Playground grants in North Dakota

Sometimes, yes. The North Dakota Community Foundation's Statewide Greatest Needs program accepts churches, but only for non-sectarian projects that serve the broad community. A playground open to the whole neighborhood fits that rule better than one limited to a congregation. Grants generally do not exceed $5,000, and applications are taken once a year in early summer, with checks delivered in early fall.

Walmart Spark Good Local Grants also accept faith-based organizations whose projects benefit the broader community. Awards run from $250 to $5,000, and you apply to a Walmart store, Sam's Club or distribution center that serves your area. See our church playground equipment.

In Grand Forks, the Knight Donor-Advised Fund Grant Program through the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks & Region accepts schools and local organizations. It invests in vibrant public spaces. Capital campaigns are not considered unless otherwise noted, so present the playground as one specific public space project rather than part of a larger fundraising drive.

For shade over a playground, public schools can apply to the American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Grant, which pays up to $8,000 for materials and installation of a permanent shade structure. The school must have a sun safety program that has been running for at least one year, and the program runs once a year. See our playgrounds for schools.

The North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department runs the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which names playgrounds as an eligible outdoor recreation project, along with ball fields, pools, campgrounds and land bought for park development. Award amounts are not published.

Government agencies can also apply to the North Dakota Community Foundation's Statewide Greatest Needs program, where grants generally do not exceed $5,000. Projects that can be paid for by taxes are a low priority, so explain why the playground cannot be covered by the regular budget. Separately, cities and counties receive federal Community Development Block Grant money each year and choose which local projects it funds, as long as they mainly benefit low- and moderate-income people. See our playgrounds for parks.

It is hard for an HOA on its own. The North Dakota Community Foundation's Statewide Greatest Needs program accepts only 501(c)(3) organizations, government agencies and tribal government agencies, so an HOA that is not a 501(c)(3) does not qualify. Walmart Spark Good Local Grants exclude homeowners' associations by name.

A neighborhood group organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit can apply to the Statewide Greatest Needs program, which generally gives up to $5,000 once a year. In the Cass County Electric Cooperative service area, its RDFC Grant gives up to $2,000 to community-based projects, including community facilities, that benefit rural areas. See our playgrounds for HOAs.

Cass County Electric Cooperative's RDFC Grant gives up to $2,000 to community-owned or community-based projects, including community facilities, that benefit rural areas in its service area.

For larger projects, USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities program serves public bodies, nonprofits and tribes in areas of 20,000 people or fewer, and lists child care centers and community centers as examples. The grant covers 15% to 75% of the cost depending on town size and income, with up to 75% in low-income towns of 5,000 or fewer. Low-interest loans can cover the rest, and you must show you cannot pay for the project from your own resources or commercial credit. Applications are accepted year round. See our playgrounds for daycares.