Free to Play Launches in Greater Saint John
New fund invests in outdoor play to help children move, create, and connect.
The Greater Saint John Community Foundation is excited to launch Free to Play. Free to Play is led by Community Foundations of Canada with support from the Waltons Trust, The Lawson Foundation, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and participating community foundations across the country. Through Free to Play, we’re supporting community projects that help kids unplug and reconnect — with nature, friends, and their imaginations.
Free to Play supports local solutions that break down barriers to play so more children can move, create, and connect. Unstructured play is more than fun, it’s essential for healthy childhood development. Research shows that when kids are free to explore, take risks, and use their imagination, they build confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills that last a lifetime.
Starting November 28thorganizations in Greater Saint John can apply to join a participatory cohort in March 2026 to help allocate funding to deliver creative programs that engage children in outdoor play. Eligible applicants include registered charities or non-profit organizations, including Indigenous Governing Bodies, incorporated non-profit organizations, such as a community group, Indigenous nation/community, school board, school, or local organization registered federally or provincially.
Our Participatory Approach
The Greater Saint John Community Foundation will adopt a participatory approach to allocating the Free to Play funds in our region. This process will convene 6–8 organizations in March and April 2026 for three interactive sessions. During these sessions, participants will learn about the concept of free play, explore potential initiatives—both new and existing—and collaboratively allocate the available funding using a consensus-based framework.
At least $195,000 will be available for allocation by the Spring 2026 cohort
Organizations interested in joining are invited to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) outlining their experience with free play, ideas for new initiatives in the region, and willingness to participate in the cohort.
LOI’s will be accepted starting on November 28, 2025, at 9:00 am PST and close on February 24, 2026, at 5:00 pm PST.
Free to Play is being delivered in selected communities across Canada to ensure deep local impact, with the long-term goal of scaling in future phases.