Since 1998, the NFL Foundation-LISC Grassroots Field Grant Program has been helping communities create and refurbish football fields in places that lack access to safe, well-maintained play spaces—416 fields thus far. This year’s $6M grant, the highest in a single season, will renovate or create new fields in 30 U.S. cities, bringing the total commitment to $58 million.
NFL Foundation/LISC Grassroots Field Grant Program Awards $6 Million for Community Football Fields
Funding will go to new and refurbished football fields in 30 cities and towns nationwide
Nearly $58 million in grants committed since 1998, resulting in 416 neighborhood fields
NEW YORK – (JANUARY 26, 2022) – Community organizations, schools, and parks in 30 cities and towns across the country will receive grants totaling $6 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 – the most in a single year since the NFL Foundation/LISC Grassroots Field Grant Program began in 1998 – bring the program’s total commitment to $58 million, resulting in the creation or refurbishment of 416 fields nationwide.
This funding cycle will include new fields, or field enhancements, in the following cities: Aliquippa, Penn.; Baltimore, Md.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Clayton, N.C.; Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Mich.; Dothan, Ala.; Federal Heights, Colo.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Inglewood, Calif.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Kan.; Memphis, Tenn.; Milford, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wis.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Natchez, Miss.; New Orleans, La.; New York, N.Y.; Olmsted Township, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Roslindale, Mass.; San Diego, Calif.; Spring, Texas; Stone Mountain, Ga.; Tampa Bay, Fla.; and Wellpinit, Wash.
The fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
“Over the last two years, we’ve seen that it’s more important than ever to make sure our youth and their families have access to safe and reliable spaces to play and stay active,” said Alexia Gallagher, Vice President of Philanthropy and Executive Director, NFL Foundation. “Working with LISC on the Grassroots Field Grant program has positively impacted the lives of millions across the country, and we look forward to continuing such impact in even more communities.”
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, is 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 established over the years, will provide opportunities for young people to compete in safe, healthy, structured environments.”
The next Grassroots funding cycle begians January 31, 2022 and the deadline for proposal submissions is May 31, 2022. Details on how to apply will be available here beginning January 31.
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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 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 local economies can thrive. Since our founding, LISC has invested $24 billion to create more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments, develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space.