An ambitious $1.9 million initiative to build or upgrade fields at 14 San Francisco public schools is expected to expand access for more than 4,000 students each year.
Every child deserves a place to play. Yet for many children, access to a welcoming, dependable play space isn’t guaranteed. At schools where outdoor spaces are dominated by asphalt and concrete, opportunities to participate in sports, explore their abilities, and experience the simple joy of playing together can be limited.
Playing for Keeps Foundation and America SCORES Bay Area are working to change that reality.
On October 28, 2026, Playing for Keeps Foundation and America SCORES Bay Area announced a $1.9 million initiative to build or upgrade synthetic turf fields at 14 San Francisco public schools. Together, these projects represent more than 100,000 square feet of play space and are expected to benefit more than 4,000 students each year.
But the impact of this investment extends beyond the fields themselves.
Turning Schoolyards Into Places of Possibility
For children whose neighborhoods offer limited access to parks and recreation facilities, a schoolyard can be one of the most important places to move, connect, and grow.
Unfortunately, many schools in under-resourced communities lack the facilities needed to make those opportunities accessible.
Playing for Keeps calls these communities play deserts: places where children have limited access to quality spaces for sports and recreation.
Six new fields have been completed on former asphalt schoolyards and are serving students. Eight more projects (seven turf replacements and one additional new field) are planned or underway through 2027.
All 14 fields are being provided at no cost to the schools.
A Partnership Built on Shared Purpose
America SCORES Bay Area has spent more than two decades empowering young people through an approach that combines soccer, poetry, and community service.
Through its Field of Dreams initiative, America SCORES Bay Area has helped transform 35 asphalt schoolyards into sports fields across the Bay Area, creating spaces that support physical activity and youth development.
Playing for Keeps shares that commitment to opportunity and access.
By bringing together philanthropic supporters, industry partners, schools, and community organizations, the Foundation helps create sustainable play spaces in communities where traditional grass fields may not be practical.
This partnership builds on America SCORES Bay Area’s established work and creates opportunities to reach even more students and communities.
As Dr. Mimi Nartey, President of Playing for Keeps Foundation, explained in the announcement:
“Playing for Keeps can help bring more resources to the table so we can do more of it: more fields, in more communities, serving more kids.”
The collaboration reflects a shared belief that access to play should not be determined by a child’s school, neighborhood, or ZIP code.
Building for the Future
The 14 projects include six completed new fields, seven turf replacements, and one additional new field.
The fields use or will use TenCate Pivot Performance Turf, selected for its durability, consistent playing conditions, and lower routine maintenance requirements. TenCate says the system is made without intentionally added PFAS, does not use crumb-rubber infill, and is eligible for its Turf Recycling Program at the end of its useful life.
For schools managing limited maintenance budgets and heavily used outdoor spaces, these considerations are an important part of providing dependable access to play over time.
The initiative is supported in part by the Herbst Foundation and Airbnb, demonstrating how philanthropy, community organizations, and industry partners can work together to create lasting opportunities for young people.
More Than a Field
A well-designed play space can change how children experience their school day. It can be a place where friendships begin, confidence grows, and students learn to participate, collaborate, and lead.
And when those spaces are supported by programs like those offered through America SCORES Bay Area, the opportunities extend well beyond physical activity.
For Playing for Keeps, this is what meaningful progress looks like: communities working together to remove barriers and create places where children have the freedom to play.
The San Francisco initiative is an important step toward that vision, with more projects and opportunities still ahead. Together, these partners are helping make play accessible to more children and communities.
In the News
The $1.9 million, 14-school initiative was announced in CityBiz on October 28, 2026.
Read the full CityBiz announcement
Learn more about Playing for Keeps Foundation and America SCORES Bay Area.
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