Skate park funding

Many towns in Northwest Oklahoma have kids who skateboard, but few towns have any skate park facilities. The result is conflict. If you're facing these issues, take a look at this grant program from Tony Hawk Foundation, one of the most well-known funders of skate parks.

The mission of the Tony Hawk Foundation is to foster lasting improvements in society, with an emphasis on helping children. The principal focus of foundation grants will be to encourage and facilitate the design, development, construction, and operation of new quality skateboard parks and facilities, located in low-income communities in the United States. The foundation primarily considers skatepark projects that: are designed and built by qualified and experienced skatepark contractors; include local skaters in the design process; are in low-income areas, and/or areas with a high population of "at-risk" youth; can demonstrate a strong grassroots commitment to the project, particularly in the form of fund-raising by local skateboarders and other community groups; have a creative mix of street obstacles (rails, funboxes, launch ramps, etc..) and transition/vert terrain (quarterpipes, bowls, snake runs, halfpipes, etc.); don't require skaters or their parents to sign waivers; encourage skaters to look after their own safety and the safety of others without restricting their access to the park or over-regulating their use of it; are open during daylight hours, 365 days a year; don't charge an entrance fee; and are in areas that currently have no skateboarding facilities. Eligible applicants include: 501(C)(3) public charities; or a state or local agency, including public school systems or public projects. Award ceiling: $25,000. Application deadline: October 1, 2009.

Tony Hawk Foundation grants

Reported in Miami Dade County's Gmail: http://www.miamidade.gov/grants