NFL Foundation Grassroots Program
This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and schools in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods for improving local football fields, ensuring safe and accessible play spaces for community youth.
The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program is a collaborative initiative between the National Football League (NFL) Foundation, which supplies funding, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which administers the program and provides technical assistance. The program's central mission is to enhance community football infrastructure by awarding grants for the capital improvement of local football fields, particularly in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods. Grants of up to $250,000 are available, targeting nonprofit, neighborhood-based organizations as well as middle and high schools that demonstrate strong community ties and organizational capacity. This initiative addresses the scarcity of safe, well-maintained playing fields in under-resourced urban areas, recognizing that access to such spaces is vital for physical health, social engagement, and community cohesion. Eligible projects may include a variety of capital improvements, such as new or refurbished turf, lighting, irrigation, bleachers, and scoreboards. The program promotes local engagement by prioritizing projects that partner with community organizations, demonstrate substantial field use, and plan for ongoing field maintenance and safety. To qualify, applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or schools located within designated NFL Target Markets. They must have existed for at least three years, employ at least one full-time staff member, and possess experience in real estate development or recreational programming. Public entities cannot apply directly, though nonprofits may apply to develop public land with documented authorization and maintenance agreements. The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program mandates a 1:1 local match and requires that youth coaches obtain USA Football certification when possible. Applications must be submitted via email to SportsandRec@LISC.org by June 30, 2025, as a single PDF file that includes all required attachments and documentation. A complete application includes a cover sheet, a narrative detailing the organization, community, and project, and various supporting documents such as financial statements, project budgets, design plans, maintenance agreements, and letters of support. Proposals will be evaluated based on project feasibility, readiness, community impact, availability of matching funds, sustainability of maintenance efforts, and organizational capacity. Key program dates include the RFP launch on April 1, 2025, an informational webinar on April 22, 2025, and award announcements scheduled for September 2025. For inquiries, applicants may contact LISC Sports & Recreation via email, but USA Football program-related questions should be directed to Mike Cuzzone at mcuzzone@usafootball.com.
Award Range
$50,000 - $250,000
Total Program Funding
Not specified
Number of Awards
Not specified
Matching Requirement
Yes - Minimum 1:1 ratio of the amount requested.
Additional Details
General support (up to $50,000) for amenities like bleachers and lights. Surface grants (up to $250,000) for synthetic turf or $100,000 for natural grass, with maintenance plan required for the latter. 1:1 matching requirement.
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Applicants must be located in a low- to moderate-income neighborhood within NFL target markets, must be in operation for at least three years, and must have one full-time staff member and a track record in relevant programming or development. Universities and public agencies are ineligible unless specific joint use and maintenance conditions are met.
Geographic Eligibility
Arizona Phoenix, Peoria, Glendale, Tempe, Flagstaff, Sacaton, Tucson California Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura County, Inland Empire, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, South San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Pajaro, Salinas, San José, Watsonville, Santa Clara, Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Richmond, Union City, Walnut Creek Colorado Statewide Connecticut Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford Delaware Wilmington Florida Jacksonville; Nassau, Clay, St. John’s, Baker, Putnam, Flagler Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Collier, Lee, Monroe, Martin, Port St. Lucie Hernando, Hillsborough, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Seminole, Manatee, Polk, Pasco, Sarasota Georgia Statewide, Camden, Glynn Counties Illinois Chicago, Brookfield, Chicago Heights, Decatur, Rock Island, Riverdale, Blue Island, North Chicago, Waukegan, Aurora, Peoria Indiana Hammond, Muncie, Switzerland, Dearborn, Ripley, Jefferson, Franklin, Union, Fayette, Scott, Clark Kansas Kansas City Kentucky Louisville, Northern Kentucky (Boone, Campbell, Kenton), Gallatin, Carroll, Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Bracken, Mason, Robertson, Lewis, Nicholas, Fleming, Bourbon, Fayette, Franklin, Scott, Woodford, Henry, Trimble, Oldham, Jefferson, Shelby Louisiana Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Baton Rouge, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafourche, La Salle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. James, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, St. John, St. Charles, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermillion, Vernon, Washington Maryland Baltimore, Prince George’s County, Silver Spring Massachusetts Boston, Brockton, Lynn, Lawrence, Springfield, Foxborough, Attleboro Michigan Detroit, Highland Park, Allen Park, Dearborn, Flint, Pontiac Minnesota Minneapolis, Duluth, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Rochester Missouri Kansas City, Independence Nevada Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas New Hampshire Nashua, Manchester New Jersey Englewood, Hackensack, Jersey City, Newark, Irvington, Paterson, Hoboken, Dover, Morris Township, Camden, Southern NJ New York Buffalo, Lackawanna, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Tonawanda, Cheektowaga, Lockport, Alden, Akron, Gowanda, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, Peekskill, Hempstead, Wyandanch, NYC, Roosevelt, Uniondale North Carolina & South Carolina Entire States Ohio Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Dayton, Montgomery County, Clermont, Butler, Warren Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula, Garfield Heights, Parma Heights, Columbus, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Toledo, Stark, Wayne, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga, Youngstown, Lorain Preble, Clinton, Greene, Clark, Miami, Drake, Madison, Franklin, Fayette, Pickaway, Ross, Highland, Brown, Pike, Scioto, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia, Meigs, Vinton, Athens, Hocking, Fairfield, Perry, Morgan, Washington, Muskingum, Logan, Champaign, Union, Delaware, Licking Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Chester, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Green, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland Rhode Island Providence, Central Falls, Cranston Tennessee Chattanooga, Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, Davidson, Cheatham, Dickson, Sumner, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson, Robertson, Cannon, Hickman, Macon, Maury, Smith, Humphreys, Trousdale Texas Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, Irving, Frisco, Houston Virginia Richmond, Virginia Beach, Henrico County Washington Statewide Washington, DC Washington, DC West Virginia Fairmont, Weirton Wisconsin Green Bay, Eau Claire, Lacrosse, Madison, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, New Richmond, Racine, Sheboygan, Menasha, Appleton, Little Chute
Application Opens
May 23, 2025
Application Closes
June 30, 2025
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