Power to Play Grants: Funding for Alabama student athletics, arts, and music

Communities are stronger when students succeed. Studies show that students who participate in extracurricular activities perform better in the classroom and are more likely to graduate from high school. Power to Play Grants help Alabama schools and educators remove barriers to participation in athletics, arts, and music.

Who can apply for a Power to Play Grant

• Athletics: Schools or 501(c)(3) organizations serving students in grades K-12, working to reduce barriers to participation. Schools must be members in good standing of AHSAA or AISA, where applicable.
• Arts and Music: Educators in grades K-12.
• All Applicants: Priority goes to Title I public schools and schools where 50% or more of students receive free or reduced meals. Awards are paid to the school or organization, not to individuals. Recipients submit a six-month and a final report on how funds were used.

Examples of permitted uses for Power to Play athletic grants include:

• Offering a new sport at the high school
• Offering a new team (freshman team, JV team) in an existing sport
• Increasing the number of students carried on the roster of an existing team
• Purchasing sport-specific equipment and/or uniforms for new teams or new players
• Payment of expenses for the new program (referees, umpires, tournament entry fees, etc.)
• Improvement to a sports venue that increases its capacity for handling new teams

Examples of permitted uses for the Power to Play arts grants include:

• Offering a new arts program
• Increasing participation for an existing fine or visual arts program
• Purchasing new uniforms for a dance team
• Enhancing or upgrading supplies or equipment

Examples of permitted uses for the Power to Play music grants include:

• Creating a new music program
• Purchasing new instruments, sheet music, equipment or uniforms for an existing music program
• Supporting competitions, festivals, or performances
• Professional development for music educators
• Integrating technology into music instruction (e.g., recording equipment or music software)