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Free to Play – Eligibility & FAQs

What is Free to Play? 

Free to Play is an initiative led by Community Foundations of Canada, seeded by the Waltons Trust with support from the Lawson Foundation and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. The fund supports outdoor play for children across Canada through projects funded by local community foundations. 

Free to Play supports children by creating the conditions for them to play their own way; moving, imagining, taking risks, and connecting with others, how they choose. Caregivers and community members can help create the conditions for outdoor play by providing the time, space, and freedom for children to explore, take safe risks, and play on their own terms.  

Objectives:

  • Increase opportunities for outdoor play;  
  • Reduce barriers that limit everyday outdoor play opportunities;  
  • Contribute to the well-being, confidence, and healthy development of children in your community; and  
  • Contribute to a long-term shift that values outdoor play as essential to childhood.

What is Outdoor Play? 

Outdoor play is voluntary engagement in an activity that takes place outdoors, is fun and rewarding, and is driven by children’s own curiosity and motivation. It gives children room to explore, move, take risks, and play their own way, often alongside other children, caregivers, and community members. 

Outdoor play may include: 

  • Running, climbing, digging, building, splashing, rolling, imagining, pretending 
  • Time with natural materials like sticks, mud, water, sand, grass, or snow 
  • Taking risks, testing ideas, and learning how to navigate challenge and uncertainty 

Caregivers and community members help create the conditions for outdoor play, but children lead the outdoor play itself. The program will focus on children ages 0-14, though participation by people in other age ranges is welcome, provided the primary purpose is to increase outdoor play for children. 

Missed the Outdoor Play 101 Webinar? Check out the recording and slides to learn more about how to shape your project. 

Why is Outdoor Play Important? 

Across Canada and around the world, outdoor play is disappearing from childhood. Screen time for children has doubled in the past two decades, while fewer than 40% of Canadian children meet recommended daily physical activity levels. At the same time, families report more concerns about safety, busy schedules, and limited places where children can freely explore and play outside. 

Outdoor play is more than fun; it’s essential for healthy childhood development. Research shows that when children are free to explore, take risks, and use their imagination, they build confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills that last a lifetime. 

Outdoor play helps children: 

  • Develop independence and decision-making skills. 
  • Build physical strength and coordination through active movement. 
  • Strengthen mental health and reduce stress. 
  • Foster creativity, curiosity, and social connection with peers.  

When children are free to play on their own terms, they don’t just grow, they thrive. And when children thrive, families and communities do too. 

Even when families and communities understand the benefits of outdoor play, many still face physical and social barriers to enabling outdoor play. Adult concerns about safety and productivity lead to more structured schedules and less freedom for children to explore on their own. Physical environments can also limit opportunities; some neighbourhoods lack nearby places for children to play, or parents may not feel comfortable letting children play independently.  

For many organizations, funding, staffing, and resources to support outdoor play opportunities are also limited. Together, these barriers mean that fewer children experience the time, space, and freedom needed for high-quality outdoor play opportunities. 

Outdoor Play Resources 

For organizations seeking ideas, research, and tools to design or strengthen their outdoor play initiatives, Outdoor Play Canada (OPC) offers a comprehensive collection of evidence-based resources. The OPC website includes examples of successful projects, research reports, and practical guides that explore how outdoor play can thrive across different settings and communities.  

Who is eligible to apply? 

To apply, organizations must serve communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.  

Be one of the following:  

  • A qualified donee, such as a registered charity, qualified Indigenous Governing Body, municipality, or other qualified donee; or  
  • An incorporated non-profit organization, such as a community group, Indigenous nation/community, school board, school, or local organization registered federally or provincially. 

Note – Local chapters of provincial/national charities and/or local charities that have multiple local branches may apply if they have their own accounting and finances. Multiple chapters can apply if they are distinct legal entities. 

Who is not eligible to apply?  

  • For-profit organizations;  
  • Unincorporated nonprofits;  
  • Business non-profit institutions, including business associations, chambers of commerce and condominium associations;  
  • Individuals. 

How do I confirm my organization type?

Here are some databases that may help you search your organization and confirm your organization type:  

What kinds of projects can be funded?  

Projects must take place in Newfoundland and Labrador and support the objectives of Free to Play.  The program will focus on children ages 0-14, though participation by people in other age ranges is welcome, provided the primary purpose is to increase outdoor play for children. 

When planning for outdoor play, communities can consider four key ingredients for successful initiatives: 

  • ACCESS TO OUTDOOR SPACES AND MATERIALS – Ensure children have access to quality outdoor spaces along with materials that support play, like small loose parts, tools, and/or storage for equipment.  
  • TRAINING AND SUPPORT – Provide opportunities for caregivers, educators, and community members to learn how to encourage and facilitate outdoor play.  
  • SUPPORTIVE POLICIES – Develop or adapt policies and tools that make outdoor play easier to include in programs and help manage risk.  
  • COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – Involve families, caregivers, and community members to understand and support outdoor play and risk.  

Examples

These examples are meant to spark ideas. We welcome creative ideas that reflect your community’s needs and encourage you to explore projects beyond this list of examples.

A family resource program develops a vision and set of policies for outdoor play within its programming. They hire an outdoor play consultant or partner with a non-profit organization to train staff on outdoor play and risk. Working with a landscape architect, they naturalize their outdoor play space and acquire loose parts through donations and purchases. After sharing information about play and risk with community members, they offer drop-in outdoor play sessions for children and caregivers and invite local childcare programs to visit regularly.

A municipality or local Nation brings together child-serving organizations, Elders, and community members to co-create a vision for outdoor and land-based play. The municipality or Nation provides information and training on play and risk, and builds relationships to plan outdoor play experiences across neighbourhoods. Activities may include temporarily closing streets for outdoor play, hosting traditional land-based gatherings, supporting intergenerational play, and training staff and volunteers to facilitate outdoor play in parks and public spaces.

A local school collaborates with community partners to (re)develop outdoor spaces for shared use by the school, after-school programs, and local community groups. Together, they create a community-wide outdoor play vision, develop shared-use agreements, and organize joint learning opportunities about play and risk. Children engage in outdoor play during recess, after school, and through outdoor, play-based learning during class time.

A community researcher partners with local organizations and residents to identify barriers to outdoor play and co-design responsive local programming. Multi-sector teams work together on communications and outreach to build awareness, participation, and long-term community support for outdoor play.

Ineligible Activities

  • Take place outside of Canada;
  • Are not open to the community they intend to serve;
  • Are one- or two-day events without lasting impact;
  • Are partisan, political, or election-related;
  • Are purely research-based;
  • Are religious or include a requirement to participate in any dimension of faith;
  • Benefit private individuals or interests;
  • Build endowments and reserve funds;
  • Consist of structured, adult-led sports or activities;
  • Deliver virtual programming for children;
  • Focus solely on purchasing playground equipment without activities that promote outdoor play;
  • Focus solely on core funding where there is no project;
  • Involve major capital projects (e.g., building infrastructure or purchasing land or buildings);
  • Involve the purchasing of electronic devices;
  • Undermine or infringe on human rights protected in Canada.

Eligible Expenses 

Projects can begin in 2026 and may continue for up to three years, as long as all funding is used by 2028.

All expenses must directly support the project. Eligible expenses may include: 

  • Administrative costs directly related to the project;  
  • Communications;  
  • Contractor or professional service fees;  
  • Evaluation of the project;  
  • Honoraria;  
  • Materials and supplies;  
  • Staff salaries and related employment costs;  
  • Training and workshops;  
  • Translation and interpretation services;  
  • Travel and transportation costs. 

Ineligible Expenses 

  • Activities or services carried out outside of Canada;
  • Costs incurred before April 2026 or after November 2028;
  • Expenses not directly related to the approved project;
  • Politically partisan activities, including supporting or opposing any political party, candidate, or elected representative;
  • Purchase of land, buildings, or real estate-related costs;
  • Purchase of electronic devices.

What about capital expenses, like a playground?  

We know many communities are excited about naturalizing playgrounds or redesigning schoolyards. While these are important projects, they are also very costly. Free to Play is not designed to fund major capital or infrastructure projects on its own and will not support equipment only requests. 

This means Free to Play cannot support projects where the only proposed activity is buying playground structures. Eligible projects must include meaningful activities that actively support outdoor play, such as training for staff or caregivers, community engagement, creating supportive policies, or offering child-led outdoor play opportunities. Equipment can be one component, but it cannot be the only component of the project.

Given the funding that will be allocated in Spring 2026 in Newfoundland and Labrador ($281,500) across 6-10 organizations, other partners would likely need to be confirmed for a playground or other capital project to resource the playground installation and/or other activities to actively support outdoor play.

Enhancements of existing outdoor spaces are eligible only if the work is modest in scope and directly supports outdoor play opportunities for children. Eligible enhancements may include small-scale naturalization, adding loose parts, or improving a space in ways that meaningfully encourage outdoor play for children.

What’s the Funding Range?

We don’t have a funding range. There is $281,500 to be allocated by the participatory cohort in Spring 2026, and we expect 6-10 organizations to participate. In the application, we will ask you to share the ideal amount you imagine would be allocated to your project. This helps us choose the participatory cohort, and the amount could change through the participatory process. 

How do I Apply?  

Applicants must submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) to the Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Click here to submit your LOI*. 

Here is a copy of the LOI, and here is how we’ll evaluate submissions. 

For non-charities setting up their account, use 111111111RR1111 in the charitable number field. 

*Note – CFNL has a shared services partnership with the Greater Saint John Community Foundation. They support us with the administration of our grant programs, including using their granting software. Application review and any decisions about granting are made by CFNL.  

What’s the Timeline? 

LOI’s will be accepted starting on November 28, 2025, at 1:30pm (NST)/1:00pm (AST) and will close on February 24, 2026, at 9:30pm (NST)/9:00pm (AST).  

Applicants accepted into the participatory granting cohort will be notified by March 11, 2026. Cohort meetings will take place in March/April 2026.   

Who can I contact for more information?

Reach out to freetoplay@cfnl.ca for more information. 

Missed the Outdoor Play 101 Webinar? Check out the recording and slides to learn more about how to shape your project.   

What is participatory granting? 

Participatory granting is an expression of trust, inclusivity, and collaboration. Through a facilitated process, it places decision-making power over project activities, funding allocations, and final reporting metrics to those who participate in the cohort. Consensus marks the point where everyone supports the final agreement without compromising issues of fundamental importance to the individual. 

Determining consensus is a commitment of both time and energy, meaning participants are most successful when approaching their cohort with curiosity and patience. This encourages a mindset rooted in collaboration and mutual responsibility, rather than competition.  

If accepted into the cohort, 2-3 members of your team (employees, volunteers, partners) will be expected to participate in three facilitated virtual sessions to determine the allocation of the Free to Play funding in Newfoundland and Labrador, which can include funding for your organization.  Reach out if you’re a small organization, and if that doesn’t seem possible, we can talk more about what potentially participating could look like for you. 

Why is the Greater Saint John Community Foundation mentioned in the application system?  

CFNL has an ongoing partnership for shared services with the Greater Saint John Community Foundation. This includes support with financial management and accounting and administrative support with specific granting programs, like Free to Play. This enables CFNL to scale its work to support communities across the province effectively and efficiently. All decisions related to granting are made by CFNL staff and volunteers.