Skatepark Grants
Please read this page in its entirety before completing the online grant application.
The primary mission of the Tony Hawk Foundation is to promote high quality, public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States. While we realize that not every area can afford to build big, expensive skateparks, we feel strongly that public skateparks should be designed and constructed by experienced contractors. We also believe that local officials should treat public skateparks the same way they treat public basketball courts or tennis courts, meaning that anyone may show up and use them anytime, unsupervised. The foundation primarily considers skatepark projects that:
- are designed and built by qualified and experienced skatepark contractors.
- include local skaters throughout the planning, fundraising, and 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 fundraising 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.
- are in areas that currently have no skateboarding facilities.
Supply vs. Demand
As skateparks grow in popularity, the demand for grants from the Tony Hawk Foundation is far exceeding our available resources. We have received as many as 450 applications in a single year, with the vast majority requesting our maximum $25,000 grant. In other words, the competition for THF funds is stiff, so please don’t get your hopes too high. If your proposed skatepark is not located in a low-income area, if you are not able to illustrate strong community and grassroots support for the project, and if your project does not meet the criteria listed above, you are unlikely to receive a significant grant from our foundation.
Before beginning the Grant Application process, you should review the Eligibility Questionaire page.
- Eligibility Questionaire (PDF)
How To Apply
- Mission Statement
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The Tony Hawk Foundation seeks to foster lasting improvements in society, with an emphasis on supporting and empowering youth.
- Focus of Foundation Grants
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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.
- Grant Amount
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- Minimum Grant: $ 1,000
- Maximum Grant: $25,000
- Additional Support
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The foundation may offer technical assistance on design and construction, promotional materials, and other information. The foundation may also facilitate support from vendors, suppliers, and community leaders.
- Frequency
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Grants are based on a one-time, single-year award, although they may be paid over more than one year, if appropriate. The foundation does not provide sustaining funds or multi-year grants.
- Organizational Requirements
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Applicant must be a public charity, organized under IRC Sec. 501(C)(3), and qualified under IRC Sec. 170(B)(1)(A), or a state or local agency, including public school systems or public projects. For organizations that are not municipalities or state or local agencies, proof of federal tax-exempt status is required with the grant application. A photocopy of the organization’s IRS Determination Letter, showing its tax-exempt status, will satisfy this requirement. The foundation is legally prohibited from providing grants to private, for-profit entities.
- Application Procedure and Process
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Tony Hawk Foundation grant applications are completed online, printed, signed, and sent to our office with all supporting documents. A printed Worksheet may be used to prepare answers before completing the online grant application. THE PRINTED WORKSHEET MAY NOT SUBSTITUTE THE ONLINE GRANT APPLICATION. Printed grant-application worksheets and supporting documents sent to our offices that do not correspond to a completed online application will not be considered.
We recommend completing the Worksheet and collecting ALL necessary supporting documents before beginning the online application process. Supporting documents include the following:
- IRS Determination Letter: If this application is coming from a non-profit organization other than a municipality or public agency, a copy of your IRS Determination Letter must be submitted with this application.
- Press: Please include documentation (such as newspaper clips or letters from prominent officials) of community support for your skatepark.
- Skatepark Design: A copy of your skatepark design must be submitted. A final design of the proposed skatepark is preferred, but a preliminary design is acceptable. The Tony Hawk Foundation Design Committee will review each skatepark design, make recommendations to the Board of Directors, and may return the diagram with comments and feedback. Including a copy of your skatepark design helps the Board understand the scope of your project.
- Designer Résumé: If you have hired a professional designer, please include a copy of their résumé.
- Builder/Contractor Résumé: If you have hired a builder/contractor, please include a copy of their résumé.
- Financial Statements: Most recent financial statements and budget of skatepark committee, if any (please don’t include your municipality’s entire budget. We just need to see numbers pertinent to the skatepark project).
If the grant application is approved, the applicant will be required to sign a Grant Agreement, confirming the terms of the award.
Only applications submitted via the online form will be considered. Applications may not be submitted via printed forms, FAX, e-mail, or CDs and other digital media.
The foundation anticipates approving grant requests twice a year. To be considered within a calendar semester, applications should be submitted via the online grant application and all required supporting documents must be postmarked on or before the dates below:
