Recreation Grants

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture invites applications for the Underserved Farmers Mini Grant, funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The program enhances the competitiveness of specialty crops in New Jersey by supporting projects led by underserved farmers, including socially disadvantaged, beginning, and military veteran farmers. Grants of up to 5,000 dollars may support activities such as researching new cultivars, outreach to youth and communities on specialty crops, targeted marketing, personnel, purchase of special purpose equipment, educational workshops, planting specialty crops, and distribution of promotional materials. Projects must conform to USDA AMS guidelines and general terms and conditions. Eligible applicants include qualified businesses and producers, as well as nonprofit and community based organizations developing projects that increase the production, marketing, and research of specialty crops in New Jersey. The grant period runs from June 1, 2024 through September 29, 2025. Applications are due May 3, 2024. Additional information is available from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority, through the Iowa Arts Council, offers the Iowa Screenwriters Grant to support career advancement for Iowa screenwriters. The grant provides professional development resources tied to an active screenplay and aims to elevate the creative screenwriting industry in the state. Applicants may request between 500 and 2,500 dollars for one time project expenses incurred during the funding period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Eligible activities include conference or workshop registration, software or books for screenwriting, classes or apprenticeships, mentorship, and professional feedback on current work. Eligible screenplay formats include feature, short, web series, and episodic works including pilots and new seasons, as well as proof of concept and adaptations. Eligible applicants are individual screenwriters 18 years or older who are full time Iowa residents and who are currently registered in the Produce Iowa Production Directory. Projects must demonstrate clear professional development goals tied to the advancement of an active screenplay. Applications are due May 3, 2024. Additional information is available from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

This grant provides funding to public entities and certain tribal organizations in Washington State for acquiring, developing, or renovating outdoor recreation facilities and lands to enhance community access to recreational opportunities.

The Rancho Cucamonga Community & Arts Foundation (RCCAAF) offers Community Arts Grants designed to support and enhance arts programs, events, and activities within Rancho Cucamonga. The foundation's mission, though not explicitly stated as a "mission statement," aligns with fostering community engagement and providing accessible arts experiences for residents. The grant program directly serves this purpose by funding initiatives that bring art to the community, thereby enriching the cultural landscape of Rancho Cucamonga. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant program include community-based non-profit organizations, local schools, and individual artists or groups. The overarching impact goal is to provide arts programs, events, and activities that benefit Rancho Cucamonga residents, or anyone seeking arts experiences within the city's borders. This broad scope ensures that a wide range of individuals and groups can access and participate in artistic endeavors. The program prioritizes a variety of arts-related projects. These include one-time arts projects such as murals, art installations, public art contests, and exhibits. It also supports start-up for new arts organizations, clubs, and performance groups, as well as new school-based arts programs that expand student experiences and provide community benefit. Additionally, the grant funds programs, events, or performances available to the public, the purchase of equipment or supplies to enhance arts programs, and community-accessible arts events like festivals. Expected outcomes and measurable results are addressed through the selection criteria, which include evaluating the proposal's project goals and objectives, community need and benefit, future funding to sustain the program, and an estimated project line-item budget. While specific quantitative metrics for "measurable results" are not detailed in the provided text, the emphasis on a project timeline and evaluation method suggests an expectation of tangible progress and successful implementation of funded initiatives. The grant's duration of one year and project period from July 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025, indicate a focus on short-to-medium term impact.

This funding program provides financial support to public entities for the acquisition and development of outdoor recreation areas and facilities, ensuring long-term access and conservation of natural landscapes.

The Transportation Alternative and Recreational Use FY25 Grant, administered by the Maryland State Highway Administration, aims to fund transportation alternative and recreational use projects within the state. This federal grant offers 80% reimbursable funds, requiring a 20% match from project sponsors. Projects should enhance the intermodal transportation system or support recreational trails and amenities. Approximately 60% of the funds are allocated to projects within the jurisdictions of three Maryland Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs): The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, National Capitol Region Transportation Planning Board, and Wilmington Area Planning Council. Eligible sponsors include local governments, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, natural resource and public land agencies, school districts, tribal governments, and 501c(3) non-profit agencies. Project sponsors are responsible for all aspects of their project, including design, management, construction, and maintenance.

Aimed at supporting the acquisition, development, and maintenance of carry-in boat launches, this grant opportunity is offered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands. It seeks to enhance public access to Maine's waterways for carry-in recreational boating. A key requirement for project eligibility is a pre-approval site inspection by state staff. The funding cap for eligible carry-in project costs is $25,000.

This grant focuses on renovating existing trailered boat launches to improve public recreational boating access. Administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands, the grant aims to support the development and maintenance of facilities that provide primary recreational boating access to the general public. Projects must undergo a pre-approval site inspection to confirm eligibility. Available funding for trailered launch renovation projects is up to $75,000.

The Seward Community Foundation (SCF), an Affiliate of The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF), offers mini-grants up to $1,000 to support a wide array of community needs in Seward and/or Moose Pass. This flexible funding opportunity aims to support projects related to health and wellness, education, the great outdoors, arts and culture, and community development. Applications are reviewed monthly by the SCF Advisory Board, with a submission deadline on the 5th of each month.

The City of Marion is offering a grant program for non-profit organizations to increase tourism within Marion. The funding for these grants comes from the city's share of taxes collected on overnight stays at local hotels and motels. Approximately $50,000 is expected to be available for this competitive grant program in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This initiative aligns with the city's broader mission to enhance local economic activity and community vibrancy through strategic tourism development. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are non-profit organizations that can propose projects directly contributing to tourism growth in Marion. The impact goal is to significantly boost the number of visitors and tourism-related revenue within the city. This will be achieved by supporting projects that create new attractions, enhance existing ones, or promote Marion as a desirable travel destination. The program prioritizes projects that demonstrate a clear potential to attract tourists and generate economic benefits for the city. While the specific focuses are not explicitly detailed beyond increasing tourism, it implies an emphasis on innovative and engaging initiatives that highlight Marion's unique appeal. Eligibility is limited to non-profit organizations, ensuring that the funded projects serve a public benefit. Expected outcomes include an increase in tourist numbers, higher occupancy rates for hotels and motels, and an overall boost in local commerce. Measurable results will likely be assessed through metrics such as visitor statistics, tourism-related tax revenue increases, and the number of new or enhanced tourism offerings. The City of Marion's strategic priority is to leverage its tax revenues from overnight stays to reinvest in the local tourism infrastructure, operating under the theory of change that direct investment in tourism initiatives will lead to a proportional increase in economic benefits for the community.

The Native American Agriculture Fund invites applications to its 2024 grant program. The fund provides support consistent with its trust agreement to advance business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services for Native American producers and communities. Funding is offered across entity types with both general and special focus areas. Pools include support for nonprofit organizations, educational organizations, community development financial institutions, and tribal governments and instrumentalities. Special focus areas emphasize climate and regenerative agricultural practices and, for CDFIs, additional CDFI and Native CDFI support. Youth programming is available to all eligible entity types. Funds may support projects of 12 or 24 months and may be used for project support, general support, scholarships, re grants, lending programs, or capital expenditures. Stated pools and request ranges include, among others, 1,000,000 dollars for nonprofit general and special focus with requests between 100,000 and 200,000 dollars, 500,000 dollars for educational organizations with requests between 75,000 and 150,000 dollars, 4,500,000 dollars for CDFIs with no fixed request limits, and 1,000,000 dollars for youth programming with requests from 20,000 to 200,000 dollars. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, educational organizations described in Section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii), community development financial institutions including certified and emerging Native CDFIs that are 501(c)(3), and instrumentalities of federally recognized tribes meeting the fund’s charitable and reporting requirements including limited waivers as applicable. The program aligns with the trust agreement’s definitions and restrictions. Applications are due May 1, 2024. Typical award sizes for some pools range from 100,000 to 500,000 dollars depending on entity type and focus. Additional information and official details are provided by the Native American Agriculture Fund.

This grant opportunity, offered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands, is aimed at the acquisition, development, and maintenance of new trailered boat launches. The program supports state and local governments, among other eligible entities, to enhance public access to waterways for recreational boating. Eligible projects must serve as the primary recreational boating access for the general public. A pre-approval site inspection is required for project eligibility. The funding cap for new trailered launch projects is $100,000.

This grant provides funding to local organizations and nontraditional partners to promote community-led development, enhance equity, and foster innovative solutions in conflict prevention and recovery efforts.

Ball Brothers Foundation offers General Grants to support organizations operating within Indiana, with a strong focus on East Central Indiana and the Muncie/Delaware County area. These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, aim to fund capacity-building initiatives, innovative approaches for community needs, specific program/project initiatives, general operating support, and seed money for new endeavors. Grant renewed every year. Grant Round 2 Annual deadlines: September 1st (preliminary application July 15th)

This program provides funding to local governments and community organizations in Montana to create and improve fishing ponds, promoting public access and recreational fishing, especially for families and youth.

The State of Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry announces the 2024 ATV Trail Maintenance Grant Program, designed to support ATV clubs in maintaining and improving ATV trails across the state. The grant offers a tiered funding system based on trail mileage, ranging from $7,000 for trails up to 10 miles, to $12,000 for trails over 70 miles. Eligible expenses include construction, maintenance, labor (up to $15 an hour if paid), and landowner relations efforts, with an additional $500 available for qualified landowner relations expenses. Clubs must be registered non-profit corporations in good standing and meet several requirements, including obtaining necessary permits and providing proof of landowner permission. Applications must be submitted by July 1, 2024, with grants payable on a reimbursement basis. Grant renewed every year.

The United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland (UBFGC) has announced the "Community Thrive" grant, a special funding opportunity designed to combat mental health issues and gun violence in the community. This initiative aligns with UBFGC's mission to identify and partner with organizations that are making a positive impact on the devastating effects of these issues, demonstrating a commitment to community well-being and social justice. The grant supports programs, resources, and support services that aim to improve mental health and/or reduce the incidence of gun violence, reflecting a strategic priority to foster a healthier and safer Cuyahoga County. The grant targets organizations serving Cuyahoga County that provide programming to support mental health or gun violence prevention/intervention work. The beneficiaries include youth and adults affected by depression, those at risk of suicide, individuals struggling with school violence/absenteeism, anger management, and social media addiction. In terms of gun violence, the grant aims to support families affected by gun violence, promote gun safety, and address gun culture and laws. The expected impact is a reduction in mental health crises and gun violence incidents, leading to improved community well-being and safety. The "Community Thrive" grant prioritizes projects that impact mental health wellness, including addressing depression, suicide prevention, school violence, anger management, and social media addiction. For gun violence prevention, the grant seeks innovative approaches such as education and awareness campaigns, and community-based interventions that tackle root causes. Specific areas of interest include preventing shootings in schools, universities, religious institutions, and retail locations, as well as supporting affected families. The grant also considers proposals addressing gun culture, gun safety, and gun laws. Applicants must be established organizations with a proven track record of at least three years, demonstrating their impact through data. They must serve Cuyahoga County and provide a minimum of one letter of support. A key criterion is that funding must be utilized for 80% programming and 20% operations and/or marketing. The organization must be a 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal agent, and a one-page strategic plan summary outlining the use of funds is required. The grant does not support one-time events, sponsorships, or fundraising campaigns, emphasizing a focus on sustained programming with a minimum execution period of one year, commencing January 1, 2024. These criteria reflect UBFGC's theory of change, which emphasizes evidence-based, long-term, and community-focused interventions.

This program provides matching funds to state, tribal, and local governments in Montana for developing and improving outdoor recreation facilities like parks and sports fields.

This program provides financial assistance to shooting clubs, local governments, private organizations, and school districts in Montana to develop and improve shooting ranges, promoting recreational shooting sports across the state.

The Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program, combined with funds from the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), provides a total of $40 million in funding. This initiative aims to safeguard the nation's military readiness, bolster relationships with communities, preserve the environment, and enhance resilience to climate change impacts on military installations and surrounding communities. It focuses on the acquisition of land and/or development of new outdoor public recreation facilities near military installations or airspace, promoting compatible land uses and preventing incompatible development. The initiative underscores the importance of partnerships, particularly between the Department of Defense (DoD) military bases and local communities, to achieve its goals. Projects must be situated within a designated REPI Partnership Opportunity Area and should serve both the general public and military families, highlighting the program's dual focus on enhancing outdoor recreation and supporting military missions.