Request an Eligible Partner Project Grant

The 2026 Eligible Partner Project Grant application cycle begins on Wednesday, January 1, 2025 and goes through Wednesday, April 30, 2025. 

The City is committed to funding park, trail, recreation and open space projects that benefit Centennial residents and our community. To further this commitment, the City has developed the Eligible Partner Project Grant Program.

This program provides predictability and transparency by funding projects through a competitive process. The program, application and eligibility requirements for Eligible Partners and Eligible Partner Projects is conducted in accordance with City Council Policy Number 2020-CCP-04, Open Space and Conservation Trust Fund Policy. Applications approved for grant funding will enter into a funding agreement with the City and grant monies will be distributed at the completion of the project.

Who Can Apply

Eligible Partner Project Grants may be applied for by a governmental or quasi-governmental entity that provides park and recreation services, such as Title 32 recreation districts and school districts (only to the extent that any school district uses City-provided funding pursuant to this policy for Allowable Uses, and which owns the property or has a right to use the property on which the Eligible Partner Project is located), and 501(c)(3) organizations that provide recreational amenities and uses within the City that qualify as an Eligible Partner Project.

Project Requirements

A separate application must be submitted for each project. A project application for which the City could provide funding must meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements:

  • Meet with City staff prior to submittal of grant application to ensure that the application meets program requirements;
  • Involve design, construction, or renovation of a park, recreational facility, open space or trail;
  • Be open to and available for use by the public;
  • Be in one of the following locations, listed in order of preference:
  1. Within the City;
  2. On land intended for annexation by the City; or
  3. In an area that significantly serves Centennial residents.
  • Meet one or more of the priorities and recommendations in the Trails and Recreation Plan(PDF, 3MB);
  • Have an ongoing funding source for maintenance and replacement that does not involve City funding;
  • The Eligible Partner must commit matching funds of:
  • 10% for projects costing up to $100,000;
  • 25% for projects exceeding $100,000;
  • Note: Matching funds may not include Arapahoe County Open Space grant funding or in-kind services.

If a project is approved for grant funding, the applicant will enter into a funding agreement with the City.

Process

Step 1: Prior to application submittal, please schedule a meeting with Centennial Staff at centennialplanning@centennialco.gov to discuss your grant application. However, you can reach out to staff with questions about this program year round.

Step 2: Application submittal. Applications for 2026 funding will be accepted between January 1 to April 30, 2025.

Step 3: City staff will review applications and make recommendations to the City’s Open Space Advisory Board (OSAB).

Step 4: The applicant or applicant’s representative will be required to present their project application to OSAB at its regularly scheduled June meeting. OSAB will review and recommend which project applications should move forward to City Council for funding consideration.

Step 5: City Council will approve or deny applications as part of the City’s annual budget process in November each year.

Step 6: Once approved, the Eligible Partner will sign a funding agreement with the City. 

Please note the deadline for the Eligible Partner Project Grant application is Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

Online Application

Step 1.Required Application Elements

  • Meet with City staff prior to submitting your application
  • Applicant Information - name and contact information.
  • Project Information - location, description and timeline.
  • Project Funding - cost and amount requested.
  • Provide a project narrative that includes scope, history and general characteristics.
  • Describe how the project with serve Centennial.
  • Describe educational features.
  • Describe how the project incorporates ADA and Universal Design Principles.
  • Describe the types of recreational facilities the project will contain.
  • Describe how the project connects to the greater recreation system.
  • List the priorities and recommendations from the Trails and Recreation Plan.
  • Discuss your organization’s capacity to maintain the project once implemented.

Step 2.Apply

Once you have all the required application elements, complete the online application below.

Apply for the Eligible Partner Grant

Step 3.Questions

If you need a fillable PDF of the application or have questions, please email centennialplanning@centennialco.gov