NFL Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The NFL Foundation’s social justice grantmaking supports criminal justice and policing reform, poverty, racial inequity, and workforce development efforts in the United States, prioritizing causes important to current and former NFL players.
IP TAKE: This is a major corporate funder that awards grants both by application and by invitation only. Grantseekers should note that much of its grantmaking takes the form of matching donations of NFL players, so it may be best to contact the PR relations for players you think might back your work. This foundation is a mixed bag of accessible and inaccessible depending on which path of funding you pursue here.
PROFILE: The NFL Foundation was established in 2012 as the charitable arm of the National Football League after a restructuring of their philanthropic model. The foundation is “dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country.” Its community grantmaking consists of a range of Grantmaking Programs that primarly serve football programs in schools and communities. A few grant programs also work in the areas of work and opportunity, racial justice, criminal justice reform and disaster relief.
Grants for K-12 Education
Several of the NFL Foundation’s grant programs support school- and community-based football programs for children and youth.
Player Matching Youth and High School Football Grants matches the donations made by current and former NFL players to high school and community youth football programs in amounts of up to $5,000.
NFL Club Community Grants provide opportunities for the 32 NFL clubs to support their communities. In addition to student and youth football programs, grants may support educational programs, including physical education programs.
The NFL High School Football Coach of the Week program recognizes “coaches who continuously demonstrate hard work and dedication to their football programs by creating successful football teams and players both on and off the field.” This recognition is given to a single coach each week during the high school football season and is accompanied by a $1000 grant to “help maintain and upgrade their football programs.”
Youth Football Camp Grants support “free, non-contact youth football camps during the summer” that are organized or hosted by current and past NFL players or coaches. Grants are awarded in amounts of up to $2,500.
The Don Shula NFL High School Football Coach of the Year program “honors high school football coaches that demonstrate the integrity, achievement and leadership exemplifeid by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.” Each nominee receives a cash prize of $1,000, while a single winner receives a grant of $15,000 for their school and a cash prize of $12,500. The runner up for the award receives a school grant of $10,000 and a cash prize of $7,500.
The NFL YET Grant Program works with the NFL’s Youth Education Towns to support “youth health and fitness programming and character education initiatives.” As of this writing, YET supports initiatives in “Arizona, Dallas/North Texas, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Los Angeles and New Orleans.”
Pro Bowl Community Grants support youth programs in Hawaii, including programs and interventions relating to education, literacy, mentorship, wellness, mental health or athletics.
Nike Youth Football Grants support high school and youth football programs through an affiliation with Nike. Grants are awarded in amounts up to $10,000.
Disaster Relief Grants provide high school or youth football programs that have "experienced hardship” due to COVID-19 or another disaster with grants of $10,000.
Grants for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform
A few of the NFL Foundation’s grant programs support projects and initiatives in the areas of social justice and criminal justice reform.
Player Matching Social Justice Grants provide 1:1 matches in amounts of up to $5,000 when current or former NFL players support nonprofit organizations working to “reduce barriers to opportunity.” Areas of focus include “education, criminal justice reform, community/police relations” as well as programs that aim to eliminate poverty develop and provide opportunities for economic development.
NFL Club Community Grants recently launched a subprogram for social justice through which NFL clubs may “seed projects, fund programs and partner with nonprofit organizations in their markets that support work in the sphere of social justice.”
The Inspire Change Award is awarded by each NFL club to “an individual who is making a difference in their community through their social justice work, either individually or as part of a non-profit organization.” The award consists of a $10,000 donation that is paid directly to a social justice-focused nonprofit organization.
Grants for Work and Opportunty
The NFL Foundation supports work and opportunity through its Digital Divide Grants. Each NFL franchise awards one $15,000 grant to a community organization working to “bridge the digital divide in their communities.”
Grants for Military and Veterans
The NFL Foundation does not have a program devoted to veterans and military families, but tax records reveal that it has made substantial grants in this area in the past. In 2020, it gave $1.5 million to Wounded Warrior Project and $1.3 million to the Pat Tillman Foundation. It has also given to The Arthur M Blank Family Foundation, Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
Other Grantmaking Opportunities
The NFL’s other grantmaking programs include the Player Foundation Grant, which supports the nonprofit organizations of NFL players and Player Matching Community Grants, which match NFL player donations of up to $5,000 to a variety of community nonprofits.
Important Grant Details:
The NFL Foundation’s grants and awards are generally made in amounts specified by each grantmaking program and generally ranging from $1,000 to $12,500. This funder accepts applications and/or nominations for most of its programs, although eligibility, guidelines and due dates vary by program. Grantseekers should read program guidelines carefully before applying.
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