Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative Grant

The Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative, led by The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC, offers grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for community organizations to enhance youth sports facilities in under-resourced areas. This initiative focuses on improving safety, accessibility, and quality of athletic spaces for youth aged 6-24. Eligible applicants must have a proven track record in real estate development and ensure community access to the facilities.

Game On-Community Places to Play is an initiative of The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC. The initiative provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations working to create and renovate multi-use youth sport spaces for youth ages 6-24 years old in under-resourced communities across the country.
What we're offering
The goal is to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local athletic spaces for young people. Grant awards will range from $50,000-$100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. Funds will be awarded to outdoor and indoor facilities that enable and demonstrate local community access and usage for all organized youth sports, including but not limited to basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse and volleyball. Youth development program services should include, but are not limited to, life skills workshops, civic engagement and leadership, workforce development and academic support.

Eligibility

Be a community-based organization, elementary, middle, or high school serving a neighborhood consisting primarily of low and moderate-income families and individuals. Please note: Schools must demonstrate the ability of the community to also utilize the facility. Have at least one full-time staff person (all-volunteer organizations will not be considered) Be in existence for at least three years. Have a proven history in real estate development and/or parks programming. Have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status/school status. Organizations and their projects will be selected for funding based on the following criteria:Feasibility of the proposed project. The project budget must be based upon realistic costs, preferably written contractor’s estimates. Project readiness. Sources of funding for the entire budget should be identified. Plans for the renovations should consider the schedule of recreation activities over the course of the year. A project timeline should be specified in the proposal. Impact upon neighborhood and support from the community. Only proposals focused on locations in low and moderate-income communities will be considered. The proposal should clearly state how the improvements would benefit the community. It also must clearly detail how many youths have use of the sports space. Moreover, the proposal must also include a projected increase in the number of youths that will use the facility because of the Game On- Community Places to Play Initiative improvements. Support letters from other neighborhood and partner organizations and joint use agreements (where applicable) must be included as well as contact information for the youth organizations and programs scheduled to use the facilities. Match funding. The Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative requires a minimum local match of one dollar for every dollar (1:1). For example if the proposal requests $100,000 from the Program, it must demonstrate sources and commitments for at least $100,000 in local funds, however, should demonstrate total funding sources that cover the costs of the entire project. Match funding at a higher ratio will strengthen the proposal. *Note: All funding levels require minimally 1:1 matchSecurity of future field maintenance and safety. Proposals must have written commitments of maintenance funding for a minimum of three years along with a detailed three-year maintenance plan to demonstrate that the applicant will maintain the facility despite projected wear and tear and potential overuse by youth sports participants. As a reminder, Game on Community Places to Play Initiative funds may not be used to maintain facility surfaces, as all grant funds must be used for capital improvement expenditures.Capacity of the organization and its partners to carry out the project. The applicant organization must demonstrate, through its current management team and previous experience, the ability to manage a project of this size and nature.

Ineligibility

Universities and college campuses are not eligible to apply and will not be considered for funding.