions by The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The goal is to expand archery into new communities across the United States, to recruit diverse instructors and to grow archery in urban and suburban areas. Applicants should plan to send two employees per to attend a one-day USA Archery Instructor Academy. Upon completion, participants will be certified as a USA Archery Level 2 Instructor and be well prepared to implement the Explore Archery Program. Selected applicants will receive the Explore Archery Program curriculum and achievement awards, a range rules and steps of shooting poster and the equipment necessary to implement a the Explore Archery programs for beginners. The Application Deadline is June 15, 2024.

Play and Park Structures Healthy Kids Initiative

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Health & Wellness, Equity & Inclusion, Infrastructure, Upcoming

The Healthy Kids Initiative is designed to support the building of new playgrounds or updating existing playgrounds across the country. As part of the Initiative, Play and Park Structures is offering additional funding to expand your project budget up to double the amount. Applications are due by June 28, 2024.

Musco Sports Lighting and US Soccer Foundation Soccer Fund Grant

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Health & Wellness, Programming, Rolling Basis

Musco Sports Lighting and the US Soccer Foundation established the Soccer Fund to offer financial support for sports lighting projects on a rolling basis. Projects can include the Mini-Pitch System or soccer lighting projects of all sizes. Mini-Pitches are ideal for urban areas and other communities where finding a safe place to play can be difficult. Applications will be accepted quarterly, on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 30.

MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Health & Wellness, Programming, Rolling Basis

This program was created to increase participation in and expand access to youth baseball and softball. The program prioritizes bold, innovative, and creative ideas that increase opportunities for youth, particularly those who are minorities, girls, and/or located in underresourced communities. Funds may be used to support capital projects (e.g., field renovations), baseball/softball programs, and education initiatives. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Lisa Libraries Grant Program

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Equity & Inclusion, Programming, Rolling Basis

Nonprofit organizations that serve low-income or underserved areas are eligible to apply for in-kind donations from The Lisa Libraries. The Lisa Libraries provides donations of free books for community facilities to host their own small libraries or to operate programs where children can take the book home. While book donations are free, The Lisa Libraries requests that recipients cover the shipping and handling costs, which are based on the destination and quantity of books. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Karma for Cara (K4C) Foundation Microgrants

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Health & Wellness, Equity & Inclusion, Conservation, Programming, Rolling Basis

The K4C Migrogrant Program provides microgrants between $250 and $1,000 to young citizen leaders age 18 or under to help them execute and magnify their initiatives to help repair our world. Funds may be used to complete a wide variety of innovative service projects in communities across the US. Applications are reviewed quarterly on January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st.

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation Grant Program

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources, Conservation, Rolling Basis, Sustainable Practices, Environmental Resiliency

Municipal entities, local nonprofits and public schools are eligible to apply to support the planting of fruitful trees and plants to alleviate hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities and improve the surrounding environment. Trees can be planted at community gardens, city and state parks, low-income neighborhoods, Native American reservations, schools, and other locations where they will serve the greater community. The Foundation provides high-quality trees and shrubs, equipment, on-site orchard design expertise and oversight, horticultural workshops, and aftercare training and manuals. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program — Rural Communities

Funding, Grants, Grant and Fundraising Resources

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides grants, low-interest direct loans, and/or combinations of the two to develop essential community facilities in rural areas, including public facilities, community support services, and local food systems such as community gardens and food hubs. Public entities, nonprofit organizations and tribal entities in rural communities are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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Fundraising and Marketing Resources

When looking for funding and grants, there are many resources available on the internet. Below are just a few suggestions on where to start your research.

  1. Candid (Formerly Foundation Center and Guidestar): Provides training and research information on corporate and foundation grant programs as well as access to IRS 990 forms for foundations and other nonprofit organizations. The grants database is a collection of thousands of grants.
  2. Yearly offers a free tool to create engaging, digital annual reports, donor reports and event recaps to impress your stakeholders. Yearly is a fun and easy way to design unlimited reports and integrate your stories, videos, social media posts, polls and more. Yearly is currently offering their basic level of service to agencies for free.
  3. Chronicle of Philanthropy: The Chronicle is a newspaper for nonprofit news publishing, fundraising trends, resources, and recent grants.
  4. Fund Matching 101
  5. NRPA Crowdfunding Toolkit
  6. Nonprofit Times: Nonprofit management newspaper.
  7. Hoovers: Profiles millions of U.S. companies. It is a great source for employee contact information.
  8. Fortune Magazine: A resource for identifying companies by state and industry.
  9. Leadership Directories
  10. National League of Cities Federal Funding Sources for Municipal Sustainability and Climate Action
  11. FEMA Recovery and Resilience Resource Library
  12. Google, Yahoo Finance and other general search engines.
  13. Newspapers and magazines like the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, New York Times.

For information on fundraising and grant writing best practices, take a look at NRPA's Park and Recreation Professionals' Guide to Fundraising