Foot Locker Foundation’s Community Empowerment Grant Program

The Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program is a partnership between LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) and Foot Locker, Inc., administered through the Foot Locker Foundation. This initiative has been running for several years and is now in its fifth round of funding. The program is designed to support nonprofit community organizations that are actively engaged in serving youth from low-to-moderate income communities. Through its previous rounds, the program has distributed nearly $5.2 million, empowering over 27,000 youth and supporting the operational growth of 68 nonprofit organizations nationwide. The central objective of the program is to foster mentorship, education, career development, and health services that create equitable opportunities for young people in underserved areas. Two primary types of grants are available under this funding cycle. The first type supports youth-focused programming—whether existing, new, or extended—with one-year awards ranging between $25,000 and $75,000. The second type is geared toward capital improvement projects that enhance the capacity of youth programming, offering between $25,000 and $100,000. Notably, the grant prohibits spending on administrative costs such as salaries or overhead; all funds must directly support programmatic or capital activities. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that serve youth in designated low-to-moderate income areas and meet specific operational criteria. These include an annual organizational budget of $5 million or less, at least one full-time staff member dedicated to youth programming, and a willingness to coordinate volunteer opportunities involving local Foot Locker store team members. Additionally, the applicant organization must operate in one of the following 14 U.S. cities: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; New York City, NY; Newark, NJ; Oakland, CA; Philadelphia, PA; San Francisco, CA; Tampa, FL; and Washington, DC. Applications for the current grant cycle opened on May 30, 2025. LISC held an informational webinar on June 12, 2025, which included a presentation and frequently asked questions. All applications must be submitted online no later than September 30, 2025. Award notifications will be sent to applicants in December 2025, followed by a public announcement of the awardees in February 2026. In its most recent cycle, the program awarded over $1.2 million in grants to 14 organizations from 11 cities. These included After-School All-Stars New Jersey in Newark, the Dance Institute of Washington, Leap Year in Atlanta, the Urban Male Network in Chicago, and Youth UpRising in Oakland. These organizations exemplify the program's commitment to enhancing community-based services that elevate the well-being and future prospects of underserved youth. Applicants with questions are encouraged to reach out to LISC via the dedicated email address SportsandRec@LISC.org. This point of contact is intended to support technical and programmatic inquiries throughout the application process.