Playground grants in Colorado

Yes, though some of Colorado's foundations exclude schools. El Pomar Foundation, which funds capital projects for Colorado nonprofits and government entities, does not accept applications from K-12 schools. The only exception is limited capital requests from secondary schools that are not publicly funded. An elementary school playground would need a nonprofit or government partner to apply to El Pomar.

Schools can apply directly to Walmart Spark Good Local Grants. These run three times a year and award $250 to $5,000. The project must benefit the broader community and serve the same area as the Walmart store, Sam's Club or distribution center you apply to. At that size, the grant would fund a piece of a playground rather than the whole thing. See our playgrounds for schools.

Yes. Walmart Spark Good Local Grants name faith-based organizations as eligible applicants. The project must benefit the broader community, so plan for a playground that neighbors outside the congregation can use.

Awards range from $250 to $5,000, and there are three application cycles each year. You apply to a Walmart store, Sam's Club or distribution center that serves your area. If you are funded, you cannot reapply to that same facility in the same fiscal year. See our church playground equipment.

Homeowners' associations are not eligible for Walmart Spark Good Local Grants, and Colorado's state park programs only accept public agencies. A neighborhood group that is not a registered nonprofit can still apply to The Colorado Health Foundation's Community-Initiated Solutions through a fiscal sponsor. That program considers capital grants for facilities and infrastructure improvements, and review takes about 90 days.

If the playground would sit on public land, another option is partnering with your city or county. Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Land and Water Conservation Fund accepts applications from public agencies, and past projects in Colorado include new playgrounds at public parks. See our playgrounds for HOAs.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs two programs for public agencies. The Land and Water Conservation Fund pays for local park construction, and past Colorado projects include new playgrounds at public parks. Any site it funds must stay dedicated to public outdoor recreation permanently.

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) funds outdoor recreation facilities in census-designated urban areas with a combined population of at least 25,000. The applicant must own the land, and match funds are required. Letters of commitment for the match must be included in the full application, so line those up before you apply. See our playgrounds for parks.

Some do. Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) requires a match and asks for letters of commitment showing where it will come from. Those letters go in with the full application. The required amount is not published, so confirm your match sources early.

El Pomar Foundation does not publish a match rule, but timing matters there. Organizations it funds must wait three years before applying again through its competitive process, and declined applicants must wait one year. Because of that, it makes sense to present the playground as one complete project rather than splitting it into phases.

Yes. Two statewide foundations fund capital projects for Colorado nonprofits. El Pomar Foundation accepts applications on a rolling basis, and its trustees review them four to six times a year. The Colorado Health Foundation's Community-Initiated Solutions considers capital grants for facilities or infrastructure improvements within its priority areas, and review takes about 90 days.

Neither foundation names playgrounds specifically, so the project has to fit their broader goals. For The Colorado Health Foundation, that means a community-led playground serving underserved Coloradans, and the Foundation suggests talking with a program officer before applying.