Youth Sports Grants

Houston Safari Club Foundation

Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of our hunting heritage. Our members come from a diverse background and have a wide variety of hunting, fishing, outdoor and other interests. But they all have one thing in common-their passion for the outdoors, a love of hunting, a commitment to the responsible management of our national resources, the education of future generations and the responsibilities of being hunter-conservationists. 

HSCF has granted over $4 million to support youth education, shooting sports and conservation efforts to protect wildlife and habitat wildlife at home and abroad. These projects include research, sustainability, species promulgation, wildlife management, urban sprawl, anti-poaching, youth shooting sports and more.

HSCF is a leading advocate for hunter-funded conservation initiatives, which currently make up 99% of the wilderness conservation programs in existence today. Without these programs in place, and the billions of dollars generated in the hunting industry annually, wildlife would quickly become endangered by an imbalance of nature, species overpopulation, habitat destruction, urban encroachment and other threats.

Our Mission

Preserving the sport of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of our hunting heritage.

Grant Requests

Grant requests are considered on a quarterly basis (March, June, September, December). Applications should be submitted by the first of the month prior (February, May, August, November). Requests are reviewed by the HSCF Grants Committee and HSCF’s Board of Directors. The purpose and goal of a grant request must be aligned with HSCF’s mission statement: 

• preserving the sport of hunting through education,
• conservation and
• the promotion of our hunting heritage.

About Us

The mission of Mzuri Wildlife Foundation is to promote wildlife conservation and outdoor sports education worldwide.

Mzuri Wildlife Foundation exists to do the most good possible for wildlife throughout the world. The name Mzuri is Swahili, pronounced “mm-`zuree,” for “good.”  We fund grassroots organizations working at the community level to protect wildlife and their habitats. We invest in programs connecting people, especially youth and women, to the natural world through hunting, fishing and other outdoor sports and outdoor education programs. Our goal is to cultivate future generations who will enjoy, appreciate and safeguard the natural environment. 

Mzuri Wildlife Foundation (Mzuri) enables individuals to protect the wildlife they value and the sporting heritage they enjoy. We mobilize the financial and volunteer resources of our supporters to achieve more than any one person. 

Grantmaking Priorities

Wildlife Conservation

Since our founding in 1969, half of the world’s wildlife has disappeared. Partnering with grassroots organizations around the world, we are working to reverse this trend.

We seek out and support high-performing programs where our grant funds can make a pivotal difference to the project’s success. We invest in programs that protect wildlife populations through on-the-ground habitat enhancement and anti-poaching activities, wildlife research, community outreach, and other natural resource preservation efforts. The wildlife protections we support benefit all species of native plants and animals in the region. Healthy habitats support both flora and fauna that, once lost, are lost forever.

Outdoor Sports & Education Programs

We invest in organizations that cultivate and inspire future generations of individuals who will treasure the outdoors and protect these natural resources. Engaging more youth, women and others in outdoor experiences connects them to the natural world and fosters an understating of the importance of wildlife conservation.

The programs we support:

• introduce and engage youth in outdoor sports and conservation activities,
• encourage more women to participate in shooting, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports,
• offer hands-on learning opportunities that promote environmental stewardship, and
• build an understanding of the value of wildlife resources within individuals and communities.

The Captain Scott Society exists to perpetuate the memory of Captain Scott and his comrades and their association with the City of Cardiff.The objects of the Society are to promote social and charitable activities with particular emphasis on adventure. It celebrates the anniversary of the June 1910 visit to Cardiff by Captain Scott and his expedition team prior to their departure on the ill-fated expedition. The Society makes two awards, an annual ‘Spirit of Adventure’ award of £2,000 and a similar youth award, the ‘Sir Vivian Fuchs Award’ of £500, the funds for which are raised from membership subscriptions. Both are awarded to expeditions that exhibit the ‘spirit of adventure’ that was so nobly demonstrated by Captain Scott and The British Antarctic Expedition 1910-1913.

The Award is usually presented at the Society's Annual Dinner to which the successful applicant (or representative of a Group) is invited as a guest of the Society. The Dinner is always held on  closest Friday or Saturday to the 13th June.

It is a condition of the Award that the successful applicant(s) gives a presentation to the Society on completion of the attempt. This normally takes place at the Society's Annual General Meeting during April or May of each year.

Background

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation was established by Mr. Schumann out of his beliefs that the environment is essential to sustain the future of the planet, that education is essential to solve many quality of life issues for society, and that arts and cultural programs offer society hope and the ability to dream.  Mr. Schumann was an avid environmentalist and fought for open spaces where birds and other animals could maintain habitats and where people could enjoy nature.  He supported efforts to improve the planet through environmental education, as well as artistic and cultural institutions that sought to raise the quality of life for local communities. Robert F. Schumann developed a love of birds early in his life.  From a young age, he continued to learn and understand the importance of protecting the environment from over-development and pollution.  He purchased acreage in upstate New York where he created a bird sanctuary known as Nuthatch Hollow.  There he began a partnership with the local university allowing students, faculty and staff to use the land for environmental studies.  Mr. Schumann served on the board of many environmental and educational institutions seeking to encourage the interests of students of all ages to understand and appreciate the importance of protecting and enjoying the environment. Robert F. Schumann died on December 8, 2011.  His legacy of support for the environment, education, arts and culture will continue through the work of his foundation for many years to come.

Mission

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life of both humans and animals by supporting environmental, educational, arts and cultural organizations and agencies.

There are no program limitations; however, the foundation is interested in primarily supporting environmental sustainability, education, the arts and humanities.

Program areas

• Environment, animals

Herbert Parker was a lifelong resident of Denver, Colorado who worked as a tile contractor in the construction industry. The Herbert E. Parker Charitable Trust was established in 1982, pursuant to the terms of his Last Will and Testament, to fulfill his desire to further cancer research and to improve the lives of underprivileged children and children with special needs.

Mission

To carry out the donor’s stated preferences to support cancer research, the care and education of children with intellectual disabilities, and sporting programs for youth, particularly underprivileged children.

There are no program limitations; however, in accordance with the donor’s stated preferences, the foundation has a practice of primarily supporting cancer research, the care and education of children with intellectual disabilities, and sporting programs for youth, particularly underprivileged children. 

Program areas:

• Education
• Health
• Human services

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

Background

The Colburn-Keenan Foundation is committed to providing assistance and support to community, local, and national organizations that offer programs and services to individuals and families with chronic illnesses in the United States, with priority on those within bleeding disorders community.

The Marcy Shulman Memorial Organization Grant Program is named in honor of one of the founding members of the Colburn-Keenan Foundation’s Board of Directors, Marcy Shulman. Marcy was a long-time friend, co-worker, and collaborator of the Foundation’s founders, Donald Colburn and Kathy Ann Keenan. Marcy helped bring to fruition Don’s and Kathy’s final project, the Colburn-Keenan Foundation, following their passing from cancer in 2006. Marcy worked tirelessly developing the support programs and fine-tuning the mission of the Foundation, even as she battled cancer which would finally claim her in December of 2010.

Grant Proposals

Proposals must improve the quality of life and health of members of the bleeding disorders and chronic illnesses communities.

Examples of Proposals Approved:

• Dental Education Program
• Youth Safe Sport & Wellness Program
• Purchase of mattresses for a camp facility
• Deck replacement and safety upgrades
• Teen/Young Adult Retreat

Purpose

The Fordney Foundation is an educational and charitable nonprofit foundation for dance formed in May, 2002 with a three-fold mission:

• Discover and train talented individuals with the ultimate goal of having them establish a professional career in dance or a dance-related profession.
• Develop an understanding of dance sport in the community, enhance youth awareness and participation, and encourage young talent in the United States.
• Award grant monies to those who pursue dance as a career and prize monies to amateur dancers 25 and under who dance competitively.

Goals and Objectives

• Help children and young adults to realize their dreams of artistically expressing themselves through ballroom dancing. The Fordney Foundation was established to promote ballroom dancing to individuals of all ethnic groups without regard to religion or creed that are 6 to 25 years of age who qualify as amateur dance students.
• Award grant monies to individuals who pursue dance as a career who are either dependents attending school 6 to 18 years of age or dependents 19 to 25 years of age who do not have the means to support their dancing.
• Award prize monies to amateur dancers ages 6 to 25 who dance competitively.

Dancestart Program

The DanceStart Program is part of the Fordney Foundation and helps families support their children’s learning and training of ballroom dancing at a competition level, however, under Internal Revenue Service guidelines for 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organizations, nonprofit funds may only be given to other nonprofit organizations in the applicant’s name.

Dancesports Benefits

Ballroom dancing is beautiful, graceful, elegant, and sophisticated. It requires top physical conditioning. It improves communication skills, social interaction, coordination, creativity, spatial ability, stamina and endurance, and positive psychological benefits by elevating self-esteem.

Financial Aspects of Dancesports

When watching amateur youth/junior dance competitions, you will become aware that competitors must dress in beautiful costumes, have impeccable grooming, and straight posture. Private and group dance lessons, coaching sessions, and practice sessions are required as the skill to dance as a unit becomes perfected. Transportation to and from the competitions, entry fees, hotel lodging, and meals may also be required. It takes a great deal of time and financial resources to become a top contender. By nurturing youth dance sport, the foundation can help educate the public in the United States about this activity as a sport.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

DICK'S Sporting Goods' Sponsorships & Donations Program

At DICK’S Sporting Goods, we believe sports change lives. Sports increase confidence and motivate kids to stay in the classroom and aim for higher education. Sports help build character and teach life lessons that extend well beyond the playing field. DICK’S Sporting Goods proudly supports leagues, teams, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.

We review all new sponsorship and donation requests on a monthly basis. We will typically make a decision on the request within 60 days of the submission.

Sponsorship requests for youth sports organizations will be considered based on multiple factors and will require a written agreement between DICK’S Sporting Goods and the youth sports organization.

Donations may also be considered in support of a specific event or individual youth sports team. Donations may include coupons and/or in-store gift certificates at our discretion.

About the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation

The Foundation has been at the forefront nationally in supporting victims' rights, reflecting Dr. Nicholas' longstanding commitment to victims of violent crime. He has been a leader of the victims' rights movement since 1983, when his sister, Marsy, was murdered. He helped his parents found Justice for Homicide Victims, a leading non-profit organization that supports families of murder victims. Dr. Nicholas led the effort in 2008 to pass Marsy's Law, a state constitutional amendment that created a comprehensive Victims' Bill of Rights for California. Following this campaign, he formed Marsy's Law for All, an organization dedicated to enforcing the constitutional amendment, empowering victims' rights organizations, and creating a national movement to pass a victims' Bill of Rights as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Through Marsy's Law for All, the Foundation provides legal, technical, media and other resources to support victims' rights organizations and initiatives.

Read more about us.

Grant Information

The Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation was created in 2006 with the vision of enabling and assisting communities and individuals to reach their highest potential. The Foundation is dedicated to improving lives through investment in Education, Youth Sports, Technology, Science, Medical Research, Victim's Rights, and National Defense.

Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than $2.7 million to numerous public charities and non-profit organizations engaged in helping people build better lives for themselves and their neighbors.

The theme that unites the Foundation's various efforts into a single mission is investing in people and their futures:

• Grants are provided to help young people build strong educational and athletic foundations that will lead to healthy, productive and successful lives as adults.
• Advancement in science, technology and medicine is supported because these fields are the key to future health and prosperity for people and communities.
• Aid and support is provided to help violent crime victims and their families, and to assist the heroes who defend our nation and their families, because without safety and security there is no future.

Equipment Donation Opportunity

Good Sports is a national non-profit organization that provides donations of brand-new sports equipment, footwear, and apparel to schools and youth-serving organizations in communities all across the country.Approved organizations will have access to up to 8 donations from Good Sports’ inventory of brand-new donated equipment over a two-year period, may be eligible for a one-time partnership-funded donation to meet top equipment needs, and may receive an invitation to join our portfolio model in the future.

About

The Audacious Project is a collaborative funding initiative catalyzing social impact on a grand scale. Every year we select and nurture a group of big, bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges, and with the support of an inspiring group of donors and supporters, come together to get them launched.

Housed at TED, the nonprofit with a long track record of surfacing ideas worth spreading, and with support from leading social impact advisor The Bridgespan Group, the funding collective is comprised of several respected organizations and individuals in philanthropy.

Our goal is to match bold ideas with catalytic resources.

• We encourage the world’s inspirational changemakers to dream bigger than ever before.
• Help shape their best ideas into viable multi-year plans.
• Present those solutions in a compelling way to potential supporters.

The Process

Every year, The Audacious Project works with proven change-makers to surface their best, boldest ideas for tackling global problems.

Sourcing & review

Projects are sourced from public applications and a global network of partners and donors. They are narrowed down to a group of finalists whose ideas are representative of a broad range of geographies and issue areas while elevating leaders with proximity to the communities they serve.

Idea shaping & investment support

Each finalist project goes through a rigorous ideation, due diligence, and investment support process, to ensure their proposal is achievable and compelling.

Funding & launch

Finalist projects are presented privately to groups of donors and are then publicly unveiled at TED. Funded projects then pursue their plans and share regular updates on key milestones reached with donors and the public.

Is Your Idea Audacious?

• Are you a changemaker with a bold vision?
• Are you a non-profit with an experienced team equipped to receive large scale philanthropic support?
• Is your idea a proven concept that aspires to create a better world?
• We look for ideas that cover a wide range of issues, from global health and climate change, to social justice and education.

What Makes An Idea Audacious?

Inspire

• Transformative vision
  • Your idea should capture a bold vision for tackling one of the world's most urgent topics.
• Creating a better world
  • It is your opportunity to take a giant leap forward; you may be tempted to think incrementally, but remember for it to be bold, your idea should offer significant, enduring impact.
  • This vision should bring us much closer to your version of an ideal world in a matter of years rather than generations.
• Innovative and original
  • There should be a unique aspect or creative element to your approach that challenges convention or status quo or changes the narrative for the greater good.

Convince

• Proven concept
  • There should be evidence that the idea will have impact based on a track record of past success, a demand from those that would be affected, and justified confidence that results can be sustained in the future.
• A bold vision that has clear outcomes
  • There should be a sense of where you will be at the end of a multi-year funding term and the strategy, resources and timeline required to achieve it. We want to hear about the changes that would take place because of your idea, not just the components that go into implementing it.

• Established support
  • You and your capable and confident team have the backing of a nonprofit, NGO, or institution (or is part of a collaboration between multiple such entities). This organization should be able to receive philanthropic funds and have the core infrastructure necessary to support the work. (Note: Past projects have had an annual operating budget of $1 million or more.)

Please refer to FAQ for additional guidelines.

Background

Established in June 2015 as a tax-exempt non-profit corporation under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, DSC Foundation’s sole mission is to support the mission and vision of DSC by being the charitable giving and receiving arm of the organization.

DSC’s mission, and the mission of the Foundation, is to ensure the conservation of wildlife through public engagement, education and advocacy for well-regulated hunting and sustainable use.

The vision of DSC is a society that values wildlife, engages in its conservation and understands and supports the role of well-regulated hunting in the sustainable use of wild resources.

Mission

The sole mission of the DSC Foundation is to serve the mission and vision of the Dallas Safari Club and to:

• To promote. Establish, and conduct science-based research supporting sustainable use wildlife conservation and the role of well-regulated hunting:
• To create and maintain a library of primary and secondary research relating to wildlife conservation made available to the public:
• To develop educational programs that promote the concept and benefits of sustainable use wildlife conservation and well-regulated hunting globally; and,
• To provide grants otherwise partner with other charitable, educational, and governmental organizations pursuing the same or similar goals as the Dallas Safari Club

Grants

The DSC Foundation funds grants from resources provided from DSC Convention revenues, funds raised from events both conducted by the Foundation and the DSC Chapters, and direct contributions from individuals and entities that support, and passionately believe in the mission of Dallas Safari Club.

Conservation

Clear evidence of the benefits that regulated, sustainable hunting provides is desperately needed. DSC Foundation supports a wide range of conservation initiatives such as scientific research on wildlife populations, antipoaching programs, habitat enhancement, and human wildlife conflict mitigation programs. Our anti-poaching efforts assist in the protection of over 26 million acres of wildlife habitat and keeps over 500 anti-poaching personnel in the field.

Education 

The DSC Foundation also provides grants for programs to engage and educate our youth and the general public on the undeniable benefits of Conservation Through Hunting.. Enlightening the public, both hunters and non-hunters, about the value and benefits of hunting is absolutely critical to the future of hunting. Educating youth on the key conservation component that hunting fills, and the undeniable benefits to wildlife, wilderness and the communities who live and work among wildlife, both at home and abroad, ensures that those who follow will fully understand the important role that regulated, sustainable hunting plays in conservation.

Advocacy

The fight for hunting and hunters’ rights has never been more important and critical than it is at this very moment. DSC Foundation, through grants to organizations such as Conservation Force, Conservation Visions, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and others, and though our participation in and engagement with world conservation policy making bodies, plays a frontline role in protecting and preserving our hunting heritage

Spreading the Word

The proven model of Conservation Through Hunting is under attack by groups seeking to eliminate our sport through misinformation, most of which is driven by a political agenda. As a result, the DSC Foundation has taken a major role in creating a multi-faceted messaging campaign to educate the public about the benefits of big game hunting and value that hunting brings to local communities around the world. ‘DSC Foundation has provided millions of dollars in grants to support our mission around the world.

About Multi-Sport Courts

Developed in response to the demands of kids, KABOOM! is introducing our newest playspace innovation: Multi-Sport Courts!

Sports courts help communities address a lack of play opportunities for older youth that no longer play on playgrounds. The interlocking tiles are easy to install and maintain. Sports courts provide communities with a wide variety of different sports using the same space— such as basketball, hockey, volleyball and many other games.

Benefits

• Receive a new, custom-designed sports court with hand-crafted amenities to make the playspace truly yours!
• Engage community members to work toward a common goal.
• Participate and lead a planning process to help you fundraise, build relationships and develop media relations skills that will strengthen your community and can be used for future projects.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

About Us

We're improving lives through winter sports.

Share Winter works closely with carefully selected grantees to build efficient, effective, sustainable winter sports programs and pathways to ongoing winter sports participation. Through our partnerships, we strive to make winter sports accessible to a broader, more diverse community, and share winter with 100,000 youth by 2028.

This year alone, Share Winter will fund over 45,000 youth in programs across the country, fueling the next generation of winter sports participants and enthusiasts. If you’d like to help us share winter, please consider donating today.

Share Winter is not a traditional funder. We don’t simply write checks and collect year end reports. Share Winter typically funds programs for 3-5 years, to help facilitate growth and increase both efficiency and efficacy. We engage in ongoing program monitoring, analysis, thought leadership and strategic support. We share and help implement best practices and industry insights. Share Winter works together with our grantees to provide the best on and off snow experiences for their youth.

Our grantees operate in urban and rural areas, and range from public schools, to US Ski and Snowboard Clubs, to non-profit ski areas and departments of recreation. We fund programs nationally and work to connect all of our programs to a national network of winter sports advocates.

Share Winter prioritizes (allocates additional funding/resources) to programs that serve:

• A minimum of 25% of youth participants identifying as non-white
• A minimum of 30% of youth participants qualifying for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program, or reporting an annual household income of under $50,000

About

Since 1984, RMEF and its partners conserved or enhanced more than 8 million acres of North America’s finest elk country.

State Grant Program - Hunting Heritage and Conservation Outreach

RMEF provides grants for hunting heritage and conservation outreach activities that teach people about our hunting heritage and engage people in hunting and other outdoor pursuits through the State Grant Program. Hunters and anglers were among the first crusaders for conservation and remain today’s most important conservation supporters and leaders. The State Grant Program supports ‘Hunting is Conservation’ and recognizes the importance of maintaining and supporting our hunting heritage. Examples of programs and activities supported include outdoor skills programs or events, hunter or conservation outreach, mentored hunts, and more.

Our History

Andy has spent a lifetime developing and building sustainable communities. He has expertise in regulatory guidelines, leveraging money, and visionary leadership. His integrity and work ethic have produced communities that continue to thrive on their own beyond his personal or business involvement, both economically and aesthetically. His patience and appreciation for nature come from years of working with recreational athletic teams and hunting in remote areas.

Jan has spent a lifetime in community service with a focus on responsible, fiducially sound leadership practices. Her consensus-building leadership style has developed through involvement in educational cultural arts initiatives, public park and environmental endeavors, and church leadership. Her creative vision coupled with her ability to appreciate and empower volunteers has helped reshape the groups and organizations she has been a part of.

Together, Andy and Jan have raised three children in the Wake County Public School System, always conscious of building community through consistent involvement in Parent-Teacher Associations, church, youth sports leagues, the local business community, and civic organizations. They are North Carolina natives with a global perspective drawn from extensive travel, both nationally and internationally.

Jandy is based on the biblical foundation where two come together to make one. The name is a visual representation of how they have partnered their life for their children and how they would like to partner with groups in the future. They believe in hard work, personal responsibility, integrity to the project and process, avoiding missed opportunities, and doing their absolute best with the resources they’ve been given.

They’ve now created a family Foundation, blending their talents together, to build a Foundation that inspires emulation based on the best of Jandy – Andy’s vision to leave lasting community assets and Jan’s creativity in bringing volunteers together. They intend to provide resources for like-minded Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) public charities that will share in their mission and help further creative visionary volunteer groups with their capital projects.

Mission and Focus

Jan and Andy Ammons established The Jandy Ammons Foundation in November 2012. The foundation’s mission is to improve local communities through innovative, project-driven endeavors that will enhance wildlife habitats, park settings, educational surroundings, artistic installations, or Christian church mission projects.

Grant Focus

The foundation focuses on specific “shovel ready” standalone projects, including the following:

• Wildlife/conservation/hunting projects
• Educational projects
• Artistic installations
• Christian church mission endeavors
• Park settings/community areas
• Other organizations and projects uniquely within the scope of the Foundation’s mission

About USTA

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the recognized leader in promoting and developing the sport’s growth on every level in the U.S.

Collegiate Community Hub Grant

Together with the ITA, the USTA is pleased to offer a one-time grant up to $10,000 awarded to your athletic department if you actively operate your tennis facility as a new “Collegiate Community Hub”. A new Collegiate Community Hub is a full service tennis facility that opened to the public within the last 12 months.

A Collegiate Community Hub is a full service tennis center that engages the student body, faculty, staff and local community by offering instruction and playing opportunities for all ages, levels, and abilities.

Prevention of Musculoskeletal Youth Sports Injuries Grant

Provides startup funding or seed money for a new investigator conducting clinical and/or social research on the prevention of musculoskeletal youth sports injuries. Clinical relevance must be clearly noted in the abstract and specific aims and be obvious from the title and the study design. All proposed projects are expected to generate results that have practical application. OREF will fund only one Prevention of Musculoskeletal Youth Sports Injuries Grant per institution per year.

Service Learning Through Sports Micro-Grant

As proud recipients of a grant from The Allstate Foundation, the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program supports youth committed to improving youth sports. Inspired by our School Sports Equity Toolkit, Service Learning through Sports is a one-year program that provides micro-grants and mentorship programming to select U.S. high school students who lead, or aim to lead, a project or initiative that improves the youth sports experience and/or increases opportunities for sport and play. 

Service Learning for a Better Future

For school-age youth, service learning begins with organized acts of service for real-world challenges. The more that act of service can meet a recognized need and improve systems or lives at scale, the better. Leaders are born from such work. 

Improving Youth Sports Across Communities

Through Project Play, the signature initiative of the its Sports & Society Program, the Aspen Institute learned that the supply of sport opportunities were not meeting youth needs. As illustrated in our School Sports Equity Toolkit, motivated high school students like Noor Abukaram, Ashley Badis, Matt Diaz and Rishan Patel have shown that young people can take it upon themselves to improve sports in their communities. Their stories make clear that not only do youth want quality sport experiences, but the act of bolstering access and quality for others can produce meaningful service learning.

A Program For Youth Committed to Improving Youth Sports

Service Learning through Sports is a one-year program that will identify and support a small number of U.S. high school students who lead, or aim to lead, a project or initiative that addresses an issue in sport in their community. Recipients will receive a micro-grant and mentorship programing to support their project and develop them as future service leaders. 

The program includes:

• $2,000 micro-grant - Through an affiliated non-profit host organization, students will receive a $2,000 grant for a sports-focused project or initiative that they actively lead.
• One-day learning retreat at the Project Play Summit - Students will travel for discussion and brainstorming with the full cohort, a set of peer mentors and Aspen staff. Costs for travel and hotel will be included.
• Ongoing peer mentorship and guidance - Over a one year period, students will receive periodic feedback and guidance from peer mentors and program staff through virtual meetings for themselves and the full cohort.

Grassroots Grants Program (GGP)

About

 In May of 2021, the golf industry collaborated to introduce a new Grassroots Grants Program (GGP) designed to increase participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport. The GGP was developed by the Youth & Adult Player Development Work Group that was formed as part of the Make Golf Your Thing industry-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion movement.

Facilitated through the American Golf Industry Coalition (a division of the World Golf Foundation), $1.8 million has been awarded to 155 organizations since May 2021.

Purpose & Funding Priorities

This Grassroots Grant Program supports charitable organizations that are dedicated to increasing golf participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport, such as: Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, women, members of the LBGTQ+ community, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Game On-Community Places to Play is an initiative of The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation and LISC. The initiative provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations working to create and renovate multi-use youth sport spaces for youth ages 6-24 years old in under-resourced communities across the country.

What we're offering

The goal is to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local athletic spaces for young people. Grant awards will range from $50,000-$100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. Funds will be awarded to outdoor and indoor facilities that enable and demonstrate local community access and usage for all organized youth sports, including but not limited to basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse and volleyball. Youth development program services should include, but are not limited to, life skills workshops, civic engagement and leadership, workforce development and academic support. 

Youth Sports Grant

Youth Sports Grants are our newest grant offering providing funding for nonprofessional youth sports teams and events.

Travel Funding

Up to $5,000 in travel funding for nonprofessional teams to compete in North Carolina or out-of-state sporting events. Travel funding may include gas, charter bus costs, hotel accommodation, etc.

Per statute GA 105-113.128(4)a. this option is limited to $5,000 per county (or sporting team/group), per year. A Youth Sports Grant cannot be awarded to a county that has received $5,000 until the following year. 

All Kids Play: Youth Sports Grant - Organization

However, we recognize the rising cost of youth sports has left some families and communities behind.

All Kids Play provides funding to families and communities who lack the resources to pay for youth sports. Grants are available to qualifying families with kids in grade K-12 and not-for-profit community-based recreational sports organizations in low income areas on a need and first-come, first served basis as funds are available.