How to Find Grant Funding for 9 Square in the Air

If you're trying to bring 9 Square in the Air to your organization, grant funding may be more within reach than you'd think. Schools, camps, churches, and community programs have all found funding paths for equipment like this, through wellness grants, physical activity funding, and local foundation support, not just a standard budget line. The strongest documented path right now runs through schools, but the underlying funding categories (physical activity, inclusive play, community wellness) apply well beyond the classroom.

Why grant funders care about this

Youth physical activity is a real, documented concern. The American Heart Association's 2025 Heart & Stroke Statistical Update found that fewer than 1 in 5 U.S. children get the recommended amount of daily physical activity. That's exactly the kind of need that wellness and physical activity grants are built to address, and it's why 9 Square in the Air fits so naturally into a grant request. Framed as an inclusive, high-participation activity rather than "just a game," it checks the boxes funders are actually looking for: movement, coordination, and group participation regardless of skill level.

This isn't theoretical. It's already happening.

In March 2026, Shaw Local reported that Oregon Junior Senior High School received a $5,821 Casey's Cash for Classrooms grant, which PE teacher Carrie O'Neil said would fund bringing 9 Square in the Air into the curriculum with four units. The E3 Foundation has also documented a grant-funded second 9 Square in the Air set, purchased specifically to expand participation during PE classes and parent-night events. These are real examples of grant dollars funding this exact purchase, not a hypothetical.

Where to look for funding

Federal funding. The U.S. Department of Education points to Grants.gov as the definitive federal grants list. It's a broad net, worth searching for current opportunities tied to physical activity, wellness, or community programming.

State wellness grants. Some of the best-fit opportunities are at the state level. Oklahoma's TSET Healthy Incentive Grants have awarded more than $10 million since 2012 for projects tied to physical activity and healthy lifestyles, including exercise equipment and recess-focused purchases. Louisiana's school health guidance points toward Fuel Up to Play 60 grants for similar goals. Many states run a comparable wellness or activity-equipment grant program worth checking with your local education agency.

Nonprofit and association grants. The American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs have funded physical activity equipment, playground upgrades, and wellness resources, including, in one regional example, a school that specifically requested 9 Square in the Air funding to outfit two sets so every student could participate regardless of skill level. Local community foundations and youth-development grants are also worth exploring, particularly for camps, churches, and community centers, where the request can be framed around active play, social connection, and structured group recreation.

How to frame your request

Grant committees respond better to "this supports movement, inclusion, and wellness goals" than "we want to buy a game." Emphasize that 9 Square in the Air works across settings: PE class, recess, camp programming, youth group nights, family events, community center open hours. The more settings you can point to, the easier it is to justify as a wellness investment rather than a one-off purchase.

Helpful resources

Ready to bring 9 Square in the Air to your organization? Contact us to talk through which game fits your grant request, and we'll help however we can. We look forward to chatting with you!