WHAT: The national nonprofit organization KaBOOM!, through its partnership with The Home Depot, is awarding nearly $1 million in scholarships and challenge grants in conjunction with their award-winning playground training University of Play (U Play!). U Play! is a three day training conference that promotes the importance of play and provides participants the knowledge and resources needed to build playspaces such as playgrounds, skateparks or sports fields in their communities.

Training scholarships will cover registration fees and help to defray the costs of travel and accommodations at U Play!. Challenge grants toward the purchase of equipment, valued up to $5,000 each, will be awarded to more than 100 organizations that plan to use the KaBOOM! community build model to complete playground, skatepark or sports field projects in 2007. Priority consideration for these grants will be given to those that attend the 2007 U Play! in New Orleans.

For U Play! scholarship application forms, grant applications or to register for U Play!, interested parties should go to the KaBOOM! Web site at www.kaboom.org.

WHEN & WHERE: The 2007 U Play! will be held in New Orleans Feb. 8-10, 2007.

KaBOOM! Celebrating its 10 year anniversary in 2006, KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Over the past decade, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct over 1,000 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including a web portal and online community, regional and national trainings, grants and publications for communities that wish to plan a new playspace on their own. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, CA. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.