OVERVIEW: This professional basketball team funder supports children and youth causes in the Los Angeles area. Unsolicited applications are accepted from local groups once per year.
IP TAKE: The Clippers Foundation is more likely to support events and collaborations for youth sports and recreation facilities than general monetary grants. But it does not hurt to apply online for funding.
PROFILE: The L.A. Clippers Foundation is a funder of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA basketball team. The foundation was established in 1994 for the purpose of supporting educational, civic, environmental, and humanitarian needs in the community.
Like many sports team funders, this one prioritizes children and youth in its home community. Grantmaking is generally restricted to the Los Angeles area and throughout Southern California. In one year, the Clippers Foundation supported over 517 organizations through its programs, events, and donations. It donated 10,154 tickets to local youth organizations, and the players, coaches, staff, season ticket holders, and corporate partners put in 2,300 hours of service and volunteer hours.
Some of this foundation’s giving power comes from donations of tickets, merchandise, and autographed memorabilia. The funder also partners with community organizations, sponsors, and media outlets to provide programs in the communities, opportunities for local youth, and scholarships. For example, the foundation has partnered with celebrity talent manager Scooter Braun and his philanthropist wife, Yael Cohen Braun, to build and renovate a school playground.
The L.A. Clippers Foundation accepts unsolicited funding requests via email, with one request accepted per organization, per calendar year. Find application guidelines and forms on its website. The essential information for grant seekers to include with the proposal letter is a mission statement, organization operating history, description of the program with timeline and budget, population and region served, and evaluation process for measuring sustainability.
To be eligible for a grant, an organization must have at least a two-year operating history and directly benefit youth in Greater Los Angeles. This may include leveling the playing field, elevating underserved youth, or educating youth. The program or project should also be available to all segments of the community. It does not make grants for sponsorships, advertising, religious purposes, legal aid societies, or salaries.
Send proposal letters and general questions to LAClippersFoundation@clippers.com. The phone is (213) 204-2813. The address is 1212 S. Flower Street, 5th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90015.
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