Kaboom Inc
Kaboom Inc is a public charity based in Bethesda, Maryland, that works with communities to build and improve places for children to play. Its programs include community-built playgrounds, nature exploration areas, multi-sport courts, adventure courses, and playspace grants.
Kaboom Inc at a glance
In short: Kaboom Inc gave $363K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Georgia. 84% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $362,573
- +67.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +137.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,083
- -29.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $24,686,878
- -15.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 84% first-time grantees (16 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (77% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kaboom Inc
- How to Apply
-
KABOOM describes application and eligibility processes for its playspace opportunities, including an eligibility quiz for playground and nature exploration area projects. Its website identifies Community-Built Playspaces as currently accepting applications.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7200 Wisconsin Ave 400, Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (202) 659-0215
Website: https://kaboom.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Kaboom Inc
Community-Built Playspace Grants
Kaboom Inc
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community-Built Playspaces
Kaboom Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
KaBOOM! Adventure Courses Grant Program
Kaboom Inc
Amount
Unspecified amount in in-kind support
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Kaboom Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Fernhill Park ($31K). Together the top 10 received $216K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 77 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
KABOOM’s Community-Built Playspaces program is described as national within the United States, with individual opportunities tied to specific cities or metropolitan areas. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia (77%), Pennsylvania (19%), and Rhode Island (4%). KABOOM stated in its 2025 filing that it awarded no grants outside the United States that year.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kaboom Inc open to new grantees?
84%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 19 grantees (84%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $7K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $141K (2021) to $2.4M (2020). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $363K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Fernhill Park Philadelphia, PA | Playspace Innovation | $31,000 |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Playspace Innovation | $25,000 |
| Ashview Heights Community Association Atlanta, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Atlanta Police Athletic League Inc Atlanta, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Atlanta Smart Academy Atlanta, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Avondale Elementary School Education Foundation Inc Atlanta, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Beyond the View Autism Services Atlanta, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier Inc Gainesville, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| Charlton County Recreation Dept Folkston, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
| City of Cedartown Cedartown, GA | Improvement Playspace Grant | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Kaboom Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,686,878 | $21,524,179 | $25,091,649 | $362,573 | 19 | $1,033,218 |
| 2024 | $29,033,648 | $21,542,394 | $23,594,205 | $216,035 | 8 | $1,239,109 |
| 2023 | $32,769,790 | $21,464,465 | $25,061,925 | $702,000 | 10 | $892,783 |
| 2022 | $34,091,503 | $14,775,995 | $17,558,280 | $145,083 | 18 | $935,726 |
| 2021 | $33,837,191 | $27,499,929 | $12,499,805 | $141,449 | 22 | $853,642 |
| 2020 | $19,109,147 | $12,487,395 | $16,066,739 | $2,446,810 | 83 | $1,294,833 |
| 2019 | $21,913,729 | $26,590,339 | $26,878,539 | $1,759,038 | 106 | $1,146,751 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
KABOOM’s stated mission is to end playspace inequity by uniting with communities to build kid-designed playspaces that can foster joy and belonging for children who are often denied opportunities to thrive. Its 2025 filing describes direct-impact offerings that address differences in access to and quality of places to play, including playgrounds, multi-sport courts, adventure courses, and Play Everywhere grants.
KABOOM’s website identifies child-serving nonprofits and municipal agencies as partners for community-built playspaces. In its 2025 grants, recipients included schools and education-related organizations, community associations, recreation and youth-serving organizations, and other nonprofits. For example, Ivy Preparatory Academy described its mission as operating a charter school and related support services; Atlanta Police Athletic League described its mission as providing a positive environment for children to grow and learn; and Clean Air Council described itself as a member-supported environmental organization serving the Mid-Atlantic region. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not KABOOM’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, KABOOM reported 19 grants totaling $362,573. Individual grants ranged from $6,000 to $31,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed award was $31,000 to Friends of Fernhill Park in Philadelphia for “Playspace Innovation.” The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia received $25,000 for the same stated purpose. Multiple Georgia recipients received $20,000 each for “Improvement Playspace Grant,” including Atlanta Police Athletic League, Atlanta Smart Academy, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier. KABOOM also reported a $20,000 grant to Ivy Preparatory Academy and a $7,100 grant to Ronald McDonald House Charities in Pittsburgh.
KABOOM’s website describes community-built playspace projects as collaborative efforts to plan, design, and build new play environments. Its playground qualifications include serving a low-income and/or special-needs community, having no playground or needing to replace an unsafe or outdated one, securing land rights and permits, fundraising toward equipment costs, and organizing community members for planning and Build Day. The organization’s nature exploration area qualifications include serving youth from low-income populations and demonstrating a need for access to nature, along with community participation, site preparation, permits, and plans for ownership and maintenance. Opportunities are specific to cities or metropolitan areas, though KABOOM’s Community-Built Playspaces program is described as national. The website also lists a Georgia Playspace Refresh Fund offering grants of up to $25,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lynn M. Ross as board chair; Ladan Manteghi as board vice-chair; Natalie Vega O’Neil as board secretary; and Eric Wayne as board treasurer. Other listed board members were Michael Araten (through November 2025), Tiffany Manuel, PhD, Sharhonda Bossier, James Hardy, Rochelle Haynes, and Vincent J. Lumia.
Kaboom Inc is led by Lysa Ratliff, CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 7 of 21 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lysa Ratliff
CEO
Vice President & Partnership Development → CEO, 2021
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$235K (2019) → $409K (2025)
Lynn M. Ross
Board Chair
Member → Board Vice Chair, 2021
Board Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carlyne Cardichon
Vice President Finance & Operations
Vice President & Finance → Vice President Finance & Operations, 2021
On filings since 2019
48 hrs/week
$199K (2019) → $218K (2025)
Carrie Leovy
Senior Strategist
On filings since 2019
44 hrs/week
$176K (2019) → $201K (2025)
George T. Megas
CFO
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$234K (2019) → $246K (2025)
James Siegal
Senior Fellow
CEO → Senior Fellow, 2021
On filings since 2019
41 hrs/week
$366K (2019) → $232K (2025)
Ronda Jackson
Vice President Regional Partnerships
Vice President Policy, Advocacy & Impact → Vice President Policy, Advocacy & Impa, 2024
Vice President Policy, Advocacy & Impa → Vice President Regional Partnerships, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$196K (2019) → $195K (2025)
Danielle Turnage
Chief of Staff
Vice President Partnership Development → Vice President Program Operations, 2023
Vice President Program Operations → Chief of Staff, 2025
On filings since 2021
44 hrs/week
$154K (2021) → $206K (2025)
Eric Rothman
Board Member -
Board Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
Board Member → Board Member -, 2025
On filings since 2019
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Araten
Board Member -
Member → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Board Member -, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ladan Manteghi
Board Vice Chair
Member → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Board Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent J. Lumia
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jewel James Simmons
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2021
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Wayne
Board Treasurer
Board Secretary → Board Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Vega O'Neil
Board Secretary
Member → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Manuel PhD
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Hardy
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marion McFadden
Board Member - Elected
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Rochelle Haynes
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharhonda Bossier
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Fesenmyer
Board Member - Elected
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Carey Palmquist (2023–2024) — Chief Program Officer
- Former: Amy Levner (2019–2022) — Vice President Marketing & Communivations
- Former: Jake Siewert (2019–2022) — Board Chair
- Former: Sharon Price John (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Gregory Johnson (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Deborah A. Cowan (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Bruce M. Bowman (2019–2020) — President & Play Products Initiative
- Former: Colin O'Donnell (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Ron Lumbra (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: Stephanie Gaillard White (2019–2020) — Board Chair
- Former: Udaya Patnaik (2019–2020) — Member
- Former: Nabeeha Kazi (2020) — Vice President & Program Management
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $409K, to Lysa Ratliff (CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Kaboom Inc
How much does Kaboom Inc give each year?
Kaboom Inc gave $363K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $216K across 8 grants.
What is Kaboom Inc's typical grant size?
Kaboom Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $19,083, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kaboom Inc that year got $21K on average.
Where does Kaboom Inc give grants?
Kaboom Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Pennsylvania (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (7 grants), Philadelphia, PA (4 grants) and Gainesville, GA (2 grants).
Does Kaboom Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Kaboom Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Improvement Playspace Grant" (14 grants) and "Playspace Innovation" (4 grants).
Who are Kaboom Inc's largest grantees?
Kaboom Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Fernhill Park ($31,000), The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ($25,000) and Ashview Heights Community Association ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kaboom Inc?
Kaboom Inc reported $24.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $21.5M.
What does Kaboom Inc fund?
KABOOM’s stated mission is to end playspace inequity by uniting with communities to build kid-designed playspaces that can foster joy and belonging for children who are often denied opportunities to thrive. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kaboom Inc?
KABOOM describes application and eligibility processes for its playspace opportunities, including an eligibility quiz for playground and nature exploration area projects. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Kaboom Inc's EIN?
Kaboom Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1970904. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Kaboom Inc funds
Recreation & Sports Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kaboom Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kaboom Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kaboom-inc-morg_cbbd2e8b6e77465fbdacdb2a3817f2a7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521970904_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kaboom Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kaboom-inc-morg_cbbd2e8b6e77465fbdacdb2a3817f2a7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Kaboom Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Kaboom Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?