Pathways to Play Grants
Forecasted
Pathways to Play Grants support rural Virginia youth by funding improvements to existing play spaces and recurring physical activity programs to expand access to activity and help reduce chronic disease.
This grant was recently updated
Applications are now closed, replacing the October 28, 2026, 5 p.m. ET deadline notice; RFA questions are also closed. New FAQs clarify eligibility for stand-alone portions of larger projects, treatment of partner resources, and a $25-per-item limit for equipment participants keep.
Funder: Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline, anticipated)
Funding Amounts: Up to $100,000 for Play Space Activation; up to $50,000 per year for Active Programming
Summary: Supports improvements to existing play spaces and recurring physical activity programs for youth in rural Virginia.
Key Information: Reimbursement only: organizations must pay approved expenses upfront, with no advance funding.
Description
Pathways to Play is administered by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) as part of Virginia’s Rural Health Transformation Program, through the Live Well Together / Active Kids initiative. It expands access to physical activity for youth in 76 eligible rural Virginia localities, supporting the broader goal of reducing chronic disease.
Play Space Activation Grants improve, upgrade, or repurpose existing spaces to make physical activity safer and more accessible. Improvements can benefit existing users without increasing attendance. Active Programming Grants launch or expand organized activities with planned sessions, instructors or leaders, and a recurring, predictable schedule—not one-time events. Both categories prioritize demonstrated need, tracking youth participation and engagement, and sustaining spaces or programming beyond the grant period.
