Editor's note: This article was revised and updated on 9/21/2021.
Professional athletes have an impact on the lives of their fans, especially youth, in every part of America. Lots of NFL players, for example, have started their own personal charitable foundations with the wealth they’ve made from the game. But the foundations started by the actual teams tend to be more well-established and provide steady sources of grant money to nonprofits in the vicinity.
One example is Cardinal Charities, which was established in 1990 as an extension of the Arizona Cardinals NFL team. This is one of the longest-running team foundations in the league, and it’s one of the more accessible ones to know for local grantseekers.
Here are a few things to know about Cardinal Charities if you’re running a nonprofit in Arizona.
1. Interests Are Children, Women, and Minorities
Like many sports team funders, youth programs are at the heart of what Cardinal Charities does. However, women and minorities are also at the top of this funder’s priority list in each giving cycle.
The funder awarded over 200 grants in a recent year to local groups, and the grants tend to range between $10,000 and $50,000 each. Past grantees include Angels on Patrol, Arizona Humane Society, Child Crisis Arizona, and the ICM Food and Clothing Bank.
2. Nonprofits Receive Grants Annually
Cardinals Charities has a grant cycle that comes around once per year to fund qualified nonprofits that have missions similar to that of the foundation. Since the foundation was launched, it has given out over $9.1 million to hundreds of charity groups on behalf of its NFL football team.
The annual grant cycle typically opens up in March or April and remains open until June or July. The 2019 open grant cycle period, for example, ran from March 30 to June 15. During this time, the funder provides a link on its website for grantseekers to submit an online application.
3. It’s (Almost) All About Arizona
The mission of Cardinal Charities is to enhance opportunities and the quality of life for certain population groups in Arizona. However, not 100 percent of foundation grants go towards needs within the state.
As a general guideline, at least 75 percent of funding must be spent in Arizona. So, this allows a bit of flexibility for organizations that have programs that reach other parts of the Southwest or the nation.
4. Other Community Involvement
Sports team funders rarely operate like traditional grantmakers, such as family foundations or community foundations. Cardinal Charities is no exception to this rule and is involved in the local community in a variety of ways.
For example, the team helps nonprofits in the state with fundraising efforts by donating merchandise and memorabilia. Team programs include the Papa John's Maximum Effort of the Week Award, Bud Light Good Sport Program, Community Quarterback Award, Milk & Cookies Presented by SRP and Albertsons-Safeway, Sacks for Scholarships, 50/50 raffles, Cardinals license plates, and other charitable efforts. These community programs help raise money for Cardinals Charities so it can continue to make these grants and largely focus on the needs of underprivileged youth in Arizona.
Learn more about Cardinal Charites in the local Southwest funding guide on our site.