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 the title of 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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Sustainability in Practice - Cohort 3

Funding, Grants, NRPA Opportunities, Conservation, Operations/Maintenance, Programming, Upcoming, Green Infrastructure, Sustainable Practices, Environmental Resiliency

Rural and suburban (under top 100 population cities) park and recreation professionals are invited to apply for this dynamic 16-week, cohort-style program alongside a community-based organization (CBO) partner for technical support and peer learning towards community-driven environmental sustainability planning and practices. CBO partners will receive a $10,000 stipend for their participation in the program and agency participants can receive up to 0.3CEU upon completion of the program. The application period for Cohort 3 of NRPA’s Sustainability in Practice program begins February 18 and will close on April 11, 2025. Click to learn more.

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Current Federal Funding Opportunities

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National Park Service 21st Century Conservation Service Corps

Funding, Grants, Partnership Opportunities, Conservation, Workforce Management, Programming, Rolling Basis

The 21st Century Conservation Service Corps and Civilian Climate Corps Youth and Veteran Development Program is a collaborative efforts between federal government agencies and non-profit service organizations to put America's youth and veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America's great outdoors in and around national park units as well as in local communities and with partner organizations. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2028.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

Funding, Grants, Partnership Opportunities, Conservation, Workforce Management, Programming

The CDBG Program funds annual grants to states, cities, and counties to provide a suitable living environment for low-and moderate-income persons. One of the benefits of CDBG is that it can be applied to a wide range of funding programs, including housing, infrastructure improvements, economic development, and public facilities (including community centers and parks). In FY 2023, CDBG was funded at $3.3 billion and supported almost 5,000 projects. CDBG applications are typically due in the spring of each year with specific deadlines varying depending on the locality but often falling around March or April; it is crucial to check with your local government agency for the exact deadline for your area.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund

Funding, Grants, Partnership Opportunities, Conservation, Workforce Management, Programming, Rolling Basis

The 21st Century Conservation Service Corps and Civilian Climate Corps Youth and Veteran Development Program is a collaborative efforts between federal government agencies and non-profit service organizations to put America's youth and veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America's great outdoors in and around national park units as well as in local communities and with partner organizations. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2028.

Land and Water Conservation Fund

Funding, Grants

The 21st Century Conservation Service Corps and Civilian Climate Corps Youth and Veteran Development Program is a collaborative efforts between federal government agencies and non-profit service organizations to put America's youth and veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America's great outdoors in and around national park units as well as in local communities and with partner organizations. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2028.

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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Other Grant Opportunities

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

 

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National Environmental Education Foundation Biodiversity Conservation Grant

Funding, Grants, Conservation, Upcoming, Green Infrastructure, Sustainable Practices, Environmental Resiliency

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) announced $200,000 in grant funding to support shovel-ready pollinator habitat enhancement projects on America's Public Lands. Projects should directly impact pollinators on at least 500 acres of public land and incorporate community outreach and engagement activities designed to educate and empower the public to help enhance pollinator habitats. Letters of Interest are due by February 1, 2025 and full applications are due May 1, 2025.

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.

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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. In addition, NRPA members have access to weekly Federal Funding updates on NRPA Connect.