Colorado Health Foundation

Playspaces for Rural Colorado Communities

The Colorado Health Foundation is partnering with KABOOM! to build 8 state-of-the-art playspaces in rural communities across Colorado.

This initiative is designed to harness innovative ideas that are generated at the local level and reflective of the community’s needs. Our hope is to have a cross-generational impact on the health outcomes of all Coloradans by strengthening bodies, minds and communities through more equitable access to dynamic and innovative physical activity.

The application is now closed. The deadline to apply was April 22.

Grant play options

Grantees will get to select between the following playspace options:

Custom-designed playground

A KABOOM! playground with an expanded footprint of up to 3,500 square feet and/or including additional play elements such as separate play structures for toddlers and older youth, specialized inclusive equipment for kids with all physical abilities, larger stand-alone or innovative play equipment or other amenities driven by the play needs in your community.

Playground + fitness equipment

A KABOOM! playground with a footprint of approximately 2,500 square feet plus Healthbeat outdoor fitness equipment for ages 13 and older, providing access to tailored workouts for teens and adults of all fitness levels. Supplementing playgrounds with Healthbeat equipment transforms shared community spaces into cross-generational places that promote physical activity and broad community wellness.

Playground + Sports Court

A KABOOM! playground with a footprint of approximately 2,000 square feet plus the transformation of a flat asphalt or concrete surface into a vibrant sports court. Sports Courts are playing surfaces designed to integrate an array of sports and activities, such as basketball, soccer, or even Four Square, accommodating users of all ages and skill levels.

Playground + Play Everywhere

A KABOOM! playground with a footprint of approximately 2,500 square feet plus the opportunity to integrate community-inspired, non-traditional design elements outside of the playground footprint such as musical components, playful sidewalks, community murals or art and other community-driven ideas to bring diverse, creative play options to the outdoor space surrounding your playground.

Adventure Course

An Adventure Course with a footprint of approximately 3,500 square feet brings fun and challenging play opportunities to youth ages 13 and older. Adventure Courses are designed to increase the challenge and risk in physical activity, while providing a safe and unique gathering space for an older age group. Using the FitCore Extreme equipment line, Adventure Course stations offer a dynamic opportunity for older kids to improve their agility, balance and strength.

  • Receive a new, custom-designed adventure course playspace and hand-crafted amenities to make the playspace truly yours!
  • Engage community members, including teenagers, to work toward a common goal.
  • Participate and lead a planning process to help you fundraise, build relationships and develop media relations skills that will strengthen your community and can be used for future projects.

Eligibility and process

These grants are available for child-serving organizations including nonprofit organizations, schools or municipal agencies that also match the following criteria:

To qualify, applicants must:

  • Be located in a rural area of Colorado.
  • Serve a large number of kids and/or young adults.
  • Have a need to build a new playspace or replace existing equipment.
  • Have a willingness to fundraise.
  • Be able to engage up to 200 volunteers to participate in the planning and building process.

How to apply

Interested applicants can visit apply.kaboom.org to submit an application. After completing Part I of the application, applicants should complete the Adventure Courses or Sports Courts applications.

March 4 Early bird application deadline
Early bird applicants will receive early consideration for funding and will be eligible to complete their playspace projects in the spring of 2019.

April 22 Final application deadline
After the final deadline, eligible applicants will move forward in the screening process. Eligible applicants will participate in interview calls and will be asked to submit additional paperwork for the project.

May 2019 — November 2019
Grantees will be selected from the pool of eligible applicants. Selected grantees will engage their community in an 8-10 week planning process in which the community will design and build their dream playspace with the help of a KABOOM! Project Manager.

Priority counties

Rural communities outside of these counties are welcome to apply and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Archuleta Baca Bent Conejas
Costilla Custer Dolores Grand
Gunnison Hinsdale Huerfano Jackson
Kiowa Kit Carson Las Animas Lincoln
Moffat Ouray Park Prowers
Rio Blanco Routt Saguache San Juan
San Miguel Sedgwick Washington Yuma