(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced that applications are now being accepted for Rec for ALL Community Grants to support programs, activities, and events for District youth. The grants empower community-based organizations to engage youth ages 6-18 through recreation with an emphasis on those with barriers to access. The $3 million investment is expected to support at least 100 grants that will reach over 27,000 youth.
“We know that when we expose our children to sports and recreation, it helps them unlock new skills, it builds resilience and discipline, and it creates new opportunities for young people to make friends and meet mentors,” said Mayor Bowser. “We encourage community-based organizations to look at these grants and consider how they might be able to work with us to create more opportunities for young people in DC.”
This year, the Rec for ALL Grants available for organizations include:
- Support Grants – Up to $5,000 that can be used to purchase equipment, supplies, or materials for existing programs.
- Engagement Grants – Up to $10,000 to support field trips and other enrichment activities.
- Event and Travel Grants – Up to $10,000 to provide travel to athletic competitions for youth groups.
- Programming Grants – Up to $100,000 in funding geared toward established organizations to fund the expansion of new or existing recurring programs.
Eligible applicants include nonprofits, businesses, or community-based organizations with a track record of working with youth in DC. DPR will hold a Pre-Application Meeting on Friday, February 16, 2024. For those who are interested in attending, send an email to [email protected]. The deadline to apply for DPR’s Rec for All Community Grants is March 5, 2024.
Rec for ALL is Mayor Bowser’s initiative to increase and expand DPR’s programming while responding to the District's growing recreation needs. To date, Mayor Bowser has invested $20 million in the Rec for ALL grant program. The initiative includes summer camp opportunities, new sports and programs, adaptive sports, Sunday pool access, and more. Rec for ALL grants help deepen DPR’s reach into the community and meet youth where they are to enhance Mayor Bowser’s violence prevention methods. DPR encourages all those with a vision for new innovative recreational programs to apply and empower underserved youth with high-quality and affordable recreation opportunities.
In 2023, DPR issued over 100 grants totaling over $4 million to local organizations providing unique recreational opportunities for DC youth. To date, the community grants initiative has touched the lives of 27,130 youth across all eight wards of the District.
To learn more about DPR’s Rec for ALL Community Grants and apply, visit recforallgrants.splashthat.com.
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