Recreation Grants for Nonprofits

About America Walks

America Walks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national organization is leading the way in making America a great place to walk. We provide a voice for walking and walkable communities with federal agencies, provide strategy support, training and technical assistance to statewide, regional, and local organizations, and serve as the convener of the national Every Body Walk! Collaborative. Together, America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative boast 700 allied organizations who across the nation are working to increase walking and make America a better place to walk.

Community Change Micro Grants

America Walks, partners of the Every Body Walk! Collaborative, Lyft, WalkBoston, and other generous sponsors, are excited to announce another round of our popular Community Change Grant program. This program will award grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play. 

America Walks has seen firsthand that the passion, innovation and hard work of advocates and local organizations to advance safe, equitable, accessible, and enjoyable places to walk and move are what create the foundation for walkable communities across the US. This grant program will work to provide support to the growing network of advocates, organizations, and agencies using innovative, engaging, and inclusive programs and projects to create change at the community level. 

Funded projects must demonstrate that they will show increased physical activity and active transportation in a specific community, work to engage people and organizations new to the efforts of walking and walkability, and demonstrate a culture of inclusive health. Projects will create healthy, active, and engaged communities that support walking as transportation, health, and recreation. 

The AAC Cornerstone Conservation Grant, powered by REI, formally launched in 2011 with the goal of funding projects to improve, conserve, and protect local climbing resources across the country. Since that first year, we have awarded nearly $205,000 to local climbing organizations (LCOs), land managers and agencies, nonprofits, and individuals for projects as varied as building or improving trail networks to climbing areas; establishing new toilet facilities and signage at trailheads; and deploying a variety of community groups for clean-up and graffiti removal at local crags

As we look ahead to the future of climbing and the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all, our Cornerstone Conservation Grant represents our commitment to supporting local climbing communities in their conservation and restoration initiatives. 

More individuals, families, and groups are spending time in climbing areas and landscapes, causing added environmental stress and degradations to these places. We look to local climbing communities to identify areas in need of conservation, restoration, and educational resources for visitors. Our goals for Cornerstone remain the same: create healthy climbing landscapes, promote respect for the places we climb, and empower local climbing communities. We look forward to supporting your project!

Grants range from $1,000 to $8,000, depending on the size and scope of project.

• NOTE: Direct Effect Quality of Life grants are offered twice yearly, in the 1st and 2nd grant cycles.
• See separate grant page for High Impact Priority Quality of Life grants. High Impact Priority Quality of Life grants are offered once per year, in the 1st grant cycle. 
• See separate grant page for Expanded Effect Tier Quality of Life grants which are currently being offered once per year, in the 2nd grant cycle.

We fund a wide array of programs that are organized in three key areas: Actively Achieving, Bridging Barriers and Caring and Coping. We strongly encourage requests to support the launch of new initiatives or the expansion of existing projects that serve individuals living with paralysis, their families and caregivers.

Grants are awarded to organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases or birth conditions, including (but not limited to) stroke, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We also support initiatives that are focused on caregiving and improving the quality of life of family members who are caring for a loved one living with disability.

Program overview

As a pillar of the Paralysis Resource Center, the Quality of Life Grants Program, pioneered by the late Dana Reeve, impacts and empowers people living with paralysis, their families and caregivers by providing grants to nonprofit organizations whose projects and initiatives foster inclusion, involvement and community engagement, while promoting health and wellness for those affected by paralysis in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The Quality of Life Grants Program has funded 3,200 non-profit programs, awarding over $30 million to organizations nationwide that provide services to foster community engagement, improved access, and independent living.

Grants have been awarded in all fifty states, a number of U.S. territories and though we no longer fund projects outside of the United States of America, grants have previously been awarded in 33 countries outside the U.S.

Grant Details

Grants are awarded to organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases or birth conditions, including (but not limited to) stroke, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

In 2018, we piloted a tiered approach to the structure of the Quality of Life grants program to better reflect and respond to the priority needs of the community of people living with paralysis and their families.

Direct Effect Quality of Life (Tier 1)

The Direct Effect Quality of Life (Tier 1) is open-focused and awards grants of up to $25,000 to support the wide range of projects and activities of the traditional Quality of Life grants. Grants fund specific budget items that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families.

Funded projects in all grant tiers are expected to be completed in 12 months. If this is not possible, the applicant is encouraged to delay submitting a request until such time as the proposed project may be completed in 12 months.

Requests to support the launch of new initiatives or the expansion of existing projects are encouraged. However, grant recipients should not rely on the Reeve Foundation for continued funding of their programs or projects.

Join MONAT Gratitude’s effort to invest in important educational resources that support the arts, music, entrepreneurship, and athletics in our communities around the world. Together, we’re changing lives! We believe in strengthening and investing in the nonprofits that are already part of our Market Partners’ lives and communities.

Gratitude Grants Program

MONAT Gratitude is committed to ensuring children, families, and communities—regardless of race, nationality, or income—have the opportunity to thrive. Through MONAT Gratitude Grants, eligible registered nonprofit organizations working to enhance and enrich educational resources in the areas targeted by our pledge will have the opportunity to apply for grants to support their programs and services. Areas of interest are: arts and culture, youth sports and recreation, and youth entrepreneurship

• ARTS AND CULTURE
  • Support music and arts education programs for children in grades K–12.

• YOUTH SPORTS AND RECREATION
  • Support youth sports programs in grades K–12 that inspire engagement and positively impact children in underserved communities.

• YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • Support programs focused on providing opportunities for youth to explore entrepreneurship opportunities in K–12 after-school program

MONAT Gratitude provides single-year financial support grants ranging from $5,000 USD up to 20,000 USD per grantee.

Grants are reviewed three times a year; dates are subject to change and will be announced via email, website updates, and social media.

Purpose and Scope

• The Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Challenge Cost Share program is intended to support specific National Park Service mission-related projects that align with the goals of project partners.
• Challenge Cost Share projects must support one or more of the following funding themes:
  • Addressing the Climate Crisis
    • Projects that address the climate crisis and build resiliency to a changing climate.
    • Projects could include developing green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and/or creating sustainable energy sources.
  • Conservation Projects (Lands and Waters)
    • Projects that increase the acres of protected or restored lands and waters.
  • Advancing Equity for Youth from Underserved Communities
    • Projects that increase equitable access to parks for youth and young adults from underserved communities.
  • Outdoor Recreation
    • Projects that increase public access to new and restored outdoor recreation opportunities.
• Projects that benefit NPS administered National Parks, National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers.
• National Park Service staff will work with project partners to achieve these mutually beneficial outcomes.
• This partnership challenge seeks to reward proposals that have the best prospects to build enduring benefits and develop new partnerships.

About Us

A Community Thrives is a grantmaking and crowdfunding program from the USA TODAY NETWORK, which includes USA TODAY and Gannett’s hundreds of local media brands. The initiative is part of the Gannett Foundation and supports nonprofit organizations with projects focused on community building. Since 2017, the program has helped to distribute more than $6.5 million from donations and grants across the nation.

Let's build change, together!

We started A Community Thrives, a nationwide grantmaking and crowdfunding initiative, because your great ideas for how to improve your community need a great big network of people to bring them to life. A Community Thrives offers a way to get your neighbors, friends, family, and peers excited to support your community-building ideas, and most importantly, a chance at +$2,000,000 in grants to get them off the ground and running.

There are three types of grants in the A Community Thrives program. 

• National Project Grants can be awarded to any applicant accepted to the challenge after the organization meets the fundraising minimum. Grants will range from $25,000 to $100,000.
• Local Operating Grants can be awarded to any applicant that serves a local Gannett market, accepted to the challenge, after the organization meets the fundraising minimum. Minimum grants will be $2,500.
• Incentive Grants will be awarded based on fundraising success. A total of $200,000 will be awarded during the Fundraising phase of the Campaign to those qualifying organizations that raise the most funds or activate the most unique donors. See full description below. 

Nonprofits who would like to be considered for the National Project and Local Operating grants must fundraise through the crowdfunding campaign, A Community Thrives Challenge, and raise a minimum amount depending on the organization's operating budget. Organizations must fundraise to be eligible for the "bonus" incentive grants.Fundraising Minimum Requirements

• Tier 1 organizations will be those organizations that entered an Annual Operating Budget of less than $500,000 in their application, and must raise $3,000.

• Tier 2 organizations will be those organizations that entered an Annual Operating Budget of $500,000 or more in their application, and must raise $6,000 minimum.