Private Recreation Grants

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is currently accepting applications for its Lillian Ashley Fund, a grant program established by Manchester, Tennessee native Lillian Ashley. This endowment reflects Lillian's desire to give back to her beloved community, focusing on areas close to her heart: children, animals, and environmental conservation within Coffee County. The program's core mission aligns with the foundation's broader goal of supporting community well-being by channeling resources to vital local initiatives. The primary beneficiaries of the Lillian Ashley Fund are the children, youth, and animals of Coffee County, as well as local environmental and conservation efforts. The fund aims to support the overall well-being of children and youth, provide for the care and welfare of animals, and bolster initiatives that protect and preserve the environment. The expected outcomes include improved quality of life for young residents, enhanced care and protection for animals, and a healthier, more sustainable environment within the county. The fund's strategic priorities are clearly defined: supporting the well-being of children and youth, ensuring the care and welfare of animals, and promoting environment and conservation efforts. These focus areas are intended to create a tangible impact on the community, addressing specific needs identified by the donor. While measurable results are not explicitly detailed in terms of specific metrics, the grant period of December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2025, suggests an expectation of progress within that timeframe, contributing to the broader theory of change that targeted funding can lead to significant positive community development in these key areas. Eligible organizations for this grant include 501(c)(3) public charities and governmental entities such as libraries or departments. Nonprofits can request grants up to a maximum of $15,000, with the overall fund size ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. This targeted approach allows the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, through the Lillian Ashley Fund, to strategically invest in local organizations that are directly addressing the program's goals and contributing to the sustained betterment of Coffee County's children, animals, and environment.

The Huron County Community Foundation (HCCF) is currently accepting applications for its fall grant cycle, inviting projects that aim to make a positive impact on Huron County, Michigan. As a nonprofit community corporation, HCCF's mission is deeply rooted in supporting the people of Huron County by fostering prosperity. This is achieved through a focus on Community & Economic Growth, aligning the grant program directly with the foundation's core purpose of enhancing the well-being and development of the region. HCCF's strategic priorities are designed to cultivate a thriving environment within Huron County. These include retaining and attracting a talented, trained workforce, creating vibrant and dynamic communities, and cultivating an environment conducive to business development. Projects addressing these areas are given preference for unrestricted grantmaking dollars. This focus reflects the foundation's theory of change, which posits that by investing in these key areas, they can catalyze broader community and economic growth, leading to a more prosperous future for all residents. Beyond the strategic priorities, the HCCF also encourages applications for projects that address numerous other interest areas, indicating a broad scope for potential beneficiaries. These areas include Arts and Culture, Education, Health & Medicine, Basic Needs Services, Beautification of Huron County, Natural Areas Preservation, Disadvantaged Youth, Recreation, and Women in STEM. This diverse range of focus areas ensures that a wide array of community needs and interests can be supported, reflecting a comprehensive approach to community development and impact. Applicants are required to submit a detailed project narrative, outlining the project's description and purpose, including its location and the number of people it will serve. This narrative should also address the project's long-term impact and measurable results, demonstrating how the grant from HCCF would be recognized. Furthermore, applicants must describe their evaluation methods to determine if their purpose was accomplished, and provide a budget with estimated income and expenses. These guidelines are designed to ensure accountability and to help the HCCF assess the potential effectiveness and sustainability of each proposed project, ultimately aiming for impactful and measurable outcomes that align with the foundation's mission.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Pennsylvania to create educational programs that promote fishing and boating, focusing on attracting new participants, retaining current ones, and reactivating former anglers and boaters.

The 2025 Community Grants program, offered by the Community Foundation for the CSRA, invites applications from organizations dedicated to serving individuals in specific counties of Georgia and South Carolina. This program directly aligns with the Foundation's mission to support various community needs, encompassing arts/culture/history, education/youth enrichment, health/environmental, and people in need. The Foundation seeks to foster innovative and high-quality programs that deliver positive, tangible impacts within these strategic areas, ultimately aiming for community betterment and individual empowerment. The target beneficiaries for this grant program are individuals residing in Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina, and Burke, Columbia, Richmond, and McDuffie counties in Georgia. The Foundation aims to achieve significant impact goals, such as enhancing cultural and historical engagement, providing educational and enrichment opportunities for disadvantaged children, youth, and adults, improving health and environmental outcomes, and offering essential human services to vulnerable populations. Through these grants, the Foundation intends to address critical community challenges and improve the quality of life for residents in its service area. The program prioritizes several key areas. In arts, culture, and history, it encourages innovative and high-quality initiatives. For education and youth enrichment, the focus is on programs that provide educational opportunities and skills training for disadvantaged individuals, including job skill training, after-school programs, leadership development, tutoring, GED, and literacy initiatives. Within health and environmental, the Foundation supports areas such as environmental research, animal services, sustainable gardens, medical clinics, drug rehabilitation, and programs for individuals with disabilities and mental illness. Finally, the "People in Need" category broadly supports human service programs, including those addressing hunger, housing insecurity, financial assistance, homelessness, and re-entry programs for recently incarcerated individuals. The expected outcomes of the Community Grants program include a measurable increase in access to educational resources, improved health indicators, enhanced cultural participation, and greater support for vulnerable populations. For instance, educational programs are expected to lead to improved literacy rates or job placement success. Health initiatives anticipate better access to medical services or environmental conservation efforts. Programs for people in need are expected to provide stable housing, food security, or financial independence. The Foundation's theory of change posits that by investing in these critical areas through local organizations, it can foster a stronger, more resilient, and equitable community for all residents within its geographic focus. Requests for funding should not exceed $15,000 to maximize the reach of the grants.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is offering a grant of $2000 for projects that address urgent, unforeseen situations on designated water trails, with the aim of creating recreational opportunities, supporting sustainable use of natural resources, and improving access to Pennsylvania Water Trails.

The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines offers Leadership Grants, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, to initiatives that aim to strengthen the community through equity-centered strategies and collaboration with diverse stakeholders, focusing on improving the quality of life in Greater Des Moines.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in East Hawai‘i that are working on community projects related to education, health care, economic sufficiency, and recreational activities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Maryland schools, nonprofits, and community organizations to enhance environmental education and engage students in hands-on learning experiences that promote environmental stewardship.

The White Family Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation of Hancock County, aims to bolster local community development in Hancock and Henry counties, Indiana. This grant program is designed to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life, making these areas more desirable places to live, work, and play. The foundation's mission is directly aligned with fostering community growth and well-being within these specific regions. The grant program targets a broad range of beneficiaries, including tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, mutual benefit organizations, government agencies, municipalities, and churches that serve Hancock and/or Henry counties. The primary impact goal is to create more vibrant and sustainable communities. The foundation prioritizes projects that fall under several key focus areas. These include beautification projects, building façade improvements, enhancements to recreational facilities and accessibility, and initiatives related to public safety and transportation. These priorities reflect a strategic approach to addressing various facets of community development that contribute to a higher overall quality of life. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the expected outcomes are clear: improved community aesthetics, enhanced recreational opportunities, safer public spaces, and more efficient transportation networks within Hancock and Henry counties. The foundation's strategic priorities are rooted in a theory of change that posits by investing in these diverse areas of community infrastructure and social programs, the overall desirability and functionality of the counties will increase, leading to a more engaged and thriving populace.

The Crookston Area Community Fund (CACF), under the umbrella of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, offers grants to support charitable, educational, and public purpose projects. These projects are specifically designed to enhance or improve the quality of life for both residents and visitors within the Crookston area. This grant program aligns directly with the foundation's mission to foster community well-being and development in Northwest Minnesota. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are nonprofit organizations and public agencies operating in the Crookston area. The program aims to support projects that address key community needs and contribute to a better quality of life. Impact goals include fostering improvements in education, stimulating economic development, bolstering healthcare services, protecting the environment, enhancing recreational opportunities, and supporting cultural and community service initiatives. The CACF prioritizes projects that fall under specific topics: education, economic development, healthcare, environment and recreation, and cultural and community service. These focus areas represent critical sectors where strategic investment can lead to significant community benefits. The selection process considers how effectively proposed projects address these areas and their potential for positive, tangible outcomes. Expected outcomes include measurable improvements in the quality of life across the Crookston area. Projects should demonstrate clear objectives and the potential for a positive impact on the community. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided text, the emphasis on enhancing and improving quality of life suggests that successful projects will lead to concrete benefits, such as improved access to educational resources, new economic opportunities, better health outcomes, or increased engagement in cultural and recreational activities. The program plans to award a total of $25,000 in this grant round, with individual grants ranging from $500 to $10,000.

The Entergy Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the NFL Foundation and other key organizations, is spearheading the Super Bowl LIX Legacy Program, "Impact 59 Powered by Entergy." This initiative aims to leave a lasting legacy of philanthropy and economic impact within the Greater New Orleans community, aligning with Entergy's broader mission of community support and development. The program's strategic approach focuses on fostering positive change through collaborative efforts with local nonprofit partners, reflecting a commitment to leveraging significant events like the Super Bowl for long-term community benefit. The primary target beneficiaries of the "Impact 59" grants are underserved populations within ten specific parishes in Louisiana: Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington. The program aims to achieve significant impact in several key areas, including Youth Development, Workforce Training, Education, Health & Wellness, and Equity & Inclusion. The overarching goal is to enhance the quality of life, increase opportunities, and promote a more equitable environment for marginalized individuals and groups within these communities. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly defined. In Youth Development, the emphasis is on mentoring, physical and mental well-being, and engaging youth through sports, health clinics, and specialized training. Workforce Training focuses on increasing employability for underserved populations, including the formerly incarcerated, to secure living wage jobs. Education seeks to improve access to quality education through contemporary learning programs. Health & Wellness aims to enhance access to services for underserved communities, supporting health, nutrition, and food programs. Finally, Equity & Inclusion is dedicated to improving experiences for marginalized individuals and guaranteeing fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all. Expected outcomes include a minimum of $3 million in grants distributed to local nonprofit partners. Grants will range from $25,000 to $250,000, with smaller organizations (under $500,000 annual budget) eligible for $25,000 to $50,000, and larger organizations receiving up to $250,000. Measurable results will stem from the impact of funded programs in addressing the identified focus areas, contributing to a legacy of improved community well-being and economic empowerment. The foundation's theory of change posits that by strategically investing in these critical areas through local nonprofits, they can create a ripple effect of positive societal transformation, ultimately building stronger, more resilient communities in the Greater New Orleans area.

This grant provides funding for community organizations and local governments to engage in environmental outreach, education, and restoration projects aimed at improving water quality and ecological health in the Jones Falls watershed of Maryland.

Through the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) launched a nationwide initiative to not only enhance evidence-based culturally rigorous chronic disease prevention programs but also to enhance public health infrastructure among urban Indian organizations. This initiative aligns with UIHI's mission to serve urban Indian communities by promoting health and preventing chronic diseases through culturally appropriate approaches. The grant program, called Sweetgrass funds, focuses on Indigenous approaches to preventing chronic diseases. The target beneficiaries of this grant are Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) as defined by the Indian Health Service (Title V programs), members of the National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC), and not-for-profit urban Indian organizations whose leadership and board are majority urban Indian, and whose mission is to provide public health services to urban Indians. The impact goals are to address and prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, commercial tobacco use, Type 2 Diabetes, and heart disease and stroke within these communities. The program encourages the use of AI/AN traditional, cultural, and regional knowledge in developing and implementing chronic disease education, prevention, and management initiatives. The program prioritizes expanding previous projects related to obesity prevention, commercial tobacco use prevention and cessation promotion, Type 2 Diabetes prevention, and heart disease and stroke prevention. Specific approaches include using cultural or regional adaptations of chronic disease prevention education program components, reclaiming traditional knowledge of nutrition and first foods, promoting access to physical activity and lifestyle modifications, engaging Native youth and elders, addressing perceptions and beliefs, promoting traditional values, and emphasizing community-driven planning for chronic disease prevention and control, such as community needs assessments. Expected outcomes include enhanced evidence-based and culturally rigorous chronic disease prevention programs, improved public health infrastructure among urban Indian organizations, and a reduction in the prevalence of chronic diseases within urban Indian communities. Applicants are required to participate in performance measurement, evaluation activities, and a chronic disease community of practice, which includes annual webinar-based trainings and optional technical assistance services, all coordinated by UIHI. This structured approach ensures measurable results and continuous improvement in addressing chronic diseases with a broad reach across the United States.

This grant provides significant funding to local nonprofits in Indianapolis that are tackling community challenges in key focus areas, with a structured application process culminating in an annual awards celebration.

This program provides financial support to non-profit organizations and school districts in Grays Harbor County for initiatives that benefit youth, focusing on creating or enhancing programs for children aged 18 and under.

This microgrant provides funding to teachers and teens in underserved U.S. communities to host educational screening events focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering youth engagement in global change efforts.

This funding opportunity supports community organizations in Monroe and Ontario Counties to create engaging summer programs for youth aged 3-18, focusing on learning, skill-building, and social-emotional development.

The Community Fund for Carmel Valley is dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations that demonstrate strong leadership and capacity to deliver essential community resources and services within the Carmel Valley and Cachagua regions. This grant program is aligned with the foundation's mission to foster community well-being and development by addressing local needs and enhancing the quality of life for residents. The fund prioritizes initiatives that build community, improve local infrastructure, expand youth and senior programming, and support educational, cultural, and historical programs for residents. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are the residents of Carmel Valley and Cachagua, with a particular focus on those requiring basic needs assistance such as food and housing security, and youth programs. The program also seeks to support organizations providing services directly located within these communities, ensuring ease of access for residents. The overall impact goal is to strengthen the social fabric of these communities, provide critical support for vulnerable populations, and enhance community resilience, particularly in areas of emergency prevention and response. Priorities for funding include community development initiatives that aim to build local capacity and address specific community needs. Youth and senior programs are a key focus, with the goal of expanding existing services and creating new opportunities for these demographic groups. Resident programs, encompassing education, culture, and history, are also given significant consideration to enrich the lives of community members. Special attention is given to organizations addressing basic needs and those involved in emergency preparedness and response, such as education for disaster preparedness and neighborhood organizing. Expected outcomes include improved community infrastructure, increased access to vital services for youth and seniors, enhanced educational and cultural opportunities, and a more prepared and resilient community in the face of emergencies like fires and other disasters. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the focus on tangible outcomes like expanded programming and improved infrastructure suggests that the foundation seeks to support initiatives with clear, positive impacts on the community. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly centered on community empowerment and direct local impact. The eligibility criteria emphasize support for 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, public programs (e.g., schools, parks, public health), and church-sponsored activities that benefit beyond their membership. Organizations and collaboratives that are not legally incorporated may also apply with a fiscal sponsor. This demonstrates a strategic commitment to ensuring broad access to funding for a diverse range of community-serving entities. The foundation's theory of change appears to be rooted in the belief that by investing in local organizations with strong leadership and capacity, it can directly contribute to building stronger, more resilient, and self-sufficient communities in Carmel Valley and Cachagua.

The Sitka Legacy Foundation is offering grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to tax-exempt organizations in Sitka and on Baranof Island, prioritizing those serving children and youth, for projects in areas such as health, education, outdoors, arts, and community development, to be completed within a year.

This grant provides funding for organizations in Minnesota and Wisconsin to implement impactful water quality improvement projects and promote environmental stewardship within their communities.