Play Everywhere Challenge

Posted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on May 16, 2016

Play Everywhere Challenge Invites Idea Submissions

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in partnership with KaBoom!, has announced a call for entries for a national competition aimed at helping cities create spaces and opportunities for kids to play as they grow.

Through the $1 million Play Everywhere Challenge, grants will be awarded in support of innovative, scalable, and replicable ideas that make play easy, available, and fun for kids and families. To that end, the challenge seeks community-driven ideas and solutions that integrate play into everyday life and unexpected places — sidewalks, laundromats, vacant lots, bus stops, grocery stores, open streets, and beyond. Ideas that reimagine existing public spaces as places that can support playfulness and help people think differently about where play can occur are encouraged.

Projects can be temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent; however, temporary projects should be implemented and accessible for at least three days. If an idea is selected to be a finalist entry, the applicant will be asked to provide information on how it plans to maintain and activate the space.

Each finalist will receive $500 and assistance in completing a full proposal, including a budget and timeline. Finalists will then be given the opportunity to submit a final proposal for a final round of review. A group of up to fifty winners will be selected to receive awards.

Winning ideas will receive a share of $1 million, with prize amounts falling within the following ranges: Small Scale ($500-$5,000), Medium Scale ($5,001-$25,000), and Large Scale ($25,001-$50,000). Prizes will be determined after the finalist phase and will depend on project budgets and available funding. Large-scale awards will be highly competitive, with a maximum award of $50,000.

The challenge is open to all U.S.-based nonprofits, for-profits, individuals, governments, and anyone with a great idea that can help ensure that kids and families get the balanced and active play they need to thrive. However, prize funds can only be paid to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and schools, so finalists not falling under these categories will be asked to identify a qualifying entity as a partner or fiscal sponsor.

See the Kaboom! Play Everywhere Challenge website for a full description of the challenge and the official rules and conditions.

DEADLINE: MAY 31, 2016

https://playeverywhere.kaboom.org/