5th Gear Kids encourages students and schools to promote and improve the health and wellness of their schools through the use of grant funds, as well as support from the 5th Gear Kids program. Below is information regarding health-related grant funding opportunities for which schools and students can apply.
- GeoPalz Walk to Win Fundraiser
- PTA Healthy Lifestyles Grant
- Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart Grant
- Safe Routes to School Colorado
- Fuel Up to Play 60
- Saucony Run for Good Grants
- KaBOOM! Let's Play Community Construction Grants
- KaBOOM! Let's Play Playground Joint Use Grants
- Do Something Seed Grants
School Fundraisers
GeoPalz Walk to Win Fundraiser
- Purpose of Fundraiser: Provide a healthy way to raise money. An online platform that promotes physical activity while raising money
- Who is it for?: Anyone organizing a fundraising event that is looking for a healthy, fun and active way to get participants involved!
- How do I get started?: Click on the link about to the 'Walk to Win Fundraiser' and get started. It only takes 5 minutes to create an event and get your fundraiser going!
Check out the information below:
Health and Wellness Focused Grants - For Schools and Administrators
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding for research-based programs that promote good nutrition and regular physical activity.
- What is funded?: Programs and activities supported include: Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages; emphasizing fruits and vegetables; moderating portion sizes; promoting and increasing physical activity; reducing screen time
- Funding Amount: Up to $1,000 per school
- Who can apply?: Any school PTA
- How to apply: Submit a brief grant narrative and provide complete demographic information to online application site.
- Grant Deadline: Early September 2012- Watch website for details.
Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart Grant Program
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding to grow a Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart program and support the NASPE standards.
- What is funded?: 1 year AAHPERD membership, 2013 AAHPERD convention registration, travel to 2012 AAHPERD convention, $1,200 US Games certificate, AAHPERD Standards Packet
- Funding Amount: $1,300
- Who can apply?: Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart Coordinators that have conducted a Jump or Hoops event in the last 12 months.
- How to apply: Write a two-page paper summarizing your passion for the Jump or Hoops program and how receiving the grant will help grow your program and support NASPE standards. Submit a lesson plan or activity you use to teach a lesson that relays the message of living a healthy lifestyle.
- Grant Deadline: Early November 2012- Watch website for details.
Safe Routes to School Colorado
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding to create safe routes to schools through either infrastructure (such as signs, street striping, etc.) and non-infrastructure projects (such as teaching pedestrian and bicycle safety)
- What is funded?: Funding either pays for infrastructure needs related to safe routes or non-infrastructure needs.
- Funding Amount: Infrastructure grants- $50,000 to $250,000. Non-infrastructure grants- ≥$3,500
- Who can apply?: School districts, city, county, state or tribal entities. Also, non-profits may apply by partnering with a state subdivision contingent upon the state subdivision acting as the contracting authority.
- How to apply: Complete Safe Routes to School grant application. This requires information regarding the proposed project, how said project will address participation and safety problems, the target population for the project, etc. Separate applications must be completed for infrastructure versus non-infrastructure grants.
- Grant Deadline: Early December 2012- Watch website for details.
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding to help schools increase student awareness about the importance of healthy eating and increased physical activity, improve access to and consumption of nutrient rich foods, provide opportunities for physical activity in school, and/or create sustainable changes to make schools healthier.
- What is funded?: Funding can be used to implement the healthy eating and physical activity plays from Fuel Up to Play 60 and to conduct in-school promotions for creating a healthier school. A portion of the funds can also be used for an advisor stipend.
- Funding Amount: Up to $4,000
- Who can apply?: Schools who are enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60 for the current school year and have a program advisor signed up at their school may apply.
- How to apply: Complete and submit the Funds for Fuel Up to Play 60 application form and complete the School Wellness Investigation.
- Grant Deadline: October 1, 2012 and January 15, 2013. Watch website for additional application deadlines.
- Purpose of Grant: Combat childhood obesity by providing funding for community organizations that promote running and healthy lifestyle programs for youth.
- What is funded?: Funding can be used to implement community based running programs. Funding helps pay for supplies, awards, equipment, running shoes, and healthy snacks.
- Funding Amount: Up to $10,000.
- Who can apply?: Programs whose participants are18 years of age or younger, have a 501(c)(3) status and can demonstrate their program positively impacts the lives of participants through increased participation in running. Public schools are eligible.
- How to apply: Complete the Saucony Run for Good grant application and address, in no more than four typed pages, information about your organization including the purpose of funding, who the program will impact, how the program will promote running for health in children, and a detailed plan and budget among other things.
- Grant Deadline: Two funding deadlines, typically in mid December and mid June. Watch website for additional application deadlines.
KaBOOM! Let’s Play Community Construction Grants
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding to be used toward the purchase of playground equipment that will be built using the KaBOOM! community-build model.
- What is funded?: Purchase of playground equipment from a KaBOOM! preferred vendor.
- Funding Amount: $15,000
- Who can apply?: U.S.-based municipalities, neighborhood associations, schools, day care centers, and non-profits without a playground. The scope of the project must include a total equipment purchase between $24,00 and $40,000.
- How to apply: Register project on Our Dream Playground. Earn and receive the following badges on Our Dream Playground: Site Secured; Ready, Set, Go; and Ahoy! Submit an online grant application providing answers to 10 essay questions, community demographic information and supplemental documents.
- Grant Deadline: July 20, 2012- Watch website for changing application deadlines.
KaBOOM! Let’s Play Playground Joint Use Grants
- Purpose of Grant: Increase access to city’s playgrounds through joint use agreements by partnering with local school districts to open school recreation facilities during non-school hours.
- What is funded?: Funding supports the opening of at least four playgrounds ($15,000) or at least eight playgrounds ($30,000) during non-school hours.
- Funding Amount: $15,000 or $30,000
- Who can apply?: Open to communities within the United States. Applicants need to demonstrate how they meet multiple eligibility requirements in their grant application. Wee website for eligibility requirements.
- How to apply: Complete the online Let's Play Playground Joint Use grant application by the funding deadline.
- Grant Deadline: July 31, 2012- watch website for changing application deadlines.
Health and Wellness Focused Grants - For Students
- Purpose of Grant: Provide funding to be used for community action projects or programs. Can be used for already developed projects or to jump-start new programs.
- What is funded?: Programs and projects developed by young people to promote positive changes in their communities. See website for examples of funded programs/projects.
- Funding Amount: $500
- Who can apply?: Anyone 25 years of age or younger. Must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen.
- How to apply: Create a project posting for the project. Fill out an online application, including a budget detailing how the $500 will be used and a letter of recommendation from a non-family member. Optional: Photos and videos of the project and/or the project’s website.
- Grant Deadline: Rolling applications- one grant given out weekly!
Activity Maps
Check out 5th Gear Kids activity locations and find places near you to play, like parks and playgrounds!
