Recreation Grants for Nonprofits

About America Walks

America Walks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national organization is leading the way in making America a great place to walk. We provide a voice for walking and walkable communities with federal agencies, provide strategy support, training and technical assistance to statewide, regional, and local organizations, and serve as the convener of the national Every Body Walk! Collaborative. Together, America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative boast 700 allied organizations who across the nation are working to increase walking and make America a better place to walk.

Community Change Micro Grants

America Walks, partners of the Every Body Walk! Collaborative, Lyft, WalkBoston, and other generous sponsors, are excited to announce another round of our popular Community Change Grant program. This program will award grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play. 

America Walks has seen firsthand that the passion, innovation and hard work of advocates and local organizations to advance safe, equitable, accessible, and enjoyable places to walk and move are what create the foundation for walkable communities across the US. This grant program will work to provide support to the growing network of advocates, organizations, and agencies using innovative, engaging, and inclusive programs and projects to create change at the community level. 

Funded projects must demonstrate that they will show increased physical activity and active transportation in a specific community, work to engage people and organizations new to the efforts of walking and walkability, and demonstrate a culture of inclusive health. Projects will create healthy, active, and engaged communities that support walking as transportation, health, and recreation. 

Yamaha Dealers and Customers Supporting Access to Land for Work and Play

The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is dedicated to those who work and play outdoors including, but not limited to, those who rely on off-highway vehicles (OHVs) to ride, camp, hunt or fish.

Supporting the outdoor enthusiast, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative’s mission is to provide practical support for efforts that promote safe, responsible use of OHVs, educate the public on proper recreational land use and wildlife conservation practices, and protect appropriate and sustainable access to public lands.

Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from non-profit or tax exempt groups (clubs & associations), public riding areas (local, state and federal), outdoor enthusiast associations and land conservation organizations, and communities with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable use by motorized off-road vehicles. Our committee will review each application and award funds to deserving projects.

• NOTE: Direct Effect Quality of Life grants are offered twice yearly, in the 1st and 2nd grant cycles.
• See separate grant page for High Impact Priority Quality of Life grants. High Impact Priority Quality of Life grants are offered once per year, in the 1st grant cycle. 
• See separate grant page for Expanded Effect Tier Quality of Life grants which are currently being offered once per year, in the 2nd grant cycle.

Program overview

As a pillar of the Paralysis Resource Center, the Quality of Life Grants Program, pioneered by the late Dana Reeve, impacts and empowers people living with paralysis, their families and caregivers by providing grants to nonprofit organizations whose projects and initiatives foster inclusion, involvement and community engagement, while promoting health and wellness for those affected by paralysis in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Grants have been awarded in all fifty states, a number of U.S. territories and though we no longer fund projects outside of the United States of America, grants have previously been awarded in 33 countries outside the U.S.

Quality of Life Grant Details

Grants are awarded to organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases or birth conditions, including (but not limited to) stroke, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Direct Effect (Tier 1)

Direct Effect (Tier 1) is open-focused and awards grants of up to $25,000 to support a wide range of projects and activities. Grants fund programs and projects that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families.

Direct Effect Quality of Life grants fund specific budget items up to a total of $25,000 to support the wide range of projects and activities that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families. Funded projects must be completed within 12 months after the award is received.

Examples of funded projects may include (but are not limited to):

• sports wheelchairs for a wheelchair basketball team;
• adapted glider in a community playground;
• kayak for a rowing program;
• accessible gym equipment;
• hydraulic lift at a pool;
• electronic door openers at a community center;
• workshop education series on sex and sexuality with a spinal cord injury;
• wheelchair accessible picnic table at a county fairground;
• program for preventing abuse in adaptive sports;
• camp programs;
• subsidized lessons for therapeutic riding;
• transportation costs for an inclusive afterschool program; and
• support groups.

See Types of Direct Effect (Tier 1) Projects Funded

Direct Effect grants will have short- to mid-range impact. Long-range impact and sustainability are not expected for projects at this level. Grantees will be required to submit a 6-month interim report and a final report and evaluation survey at the end of the project.

Join MONAT Gratitude’s effort to invest in important educational resources that support the arts, music, entrepreneurship, and athletics in our communities around the world. Together, we’re changing lives! We believe in strengthening and investing in the nonprofits that are already part of our Market Partners’ lives and communities.

Gratitude Grants Program

MONAT Gratitude is committed to ensuring children, families, and communities—regardless of race, nationality, or income—have the opportunity to thrive. Through MONAT Gratitude Grants, eligible registered nonprofit organizations working to enhance and enrich educational resources in the areas targeted by our pledge will have the opportunity to apply for grants to support their programs and services. Areas of interest are: arts and culture, youth sports and recreation, and youth entrepreneurship

• Arts And Culture
  • Support music and arts education programs for children in grades K–12.

• Youth Sports And Recreation
  • Support youth sports programs in grades K–12 that inspire engagement and positively impact children in underserved communities.

• Youth Entrepreneurship
  • Support programs focused on providing opportunities for youth to explore entrepreneurship opportunities in K–12 after-school program

MONAT Gratitude provides single-year financial support grants ranging from $5,000 USD up to 20,000 USD per grantee.

Grants are reviewed three times a year; dates are subject to change and will be announced via email, website updates, and social media.

The AAC Cornerstone Conservation Grant, powered by REI, formally launched in 2011 with the goal of funding projects to improve, conserve, and protect local climbing resources across the country. Since that first year, we have awarded nearly $205,000 to local climbing organizations (LCOs), land managers and agencies, nonprofits, and individuals for projects as varied as building or improving trail networks to climbing areas; establishing new toilet facilities and signage at trailheads; and deploying a variety of community groups for clean-up and graffiti removal at local crags

As we look ahead to the future of climbing and the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all, our Cornerstone Conservation Grant represents our commitment to supporting local climbing communities in their conservation and restoration initiatives. 

More individuals, families, and groups are spending time in climbing areas and landscapes, causing added environmental stress and degradations to these places. We look to local climbing communities to identify areas in need of conservation, restoration, and educational resources for visitors. Our goals for Cornerstone remain the same: create healthy climbing landscapes, promote respect for the places we climb, and empower local climbing communities. We look forward to supporting your project!

Grants range from $1,000 to $8,000, depending on the size and scope of project.

NOTE: due to COVID we are not accepting new applications until 2023

Singing for Change Grant Program

Singing for Change empowers people to become more self-sufficient.

Singing for Change supports nonprofit organizations that inspire, empower, and equip people to become more self-sufficient.

Our grantees encourage personal growth among people who are marginalized. They care about the community as a whole, as well as promote the belief that collectively, people can bring about positive change and sustainable self-sufficiency through connected, diverse communities.

Most likely to be considered are organizations that keep their overhead low and collaborate with other groups in their community to find innovative ways of solving a common problem.

Singing for Change (aka SFC Charitable Foundation, Inc.) was created by Jimmy Buffett in 1995, and receives one dollar from each ticket Jimmy sells at his shows. We envision a world where nonprofit organizations, large and small, provide compelling opportunities for individuals to discover their power to make a difference. The foundation promotes work on the forefront of social change - helping people and communities become smarter, safer, stronger, healthier, and whole. 

Singing for Change (SFC) partners with progressive, community-based organizations addressing the root causes of social or environmental problems. We recently narrowed our focus to projects designed to promote self-sufficiency. 

Specifically, we look for groups that are: 

• Working to engage individuals in their communities 
• Helping people realize their full potential
• Creating lasting change in the communities they serve

We will fund operating expenses for those organizations that we feel are accomplishing these goals.

Areas Of Interest:

Children and families: Grants are awarded to programs fostering self-sufficiency and stability. Individual therapy is not funded, nor are therapeutic or recreational camps or wish-fulfillment programs.

Disenfranchised groups: SFC defines these groups as people who have been marginalized in society because of their low levels of skill, education or income, people with disabilities, and people who are homeless. 

Grants range in size from $1,000.00 to $10,000.00.

Purpose and Scope

• The Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Challenge Cost Share program is intended to support specific National Park Service mission-related projects that align with the goals of project partners.
• Challenge Cost Share projects must support one or more of the following funding themes:
  • Addressing the Climate Crisis
    • Projects that address the climate crisis and build resiliency to a changing climate.
    • Projects could include developing green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and/or creating sustainable energy sources.
  • Conservation Projects (Lands and Waters)
    • Projects that increase the acres of protected or restored lands and waters.
  • Advancing Equity for Youth from Underserved Communities
    • Projects that increase equitable access to parks for youth and young adults from underserved communities.
  • Outdoor Recreation
    • Projects that increase public access to new and restored outdoor recreation opportunities.
• Projects that benefit NPS administered National Parks, National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers.
• National Park Service staff will work with project partners to achieve these mutually beneficial outcomes.
• This partnership challenge seeks to reward proposals that have the best prospects to build enduring benefits and develop new partnerships.

About Us

A Community Thrives is a grantmaking and crowdfunding program from the USA TODAY NETWORK, which includes USA TODAY and Gannett’s hundreds of local media brands. The initiative is part of the Gannett Foundation and supports nonprofit organizations with projects focused on community building. Since 2017, the program has helped to distribute more than $6.5 million from donations and grants across the nation.

Let's build change, together!

We started A Community Thrives, a nationwide grantmaking and crowdfunding initiative, because your great ideas for how to improve your community need a great big network of people to bring them to life. A Community Thrives offers a way to get your neighbors, friends, family, and peers excited to support your community-building ideas, and most importantly, a chance at +$2,000,000 in grants to get them off the ground and running.

There are three types of grants in the A Community Thrives program. 

• National Project Grants can be awarded to any applicant accepted to the challenge after the organization meets the fundraising minimum. Grants will range from $25,000 to $100,000.
• Local Operating Grants can be awarded to any applicant that serves a local Gannett market, accepted to the challenge, after the organization meets the fundraising minimum. Minimum grants will be $2,500.
• Incentive Grants will be awarded based on fundraising success. A total of $200,000 will be awarded during the Fundraising phase of the Campaign to those qualifying organizations that raise the most funds or activate the most unique donors. See full description below. 

• Tier 1 organizations will be those organizations that entered an Annual Operating Budget of less than $500,000 in their application, and must raise $3,000.

• Tier 2 organizations will be those organizations that entered an Annual Operating Budget of $500,000 or more in their application, and must raise $6,000 minimum.

Parks for All

Our Parks For All program supports nonprofit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing better access to parks.

To date, we’ve donated over $1.9 million dollars because parks help us all feel happier, healthier and more fulfilled.

For the love of parks.

Parks represent a place we can all go to recreate, relax, or be inspired. From urban park excursions with our family to national park adventures in the backcountry, parks of all sizes help make us healthier, happier, and more fulfilled. Parks for All is our way of sharing the love we have for green spaces and ensuring these special places get the attention and protection they deserve.

Our goal is to support nonprofit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing better access to parks. Since 2017, we have been doing just that.

Organizations seeking a Parks for All grant must be dedicated to building, restoring, maintaining, or providing more equitable access to parks and recreational public lands and/or beaches and coastal areas. Submitted proposals must fit into one of the following three categories:

NEW PARKS CATEGORY Projects large and small in scale are vital for increasing the outdoor spaces available for everyone. From the creation of small urban parks, to the expansion of large trail systems, we seek to fund new trails for walkers and runners, bikers and hikers and swimmers and paddlers too. New parks applications should involve the completion of trail miles, park infrastructure, or other similar outcomes. If your project contributes to the creation of new parks or trails, from planning to construction, with specific outcomes or milestones in 2022, we encourage you to apply under this category.

PARK MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION CATEGORY There is tremendous work needed to care for, restore, and maintain our outdoor spaces and our ability to continue to enjoy them. Ideal programs think creatively about engaging communities in stewardship work and creating connections between people and the land. If your program focuses on caring for and improving outdoor spaces to improve recreation experiences and involves over 1,000 person-hours in the course of this work, please complete the application under this category.

PARK ACCESS AND EDUCATION CATEGORY Supporting more equitable access and the education (and confidence) for all to enjoy our parks is a core tenant of the Parks for All program. Specifically, we seek to support projects that break through the barriers faced by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Latinx, Asian, womxn, LGBTQIA2S+, and disabled communities. We want to work with nonprofits that are helping change the narrative of time outside and are addressing issues of representation and access. Ideal programs build inclusivity through innovative programming, and/or developing hundreds of new outdoor participants through experiential immersion. If your program seeks to develop new outdoor lovers, this category is for you.