Super Bowl LVII was a game to remember, quite literally down to the final five seconds, where a 35-35 tie was broken by the Kansas City Chiefs’ game winning field goal. The momentous victory was celebrated with a joyous parade that took place several days later with the community brimming with pride – including LISC KC staff. It’s not uncommon for games of this scale to generate excitement in surrounding neighborhoods and communities. Some of these neighborhoods even benefit from wonderful partnerships that are tied to the NFL teams.
Beverly Smith, Vice President of the National Sports and Recreation Program at LISC, oversees all partnerships with external partners in the sports industry. The longest one being the NFL, which started in 1998.
“It’s been a great partnership,” Smith said.
The NFL Foundation has been with LISC for over two decades, with 2023 making it the 25th year anniversary with LISC. They are also their biggest funder. The partnership between LISC and the NFL includes all 32 of the local teams which participate in funding the Foundation. These funds help LISC do projects on the ground and in a specific market.
The NFL Foundation’s effort goes towards football fields in underserved communities across the nation and specifically in markets where there are NFL teams.
The amount of work being done in various communities is vast. The NFL Grassroots program is providing areas of under-resourced communities with access to safe and renovated courts, fields, and recreational facilities. Smith said the program is really helping the community.
“The program is funding Boys and Girls Clubs, school district fields, public school fields, YMCAs, and many times those are the only fields in these particular neighborhoods that youth and families have access to,” Smith said. “It’s extremely important to put money in those areas and that’s what we look at from our standpoint. One of the things that I can say about the Kansas City Chiefs is that since 1999, we have funded about 15 projects in their area totaling $2,425,000 overall.”
Funds come directly from the NFL Foundation. They then go to LISC where Smith and her colleagues issue a request for proposal every year to all 32 markets. Then the local groups on the ground apply.
Every team is informed regarding who from their areas have applied to the program. LISC and its local offices review and evaluate all the proposals. LISC details what proposals are the strongest and most likely to be completed for the NFL Foundation, which is later shared with the local teams to get their approval. Holistically, the three-part approval process is designed to give everybody a voice in the decision-making process.
“We can't put a grant in every area. We give out approximately 15 to 20 grants per year depending on the amount requested. Not all 32 teams get a grant every year in their market for football fields. We’re constantly paying attention to who got one last year, who got one this year, and who is in need. There are a lot of factors that play into which market will get a grant,” Smith said. “It’s not only competitive on the football field, but it’s competitive in the area where we work with the Foundation and with the local teams.”
The community development that LISC assists the NFL Foundation with does not stop with the children. Adults and senior citizens in these communities also benefit from the changes made. There are a number of positive economic, health, and safety advantages that are aligned with the program.