ESPN, Under Armour and LISC have announced that four new communities are eligible for grants through the Replay initiative to transform vacant lots into community recreation hubs. The program, which is in its second year, will award a total of $430,000 to help neighborhood groups in Atlanta, Detroit, Oakland, and Toledo ensure that sports and recreation are accessible to all residents. As LISC’s senior program director for Sports & Recreation, Beverly Smith, stated, “Our on-the-ground experience in local communities coupled with the resources and expertise of ESPN and Under Armour has been a highly successful formula for creating useful recreational spaces.”
ESPN, Under Armour and LISC Announce $430,000 in Grants to Transform Vacant Spaces into Valuable Places for Sports, Recreation and Play
Community groups in Atlanta, Detroit, Oakland and Toledo encouraged to apply
NEW YORK, January 16, 2019 – ESPN, Under Armour and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) announced today that four new communities will be eligible for grants through the RePlay initiative, which transforms vacant lots into community spaces for sports and recreation.
As part of the program, ESPN and Under Armour will award a total of $430,000 to help neighborhood groups revitalize vacant spaces in Atlanta, Ga., Detroit, Mich., Oakland, Calif. and Toledo, Ohio.
Organizations can apply for $10,000 planning grants and $75,000 implementation grants beginning today. The application deadline is May 15, 2019.
Vacant neighborhood lots offer great opportunities to provide access to safe, healthy recreation spaces. LISC, one of the nation’s leading community development finance institutions, will identify projects and assist residents and community groups with predevelopment and construction.
Last year, RePlay awarded grants to 12 projects in Baltimore, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, benefitting nearly 10,000 young people across these communities. The program is in its second year working to promote and ensure that sports and recreation are accessible to all who want to play.
“At ESPN, we believe everyone has the right to play sports, which is why we’re committed to providing safe places to play,” said Kevin Martinez, vice president of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “RePlay is helping more youth gain access to sports so they can take advantage of its many benefits.”
“Investing in spaces and people that make participation in sport and activity possible is at the core of Under Armour’s philanthropic mission,” said Stacey Ullrich, Senior Director of Global Philanthropy and Community Affairs. “We are honored for the opportunity to join ESPN and LISC for a second year to extend the reach and impact of RePlay with the goal of increasing neighborhood access for more young people to have safe and inspiring places to play.”
“We have a long history of working with community organizations to make their neighborhoods better and stronger,” said Beverly Smith, LISC’s senior program director for Sports & Recreation. “RePlay is a textbook example of how we do it. Our on-the-ground experience in local communities coupled with the resources and expertise of ESPN and Under Armour has been a highly successful formula for creating useful recreational spaces.”
To apply and learn more about the grant opportunity, click here.
About ESPN Corporate Citizenship
ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplift the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society’s needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations, and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information, go to: www.espn.com/citizenship.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland is a leading inventor, marketer and distributor of branded performance athletic apparel, footwear and accessories. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to consumers with active lifestyles. The company's Connected Fitness™ platform powers the world's largest digitally connected health and fitness community. For further information, please visit www.uabiz.com.
About LISC
With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Since 1979, LISC has invested $18.6 billion to build or rehab 376,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 63 million square feet of retail, community and educational space, including athletic facilities and other recreational spaces.