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How to apply to Parks Grants
Parks grant programs can fund a variety of projects in King County, with the shared goal of preserving and increasing access to high-quality parks, recreation facilities, and programs. To award funding where it is needed most, King County Parks uses a competitive application process guided by feedback from the community.
Applications will open on Monday, November 30 for Aquatic Facilities, Ballfield Access and Preservation, and Healthy Communities and Parks.
More information is available below including available funding, support resources, and information webinars. Applicants will be required to submit a Letter of Intent to ensure their proposal is eligible for the grant program. The Letter of Intent should take no more than 15 minutes and must be submitted by Monday, January 25 to gain access to the full application. Applications must be submitted by Monday, February 1 at 11:59pm on the Parks Grant Portal.
Application Process
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Review grant guidelines
Familiarize yourself with the goals of the grant program you are interested in and Parks' expectations for their grantees. Information can be found on the Grant Program webpage with more detail available in the Grant Guidelines. -
Check project eligibility
When the application portal opens for new proposals in the Fall, Parks requires applicants to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) form in the portal. Parks staff will review your organization type, project type, and a short project summary to confirm it is eligible for the grant program.
This eligibility form must be submitted to gain access to the full application. This form will close one week before the due date, so we recommend submitting it early to provide time for review. -
Get support
Parks provides several opportunities to ask questions and get support throughout the application process. This includes Information Webinars, weekly office hours, no-cost Grant Application Consultants, and resources documents. For more support, email ParksGrants@kingcounty.gov. -
Prepare your application
Applications are extensive and will require several hours to complete. You may return to the application as often as you need to complete it. All applications will be reviewed using grant-specific scoring rubrics, which can be a helpful resource to review as you prepare your application.
All applications must be received through the online portal by the stated deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline or through any other method will not be accepted. -
What happens next?
Submitted applications are reviewed and scored by community members who advise Parks on award recommendations. Those recommendations are sent to King County leadership for final approval.
Once awards are approved, Parks will notify all applicants of their score, rank, and if they were awarded a grant. Awarded applicants will then work with a Parks Grant Manager to contract their project and begin project spending.
2026 Details and Support
Parks will be accepting applications for three grant programs in 2026 with over $22 million in funding available. Applications must be filled out and submitted in the Parks Grant Portal and will open on Monday, November 30. The application portal will close on Monday, February 1 at 11:59 P.M. All applications must be submitted by then to be considered for an award.
A new requirement this year is submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI), which Parks uses to check the eligibility of your proposal and is not scored. You will not be able to proceed to the full application until your LOI is submitted and approved by Parks staff. The LOI should take no more than 15 minutes and must be submitted by Monday, January 25 to be eligible.
Funding available in 2026
- Aquatic Facilities – up to $9.5 million
- Ballfield Access and Preservation – up to $3.5 million
- Healthy Communities and Parks – up to $9.1 million
Information webinars
Parks will host three webinars on Zoom to present details about the upcoming funding opportunities. All webinars will be recorded and can be found in the Tutorials and Webinar Recordings folder.
- Parks Grants Preview: Thursday, November 5 at 12:00 P.M. Click here to register.
- Aquatics and Ballfields Info Session: Wednesday, December 2 at 12:00 P.M. Click here to register.
- Healthy Communities and Parks Info Session: Thursday, December 3 at 12:00 P.M. Click here to register.
Office hours
Weekly drop-in sessions to ask questions about the application process with Parks Grants staff. Office hours will be held every Wednesday from 12 – 1 PM from December 9 to January 27.
Grant application consultants
Eligible nonprofit organizations can request an independent consultant to assist in preparing their application at no cost. Organization must have 20 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) staff OR an operating budget of less than $4 million in the prior fiscal year. The request form will be available when applications open on November 30.
Translation
Applicants can also utilize the automatic translation feature on this website by selecting their preferred language in the top right corner. Email ParksGrants@kingcounty.gov with requests for translation, interpretation, or other accommodations.
Apply on the Parks Grant Portal