Fundraising and Grants

Community groups and non-profit organizations sometimes find themselves in a Catch-22 situation: they have a great idea for improving their communities’ health by installing a fitness zone or trail in a park, school, organization, or other community area. The problem: how to fund it?

The Benefits of Grants

Grants may provide one source of funding. For more information, visit these Web sites:

• There are many grants offered by the federal government. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the managing partner for Grants.gov.
• The National Institutes of Health also offer a separate section on grants, including details on how to apply.
• Another excellent source for information on funding, including grants, is the Philanthropy Gateway
• In addition, try performing a Web search with a site such as Google.com, combining the relevant words, such as grants +California+schools+fitness.   Experiment with different combinations of keywords; for example, you may want to begin with fewer words, such as YourStateName+philanthropy and then narrow the results by adding additional search terms. By doing separate searches, you can discover a variety of both public and private organizations, corporations, and foundations that offer regional grants.
• One example of a very valuable grant is Lowe's Tool Box for Education
  program.

Supplemental Funding Sources

It takes time to find appropriate grants, fill out the applications, and go through the interview phases. What, then, can be done as alternatives to grants – or what if the grant does not provide sufficient funds? Seek local sources of funding!

For example, service organizations such as the Rotary or Kiwanis Group may be open to having your group do a presentation on your goals and plans for an outdoor gym in a local park. Talk with medical centers and hospitals in your area to see if they would want to partner up with your group. Large corporations in your area may be willing to provide funds in exchange for recognition, such as having the fitness zone named after their corporation.

By attaining local funding, you can demonstrate to grant-giving organizations and other possible donors that you truly have the desire to create the opportunity for exercise within your community. As a result, you may find that these philanthropic groups are more willing to match your existing funds with a grant of their own.

You can also harness the power of public relations, talking with local newspaper, TV, and radio stations about your goals and asking them to consider doing an article on the need for more exercise opportunities to improve the health and well-being of residents of all ages. Those types of articles and promotions can attract the attention of possible donors, resulting in untapped sources of funding.

For assistance with choosing equipment and/or product information, please contact us!