“Play Matters”.  Play brings joy.  It is beneficial for problem solving, creativity, and relationships.  Play is just as necessary for adults as it is for kids, but rural areas are often low-income areas and there are, limited spaces for play, funding, staff capacity and fewer people attending or able to attend programs and activities.  That is why we invest in community programming and activities that support ways for children, seniors and families to play, create, learn and expand their horizons.

Play Matter grants:

A Play Matter Grant is given to support a specific, connected set of activities, with a beginning and an end, explicit objectives and a predetermined cost.  We consider highly effective and innovative programs that meet our mission and initiative focus areas.  Local Play Matters Grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $1,000.

Project/Activity Eligibility

To be eligible, at least one of the following criteria must be met:

• Be a program or activity that supports the youth, seniors and or families living in the Northern Penobscot Region.
• Be a municipality or school with tax-exempt status
• Directly benefit the residents of the Northern Penobscot Region
• Though not required, high consideration will be given to those applications able to provide matching funds of request
• Focus on recreation and leisure activities supporting youth, seniors, and/or families.

Examples of proposals NPAC will consider:

• Programs and activities that provide access to cultural activities and the visual and performing arts.  Educational trips to locations such as museums, zoos and aquariums, botanic gardens for youth, seniors and or families living in the Northern Penobscot Region.
• Organizations and groups that build or expand programs/activities that provide access to active play spaces and places that help youth, seniors or adults learn through play improving the education, safety and unification in the Northern Penobscot Region
• Programs that focus on using active play to help young people develop cognitive, social and emotional learning skills to become vibrant and productive citizens in the northern Penobscot Region communities.
• Projects benefiting senior citizens' physical, social and emotional well being
• Projects that engage or involve youth in the community
• Projects involving significant collaboration among town organizations and groups
• Projects promoting healthful living through play
• Networks of bike paths and walking trails

Examples of proposals NPAC will not consider:

• Direct support to individuals or political organizations
• Projects ordinarily supported by tax revenues
• Graduation parties or events
• Athletic or academic scholarships for individuals
• Loans
• Business entities
• Religious or political activities
• Programs serving residents of communities outside our geographic footprint
• Private foundations
• Political candidates, lobbying or advocacy organizations
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, veteran status, disability, or other characteristic protected by law.
• Organizations or events which are not open to members of the general public
• Research organizations or projects
• Fundraising events
• Annual appeals
• Travel or conference expense for the organization’s employees
• Funds to pay down operating deficits
• Endowment funds

Timeline for Application Process:
The 2023 Play Matters Grant opens for applications on Wednesday, June 14, 2023!

• Application Deadline: 11:59 PM on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
• Application Review: September 2023. During this process, the NPAC Board may require a representative from your organization to make a presentation or provide more details regarding your request.
• Recipient Notification: October 2023.  Notifications of the decisions and grant checks are mailed via USPS mail.

Recipient Responsibilities: Grant recipients are expected to keep NPAC informed as to the progress of their project; this may be done through letters, newsletters, photos or other pertinent materials.  Applicants are asked to submit a report upon completion of a project/activity.  2023 Grant funds may be used for projects and programs through December 31, 2024.