Eligible applicants include registered charities and non-profit organizations, including Indigenous Governing Bodies and incorporated non-profit organizations, such as Indigenous nations/communities, school boards, schools and locally registered organizations at the federal or provincial level.

Applicants must be based in — and serve — the Greater Edmonton Area, which includes the four surrounding counties (Leduc County, Parkland County, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County), as well as Indigenous-serving organizations located within Treaty 6 Territory. 

Free to Play supports projects that create meaningful outdoor play opportunities. This may include nature-based programming, open-ended adventures, cultural play traditions, caregiver involvement, or re-imagining underused community spaces for play. 

For detailed eligibility criteria, please review the Applicant Guide.

Grant will range from $15,000 to $100,000, and applicants are encouraged to request the level of support needed to deliver meaningful and lasting impact. All funded activities must be completed by 2028. 

To apply or learn more, visit the Community Foundations of Canada Application Portal or see the Applicant Guide. 

Click here to view the Application Portal walkthrough.

Free to Play will be delivered  over multiple years: 

• Round 1 (2025–2026) launches this fall, with projects beginning in 2026 and running through 2028.   

• Round 2 (2027–2028) begins in 2027 and will include invitation-only calls, depending on the first round’s results. 

In total, $766,000 has been made available for granting in 2026 and 2027.

Helping kids thrive through outdoor play 

Free to Play is a national initiative led by Community Foundations of Canada and made possible through support from the Waltons Trust, the Lawson Foundation and Canadian Jumpstart Charities. Through local community foundations, the program invests in projects that help children experience the joy and benefits of outdoor play. 

Free to Play works to remove barriers and open more doors for children to play outside. The fund supports initiatives that encourage kids to move, imagine, take healthy risks, and connect with others  — away from screens and into welcoming outdoor spaces where they feel safe, supported and free to be themselves. 

From nature-based programs and land-based learning to family-led initiatives, funded projects give children opportunities to explore, challenge themselves and develop real-world skills. Outdoor play isn’t equally accessible to all, and many families face systemic barriers that limit access to safe, enriching play experiences. Free to Play supports local solutions that break down those barriers, helping children build confidence, independence, creativity, and social connection. 

When children are free to play their own way, everyone benefits; kids thrive, families connect, and communities grow stronger. 

Watch this video to learn the fundamentals of outdoor play and how to design impactful Free to Play projects for children in your community.

Outdoor play is any fun, self-directed activity that happens outside. It’s rooted in children’s curiosity, imagination and exploration. It gives kids room to move, explore, and take healthy risks. Outdoor play can look like running, climbing, digging, building, splashing, creating with natural materials or simply wandering and wondering. Caregivers and communities help create the conditions for outdoor play, but children lead the way. 

Outdoor play is essential to healthy childhood development. When kids are encouraged to explore and take risks, 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 

• Strengthen mental health and reduce stress 

• Foster creativity, curiosity, and social connection 

When children thrive, families and communities do too. 

To apply or learn more, visit the Community Foundations of Canada Application Portal