Playing sports allows children to build physical skills while becoming part of a team and learning the importance of hard work. Many organizations and companies recognize the value that youth sports provides for communities, and many offer grants to help create and expand these athletics. Money is made available for a variety of reasons, including neighborhood sports and physical fitness programs.
Finish Line Youth Foundation
The Finish Line Youth Foundation is a program that was founded in 1998. The program encourages U.S. youths to experience sport, life and style. The foundation operates under the belief that making funding available for exercise, sports and education will encourage children to make healthful choices and propel their lives in the right direction. These programs emphasize the importance of teamwork and living a healthful lifestyle. The foundation offers funding in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, as of December 2010.
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund is a program funded by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The purpose of the program is to give communities money for youth baseball facilities and incremental programming. The grants awarded by the Baseball Tomorrow Fund are meant to be flexible, allowing recipients to use the money to address needs specific to their communities such as the construction and maintenance of athletic buildings and recurring operating costs. The average funding per group is about $39,000, as of December 2010, but can vary depending on the needs of the applicants.
NFL Grassroots Program
The NFL Grassroots program was created with the goal to provide financial assistance to nonprofit organizations with funding to help improve the accessibility, safety and quality of the football fields in the recipients' communities. This program also provides technical assistance to grant recipients to help maintain their fields. The funding is based upon the individual needs of the fields in the applicant's community and can go as high as $200,000, as of December 2010.
Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports
Liberty Mutual founded the Responsible Sports Community Grant as a way to provide up to $2,500 to communities. This grant works differently than traditional grants in which an application is made and the funding organization makes a decision. The Responsible Sports program encourages members of the athletic community to educate themselves with a self-paced online course that is followed by a brief quiz. The more people in the community that complete the course, the better the chances of being selected. The funding can be used for travel expenses, uniforms and equipment.
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