NFL FOUNDATION/LISC GRASSROOTS FIELD GRANT PROGRAM AWARDS $3 MILLION FOR NEW AND REFURBISHED COMMUNITY FOOTBALL FIELDS IN 16 CITIES AND TOWNS NATIONWIDE
Nearly $61.8 million in grants committed since 1998, resulting in 431 neighborhood fields
NEW YORK – (January 23, 2023) – Community organizations, schools, and parks in 16 cities and towns across the country will receive grants totaling $3 million from the National Football League (NFL) Foundation/ Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Grassroots Field Grant Program – a partnership of the NFL Foundation and LISC, the nation’s leading community development support organization – to build or refurbish neighborhood football fields, it was announced today.
The awards bring the program’s total commitment since it began in 1998 to $61.8 million, resulting in the creation or refurbishment of 431 fields nationwide.
This funding cycle will include new fields, or field enhancements, in the following cities: Baltimore, Md.; Boynton Beach, Fla.; Burien, Wash; Eden, N.C.; Fitchburg, Mass.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Inglewood, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn.; New Orleans, La.; Newark, N.J.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Pueblo, Colo.; Saint Paul, Minn.; and Tampa, Fla.
The fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goalposts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
“We’re proud to continue our work with LISC on the Grassroots Field Grant program through refurbishing and building fields across the country,” said ALEXIA GALLAGHER, Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director, NFL Foundation. “Through these grants, we’re able to provide safe and reliable areas for youth to play in their communities, which is more important than ever.”
LISC identifies local, nonprofit and community-based agencies that have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and neighborhood parks. Through the program, the local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their communities. The agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.
“Outdoor recreation and the health benefits that come with it are in high demand throughout the country,” said BEVERLY SMITH, LISC’s Vice President of Sports & Recreation. “These new fields – like all of those the NFL Grassroots Program has funded over the years – will provide opportunities for young people to compete in safe, healthy, structured environments.”
The 2023 Grassroots funding cycle will begin on September 15, 2023. The deadline for proposal submissions is December 15, 2023. Details on how to apply will be available here beginning August 1, 2023.
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About The NFL Foundation
The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.
About LISC
LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. Since our founding in 1979, LISC has invested $26.7 billion to create more than 463,000 affordable homes and apartments, develop 78.5 million square feet of retail, community and educational space and help tens of thousands of people find employment and improve their finances. For more, visit www.lisc.org.
