Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund

Small grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 will be awarded to youth running programs across the U.S.

What Kids Run the Nation grants may fund:

• Marketing materials, brochures, posters, fliers, and other printed or digital materials informing parents about the program
• Advertising the program in a community newspaper or website
• Hosting a program website
• Permit or usage fees to use a local park or running track
• Hydration supplies, including water bottles, cups, or coolers
• Snacks and meals for program participants
• Incentives and awards such as Toe Tokens®, ribbons, shirts, water bottles, backpack tags, patches, etc.
• Mileage logs, worksheets, and other written and digital materials for program participants
• Other items that the RRCA Grant Selection Committee sees fit to fund

Eligibility:

Running clubs, events, or other organizations with the IRS 501(c)(3) designation are eligible to apply. Elementary and middle schools that provide an organized after-school running program are eligible as well. No grants will be given to individuals under any circumstances. All applicants must be an official 501(c)(3), school, parent booster club, PTA, or a similar entity. 

Please review the following criteria before submitting your grant application:

• Your running program should be more than just a one-time event. It should be a structured running program that ideally utilizes the RRCA’s Kids Run the Nation youth running curriculum. The goal of your program should be to have kids running regularly, more than once each week for multiple weeks, as opposed to participating in a single event. However, the program may culminate in a goal fun run or other organized running event.
• Your program may be a start-up program or a pre-existing program.
• Your program must be gender-inclusive, encouraging and welcoming participation by children of all genders. The program may not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnic origin, or economic status. The program may outline age groups and may indicate a minimum and maximum age for participation.
• Your program should focus on participation, but may include competitive running activities or events.
• Your running program must maintain policies and procedures that ensure the safety of the participants and outline expectations of program leaders. Your program should meet SafeSport Act requirements, including completion of sexual abuse awareness and reporting training and requiring criminal background checks on all adult program staff and volunteers.

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California Casualty

The California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant was established to provide support to public school sports programs impacted by reduced budgets. As an employee of the school and a member of a participating education association, you can apply for a Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant award for your school’s sports program.

Eligibility:

Public middle and high schools whose athletics programs are in jeopardy and in great need of funding in all states except: AK, HI, MA, MI, NY, WI.

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Farm to School Grant

On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. USDA's Farm to School grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize farm to school efforts.

Eligibility:

Schools, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- and medium-sized agricultural producers, and nonprofits. Eligible schools are defined as preK-12 school food authorities, nonprofit private schools, charter schools, Indian tribal schools, and others that participate in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs.

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America Walks: Community Change Micro Grants

This grant program supports local efforts to create safe, accessible, and enjoyable places to walk and be physically active for all community members. Since it’s beginning in 2015, this grant program has provided funds for a variety of projects to help expand the prevalence of walking, add to the diversity of organizations working to improve walkability, and help to make walking safer, easier and more fun for all.

Eligibility:

Non-profit organization

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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. CACFP also provides reimbursements for meals served to children and youth participating in afterschool care programs, children residing in emergency shelters, and adults over the age of 60 or living with a disability and enrolled in day care facilities.

Eligibility:

Community-based programs that offer enrichment activities for at-risk children and youth, 18 and under, after the regular school day ends, can provide free meals and snacks through CACFP. Programs must be offered in areas where at least 50 percent of the children are eligible for free and reduced price meals based upon school data.

For eligibility requirements and state specific information, click here. 

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Community Health Centers

Grants support the development and operation of community health centers that provide preventive and primary health care services, supplemental health and support services and environmental health services to medically underserved areas/populations. The program's priorities include providing services in the most medically underserved areas and maintaining existing centers that are serving high priority populations. Grants are designated for the actual delivery of primary care services and do not cover any facility costs.

Eligibility:

Public agencies, nonprofit private organizations, and a limited number of state and local governments are eligible to apply. Profit-making organizations are not eligible.

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Community Programs to Improve Minority Health

The Office of Minority Health provides support to agencies and organizations in the public and private sectors to eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations. These grants support minority community health coalitions develop, implement, and conduct demonstration projects. The projects coordinate integrated community-based screening and outreach services. They link minorities in high-risk, low-income communities to treatment.

Eligibility:

Private nonprofit community-based minority serving organizations that can serve as the grantee for a coalition of groups may apply.

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Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards

These grants support program activities of a national or regional significance to alleviate the causes of poverty in distressed communities that promote: (1) full-time permanent jobs for poverty-level project area residents; (2) income and/or ownership opportunities for low-income community members; (3) a better standard of living for rural low-income individuals in terms of housing, water or waste-water treatment; (4) new and innovative strategies for addressing the special needs of migrants and seasonal farmworkers; and (5) national or regional programs designed to provide character building, sports and physical fitness activities for low-income youth.

Eligibility:

States; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; U.S. Territories; federally and state-recognized Indian Tribes and tribal organizations; community Action Agencies; migrant and seasonal farm workers' agencies; other organizations specifically designated by the states

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Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program

The Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program (HTPCP) support innovative, community-based initiatives to improve the health status of infants, children, adolescents and families in rural and other underserved communities by increasing their access to preventive care and services. For the past 31 years, HTPCP has provided approximately 76 million dollars to 305 projects in 48 states, and Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.HTPCP projects must represent a new initiative within the community or an innovative component that builds on existing community resources. Projects usually provide services in vulnerable and underserved populations and address four key areas: access to health care services, community-based health care, preventive health care, and service coordination.

Eligibility:

Public and private entities providing community-based health care services and outreach to low-income children, adolescents and their families.

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Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant

Grants enable states to maintain and strengthen their leadership in planning, promoting, coordinating and evaluating health care for pregnant women, mothers, infants, children and children with special health care needs, and to provide health services for mothers and children who do not have access to adequate health care.

States may use funds to develop systems of care for the provision of health services and related activities, including planning, administration, education and evaluation consistent with the state's annual application.  Youth initiatives can partner with other agencies to provide health care and other systems building services for youth.

Eligibility:

To receive MCH Services Block Grant funds, states are required to (1) conduct a needs assessment every five years; (2) provide an annual report, including program participation data, state maternal and child health measures, and state pediatric and family workforce measures; and (3) ensure that an independent audit is performed every two years.

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