Playground equipment grants in Montana

CDBG stands for Community Development Block Grant. It is federal money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), awarded here by Montana Commerce. Its 2026 guidelines list "Parks and playgrounds" as a community facility. Head Start centers, child care sites and public school facilities appear on the same list.

The key numbers:

• Grants top out at $750,000.
• You must match at least 25% of the amount you ask for.
• A town in real money trouble can ask Commerce to waive that match.
• A facility project must be done within two years of the award.

Counties, incorporated cities and towns, and combined city-county governments may apply. Billings, Great Falls and Missoula are not eligible. Commerce sent word in September 2026 that the round is open through October 30 at 11:59 p.m. Commerce now takes applications through its online grants and loans portal.

CDBG is aimed at people with low and moderate incomes, called LMI. For a park that serves the whole town, at least 51% of the people it serves must count as LMI.

A nonprofit cannot apply for CDBG directly. Commerce lets a local government apply on its behalf, though. The town or county then signs the contract and handles the money. A partner group can do much of the work. The town's role can shrink to approving costs and signing papers.

That makes CDBG the best state path for a child care center or a community group. Talk to your town clerk early. A council vote and a public hearing take time to schedule.

If this round comes too soon, plan for the next one. Commerce offers every applicant a meeting after the decision. Groups that miss out use that meeting to get ready for the next year. Our preschool playground guide covers the age groups child care sites plan for.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is federal money for public outdoor recreation. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) runs it here. FWP lists playgrounds, public parks, ball fields and outdoor pools as eligible.

The FWP LWCF page says the 2025 cycle is closed. The next one should open in summer 2027. In 2025, pre-applications ran from June 1 to July 31. Only some groups were then asked to send a full application.

FWP sets firm limits on who applies:

• Only incorporated cities or towns, counties, state agencies and tribal governments.
• The applicant must spend the money and run the grant itself. No third party deals are allowed.
• No group may hold more than two open LWCF awards.

LWCF needs a 50% match, and it pays you back only after you spend. Volunteer hours can count toward the match at $30 an hour, with records. Expect six to eight months for federal approval before you break ground. The site must stay in outdoor recreation forever.

The 2025 to 2026 award list totals $7,794,648. Four awards named a playground:

• Lewis and Clark County: $175,000 for the Bill Carson Park Playground at the fairgrounds.
• Town of Terry: $92,500 for the Murn Park Playground.
• City of Shelby: $65,000 for the Bitterroot Park Playground.
• Butte-Silver Bow: $20,000 for the Clark Park Playground.

The range is wide. Chinook won $1,100,510 for a pool and park rebuild, yet Butte got $20,000. A small, focused playground request can win in Montana. Our playground cost guide helps you size the ask.

Montana Main Street is a Commerce program for 38 member towns that work on their downtowns. Members can win grants for local planning and building projects. In January 2026, 11 towns shared $600,000. Roundup got $49,785 to install playground equipment at its historic Central School campus.

Terry shows how the money can stack. Besides its LWCF playground grant, it won $34,816 from Main Street to build a pavilion at Murn Park.

Main Street asks for $1 of local money for every $5 from the state. Up to 20% of that match can be labor, valued at $20 an hour. Each member town may send one application. Forms and dates sit on the Main Street applications page. The 2026 round closed October 15, 2026, and award letters are expected near the end of January 2027.

More national and private options sit on our playground grants hub. One free quote request gets Montana groups bids from local dealers and factory reps. A real quote gives your CDBG budget firm numbers.