Community and youth organizations that are interested in developing or renovating neighborhood youth sports facilities can qualify for matching grants of up to $75,000 from King County.

The Youth Sports Facility Grants Program, administered by King County Parks and Recreation, is accepting applications from qualified groups that partner with a public agency, such as a school district or city parks department, to develop or renovate sports facilities.

Grant requests range from $5,000 to $75,000. Past grants have included athletic fields, skate parks, playgrounds, sport courts and rowing facilities.

To qualify for a grant, applicants must meet a one-to-two matching requirement. The program has awarded more than $8 million in grants and contributed to nearly 230 new or renovated athletic facilities since 1993.

Applications will be accepted until June 29, with letters of intent due May 4. Application and letters of intent forms are available at www.metrokc.gov/parks/ysports/ysports.htm.

More information is available by contacting Butch Lovelace, program manager, at 206-263-6267, or at butch.lovelace@metrokc.gov.

The grant program is funded and sustained through a quarter of 1 percent of car rental taxes. It also receives $100,000 annually from the Youth Sports Facility Grant endowment, which was established with the sale of a county building.