PND - RFPs - Applications Invited for NFL Youth Football Fund Grassroots Program

The NFL Youth Football Fund Grassroots Program is a partnership of the National Football League Youth Football Fund, which provides funding for the program, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which manages and provides technical assistance to the program. The goal of the program is to provide neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations with financial and technical assistance to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of local football fields.

In order to be eligible for a grant, projects must be sponsored by nonprofit community-based 501(c)(3) organizations or middle or high schools. In addition, all organizations applying for funds must be located specifically and exclusively within NFL Target Markets and serve low- to moderate-income areas within those markets. Applicant organizations must have at least one full-time staff person and must have been in existence for at least three years.

Grants are given only for capital expenditures. Strong preference will be given to proposals that seek to upgrade existing facilities that are in poor condition or otherwise underutilized, demonstrate active use of the fields, attract matching funds that exceed the minimum required match of 1:1, involve local partnerships with nonprofit community partners to promote youth and community programming on the fields, and provide for continuing maintenance and field safety.

Two levels of funding are available: grants of up to $50,000 for general field support (e.g., irrigation, bleachers, lights, etc.), and matching grants of up to $200,000 to help finance synthetic material resurfacing of a community, middle school, or high school football field. A smaller number of matching grants of up to $100,000 each will be available to help finance the resurfacing of a football field utilizing natural grass or sod surfaces.

Visit the LISC Web site for complete program guidelines and list of eligible target markets.

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