At Pelican Playgrounds, we want to make outdoor recreation attainable for all communities. Everyone deserves a safe and inviting place to play and relax.
To help you find recreation and playground grants, we’ve compiled a list of resources from our partners at LAPPSET to help guide you in your process to funding the playground of your dreams. Be sure to also check out our Recreation Grant Funding Guide for Louisiana and Mississippi!
Step 1: Plan Your Project
The first step to approaching grant applications is planning. Create a plan on what your project is, and what components you need to get it done. Make sure to write your need statement, design, timeline and budget for your project.
To calculate the total cost of your budget, make sure to include installation, site preparation, and freight on top of the equipment. Our friends at LAPPSET recommend to include a 25% contingency expense line item in the budget.
Step 2: Craft Your Playground Grant Proposal
Secondly, create a grant proposal. This proposal should highlight the value your project brings to the community and kids that would be using the equipment.
If you have a LAPPSET product in your design, you could draw attention to its inclusivity and technological benefits. You could emphasize the physical and mental health benefits for children when building a grant proposal for a playground. Ask yourself and the community why they need this project and what it will bring.
Step 3: Find Playground Grants
The third step is to research outdoor recreation grants. There are plenty of national and statewide grants that can be applied to outdoor recreation projects. Here are some resources:
- Download our Louisiana & Mississippi Recreation Grant Funding Guide, packed with tons of federal, state, local, corporate, and foundation grants specifically for our region.
- Some grants that are STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education related are the American Honda Foundation, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Toshiba America Foundation Grant.
Find a few that work with your plan and apply accordingly. We also recommend reaching out to past winners of the grants you are applying for to get tips for editing your proposal and application.
Step 4: Secure Funding & Build
Next, start building! This is where playground companies, like Pelican Playgrounds, take it off your hands and into the dirt! Make sure to keep posting on social media and on community websites to let everyone know your progress.
