The Sports 4 Life program, co-founded by the Women's Sports Foundation and ESPN in 2014, aims to foster sustainable improvements in the overall health and development of girls of color through grantmaking, leadership training, and capacity-building initiatives. The program was created in response to the significant underrepresentation of Black, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native girls in organized sports, despite the lifelong benefits sports participation can offer.
The 2025 Sports 4 Life funding cycle is open, with a two-step application process beginning with a Letter of Intent (LOI) due by May 2, 2025. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full grant applications, with final decisions anticipated by August 2025. Funding for 2025 is made possible by ESPN and Gatorade, with a minimum of $400,000 to be awarded. Grants can support expenses such as coaching, equipment, uniforms, transportation, facility rentals, tournaments, and team-building activities that promote leadership, confidence, and perseverance among girls.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit schools, parks and recreation departments, nonprofit organizations, and amateur sports leagues that serve predominantly girls of color aged 11 to 18, with at least 70% of enrolled participants being Black, African-American, Hispanic, and/or Native American. Applicants must also demonstrate program sustainability beyond the grant period and compliance with all applicable Federal Civil Rights laws. Organizations previously funded for three consecutive years are ineligible to apply again until 2026.
Recipients must participate in required program components such as We Play Interactive, attitudinal surveys, evaluation webinars, and provide periodic updates and publicity materials. Final reports and, when applicable, mid-term reports are mandatory. Grantees must also allow for site visits if requested and appropriately acknowledge the support of the Women's Sports Foundation, ESPN, and Gatorade.
Applications must be submitted through the Foundant GLM system. Incomplete, late, or ineligible applications will not be considered. For questions, applicants may contact Anne Peltier at 646.833.0424 or APeltier@WomensSportsFoundation.org.
