Youth Recreational Facilities

Capital facilities matching grants for nonresidential youth recreational facilities.

What we do

The 2003 Legislature created the Youth Recreational Facilities (YRF) program to award state grants to defray up to 25 percent of eligible capital costs for the acquisition, construction and/or major renovation of nonresidential youth recreational facilities.

Funding Availability Information

The 2025-27 Youth Recreation Facilities Fund Program Round is now closed. The next funding opportunity will be in the spring of 2026. Additional information will be posted later this year. To learn more about the program requirements, please click on the following links:

In-Person YRF Workshops were recently held in Seattle (April 23), Spokane (April 24) and Yakima (April 30)

Project Qualifications

This is a reimbursement-style grant and operating costs are ineligible. The grants are funded by the sale of state bonds only. Awardees are selected through a competitive grant application process held every two years.

Applications are electronic and entered into ZoomGrants when the application round is open.

Grant applications are screened by staff and then ranked by an advisory board of youth recreational facilities experts.

Ranking criteria include:

  • The ability to complete the project expediently.
  • The organizational capacity to run the facility effectively.
  • Community need.
  • Availability of other funding sources .

There is a maximum grant award amount of $1,200,000.

When in doubt, ask us questions! The ideal time to begin talking to us is before you start writing your application. Please call our staff at (360) 725-3075, or email us at capprograms@commerce.wa.gov with any program questions you may have.

Related law

43.63A.135 RCW

Need help?

Chelsea Bagwell
YRF Program Manager
chelsea.bagwell@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-485-3890

Community Capital Facilities staff
capprograms@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3075