Playground Grants

A searchable database of federal, state, foundation and corporate grants that fund playgrounds and outdoor play. Free, ungated, and updated quarterly.

We do not award grants

Worth saying plainly, because several companies in this industry imply otherwise. PlayGrove does not fund playgrounds. What we can do is help you find the people who do, and give you the itemised quote, specifications and compliance documentation a strong application needs.

Where playground funding comes from

• Federal. Community development, conservation and recreation programmes, and education funding that can extend to outdoor learning environments.
• State. Parks and recreation grants, early childhood quality improvement funds, and health and wellness initiatives.
• Community foundations. Often the most accessible route, particularly for churches, small schools and neighbourhood projects. Local knowledge beats national lists here.
• Corporate giving. National retailers and manufacturers with community grant programmes, frequently targeted at places they operate.
• Inclusive play funding. A growing category with meaningfully more money in it than general playground replacement.

What a strong application has

1. A defined need. Not "our playground is old" but who is underserved and how this changes it.
2. Evidence of consultation. That you asked the people who will use the space, particularly families of children with disabilities if you are applying for inclusive funding.
3. A complete budget. Equipment, surfacing, site preparation, freight and installation. Applications that show equipment only read as naive and get treated that way.
4. Matching contribution. Some of your own money or in-kind labour, however modest. Funders rarely want to be the only ones investing.
5. A maintenance plan. Evidence it will still be safe in ten years.
6. A realistic timeline. That accounts for manufacturing lead times and weather.

Start earlier than feels necessary

Grant cycles are annual or quarterly, and the deadline will drive your timeline more than anything else. Get a quote early even if funding is nowhere near secured. It costs nothing and applications need real numbers.

Coming shortly

The searchable database is in progress. If you have a deadline approaching, tell us your state and organisation type and we will point you at what we know of.