Game On-Community Places to Play
About the initiative
Game On-Community Places to Play is an initiative of The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC. The initiative provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations working to create and renovate multi-use sports facilities for youth ages 6-24 years old in low-to-moderate income communities. Through two funding rounds, Game On has deployed nearly $3 million to build or renovate 35 sports facilities in 28 cities.
The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC are launching a third funding round for Game On, with proposals due on August 29, 2025. Proposed projects must be located within the program’s ten target markets. Special consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate how their capital projects will support youth development programming.
What we're offering
The goal is to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of local athletic spaces for young people. Grant awards will range from $50,000-$100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. Funds will be awarded to outdoor and indoor facilities that enable and demonstrate local community access and usage for all organized youth sports, including but not limited to basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball. Youth development program services should include, but are not limited to, life skills workshops, civic engagement and leadership, workforce development, and academic support.
Who is eligible?
Non-profit community-based organizations leading renovation projects are eligible to apply. This includes schools and local parks and recreation departments that are collaborating with local non-profits. Universities and college campuses are not eligible for this initiative. Organizations applying must be located and facilitating projects within low-to-moderate income neighborhoods in the program’s ten target markets:
- Atlanta, GA
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- New York City, NY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Raleigh/Durham, NC
How to apply
The application deadline is August 29, 2025. Potential applicants are encouraged to check out the recording and presentation slides from LISC’s informational webinar on June 10, 2025. Download the RFP here: https://www.lisc.org/our-initiatives/sports-recreation/game-on/
Timeline
The grantmaking process will run from May to November 2025. Key dates include:
- RFP Launch: May 15, 2025
- RFP Informational Webinar: June 10, 2025
- Proposal Submission Deadline: August 29, 2025
- Proposal Review Process: September 2025 to October 2025
- Award Notifications and Announcements: November 2025
Questions?
Potential applicants may direct questions to SportsandRec@LISC.org.
Shared Via Common River
This opportunity was sourced via Common River, a weekly newsletter and platform for climate funding opportunities and roles. Subscribe and explore more at https://www.ourcommonriver.org/
Related Resources
Together with residents and partners, we help forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America–great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families.
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In 1979, when the Ford Foundation first conceived of LISC, it envisioned an “intermediary”—a nimble non-profit with strong community partnerships that would connect hard-to-tap public and private resources with under-resourced communities working to access opportunities everyone deserves.
The premise is still as it was then: government, foundations and for-profit companies have the capital; residents and local institutions understand the need; and LISC helps bridge the gap by offering the relationships and expertise to assist community organizations in attracting the kinds of resources that allow them do their best work.
The components of our programming and our role continue to evolve and expand. But for 40 years, our mission has remained the same.
We receive our funding from banks, corporations, foundations and government agencies. We, in turn, use that funding to provide financing (loans, grants and equity) and technical and management assistance to local partners and developers. Through our 37 local offices, a rural program that reaches more than 2,400 counties in 49 states, and LISC-founded affiliates and entities, we work with a vast network of community-based partners to make investments in housing, businesses, jobs & financial health, education, safety and health.
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