Playing for Keeps Launches $1.9M Turf Program

Fourteen San Francisco public schools are receiving new or upgraded synthetic turf fields at no cost to the schools.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Landscaping

Playing for Keeps Launches $1.9M Turf Program

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The Playing for Keeps Foundation and America SCORES Bay Area are leading a $1.9 million program that will install or upgrade turf fields at 14 San Francisco public schools in under-resourced communities. Some schools are replacing asphalt yards, while others are upgrading existing fields.

Why it matters

The program brings athletic facilities to schools in under-resourced San Francisco neighborhoods without cost to the schools. The fields are designed to be durable and lower maintenance, and they use turf made without crumb-rubber infill or PFAS.

The program covers more than 100,000 square feet of new field space across 14 schools for a total of approximately $1.9 million. Six schools have completed fields, eight are in progress, and the timeline for the remaining work was not provided.

The players

Playing for Keeps Foundation

A nonprofit that partners on the turf field program to bring athletic facilities to under-resourced schools.

America SCORES Bay Area

A nonprofit that co-leads the program with Playing for Keeps Foundation and works with Bay Area schools.

The details

The synthetic turf was chosen for its durability and lower maintenance needs and is manufactured without crumb-rubber infill or PFAS. Funding includes support from Airbnb and the Herbst Foundation, and the program is led in partnership by Playing for Keeps Foundation and America SCORES Bay Area.

Over the next decade, the new fields are estimated to serve more than 4,000 students annually.

Landscaping Context

The program adopts synthetic turf manufactured without crumb-rubber infill or PFAS, positioning San Francisco school fields around a non-crumb-rubber, PFAS-free specification. The project places this turf choice within the district's school field upgrades for under-resourced communities.

Students at the 14 participating San Francisco public schools will gain new or upgraded turf fields at no cost to their schools. The fields are estimated to serve more than 4,000 students each year over the next decade.

The takeaway

Schools with limited athletic space can pursue partnerships that bring turf fields at no cost, and turf choice can prioritize durability and low maintenance.