The application deadline is August 15, 2026.

Learn more and apply.

Together with residents and partners, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) aims to help forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America—great places to live, work, visit, do business, and raise families.

LISC invites applications for the NFL Foundation’s Grassroots Program, which provides nonprofit, neighborhood-based organizations with financial and technical assistance with the goal of improving the quality, safety, and accessibility of local football fields. Nationwide, the program has committed more than $63 million to support 437 fields in over 100 cities—all areas where NFL teams have a home base. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements that include irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts, and turf.

The program provides grants of up to $250,000 for capital improvement projects to community-based organizations, middle schools, or high schools serving a neighborhood consisting of low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Applicants must have been in existence for at least three years, have at least one-full time staff member who will manage and oversee the project, and have a proven history in real estate development and recreation programming.

Strong preference will be given to those proposals that (1) seek to upgrade existing facilities that are in poor condition or otherwise underutilized; (2) demonstrate active use of the fields; (3) attract matching funding that exceeds the minimum required match of 1:1; (4) involve local partnerships with nonprofit community partners (e.g., USA Football, Parks and Recreation Departments, YMCA branches, etc.) to promote youth sports safety and community programming on the fields; (5) provide for continuing maintenance and field safety; and (6) involve youth football programs that are currently registered and compliant with USA Football’s Football Development Model education program.

To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by nonprofit community-based organizations registered as exempt from Federal Income Tax under Internal Revenue Service Code Section 501(c)(3) or middle or high schools. In addition, all organizations applying for funds must be located specifically and exclusively within NFL target markets and serve low- to moderate-income areas within those markets.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Local Initiatives Support Corporation website.

Deadline: June 30, 2025

The goal is to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local athletic spaces for young people. Grant awards will range from $50,000-$100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. Funds will be awarded to outdoor and indoor facilities that enable and demonstrate local community access and usage for all organized youth sports, including but not limited to basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, football, tennis, lacrosse and volleyball. Youth development program services should include, but are not limited to, life skills workshops, civic engagement and leadership, workforce development and academic support.

LISC will host an informational webinar about the RFP on June 26, 2024, at 1 p.m. Eastern. Register for the webinar here.

The application deadline is September 5, 2024.

Learn more.