Frequently Asked Questions

Build it with KABOOM! and Build it Yourself Grants Application Guide

Creative Play Grants Application Guide

Play Everywhere Grants Application Guide

For over twenty years KABOOM! has supported community building in neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country through our community-build model. At the heart of this model is a one-day playground build that represents an achievable win for a community on a defined time line. Community-build play spaces engage your larger community: residents, parents, neighbors, youth, local business, and your municipality to design, plan, and execute your Build Day. This process creates an environment that enables people to share their strengths and helps communities identify assets, as well as identifying other local companies and community groups that have important resources to contribute. The Build Day is the outcome of all your hard work throughout the planning process, however the true outcome is the long-term impact of the community-building work that you do. The KABOOM! community-build model is successful if those that are involved learn new skills and are able to use them to continue to make a difference in your community after project completion.

Yes. All KABOOM! playgrounds and surfacing meet or exceed the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. KABOOM! believes in the importance of inclusive play and strives to design its playgrounds to provide access to children of all abilities.

Build it with KABOOM!
For the majority of Build it with KABOOM! projects, the safety surfacing used is Engineered Wood Fiber, which is an ADA approved playground surfacing (for wheelchair accessibility). It is safe for all children, cost effective, easy to install and maintain, and volunteer-friendly. Applicants may choose to pay for an alternative surfacing.

Build it Yourself
Those awarded Build it Yourself grants must agree to purchase only surfacing that meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines, is IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) certified and meets and/or exceeds the standards set forth by ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) and CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

Please contact a KABOOM! preferred vendor to discuss safety surfacing if you have additional questions.

Yes! Organizations can be considered for more than one site. To apply for additional sites, please log in to your account and select “Add a Submission” to be considered for additional opportunities.

Yes! Organizations can be considered for more than one site. To apply for additional sites, please log in to your account and select “Add a Submission” to be considered for additional opportunities.

Please email all questions to grants@kaboom.org. Please include your full name, organization, city/state and a brief description of your question. All emails will be answered in the order that they were received.

The initial application is Round One of the application process. After submitting your application, the KABOOM! team will review to understand if it is a match for one of the grant opportunities that are currently offered. If you are eligible, you will be notified via email or by phone with next steps. Round Two may include submitting additional documentation as well as an initial logistics phone interview facilitated by a KABOOM! Outreach Team Member. Round Two is meant for KABOOM! to learn more about your site and vision for your community space.

KABOOM! does not follow typical grant cycles, so KABOOM! cannot provide a specific timelines for when you may receive funding. Funding may be available within a few weeks or up to one year. If you have not heard back from KABOOM! within 4 weeks of your application, please email grants@kaboom.org and include your name, organization, and date of application.

Yes, a Staff Member can be the main point of contact, but please ensure that parents and non-staff members from your community are active members in the entire process. Community engagement is an essential part of every KABOOM! project and will make your application more competitive and will ultimately create a project that is more meaningful, dynamic and successful.