OVERVIEW: This funder supports youth sports organizations for kids 6 to 17 years old in the eight southernmost counties of Southern California. There are three grant cycles per year.
IP TAKE: Grant seekers should make sure that their SoCal sports proposal includes program participation for girls, ethnic minorities, or developmentally disabled youth. This is a transparent funder, and local groups should expect some success here.
PROFILE: The LA84 Foundation is the legacy of the 1984 Olympic Games that took place in Los Angeles. It seeks to “advance sports as an essential element in transforming the lives of youth.” Surplus funds from the games served as the foundation’s endowment, and the funder’s mission is to serve youth through sport and increase knowledge about the impact of sports on people’s lives. The geographical target of LA84 grantmaking is the eight southernmost counties of California. It gives special consideration to the city of Los Angeles, but it also makes grants to organizations in the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Grants for Los Angeles and SoCal
This funder seeks to support nonprofits and communities that are not served by traditional sports programs. It also seeks to include girls, ethnic minorities, and developmentally disabled youth in sports activities. In addition to grantmaking, the foundation also conducts its own youth sports and coaching programs and operates the largest sports research library on the continent, the Paul Ziffren Resource Center. The foundation has also collected sports art and artifacts from the former Helms Athletic Foundation Sports Halls of Fame.
Since 1985, the foundation has given to over 1,300 youth sports organizations that serve almost four million kids. To receive funding, sports programs must benefit kids between the ages of six and 17. Most individual and team sports are considered for grants, without a strong preference towards any one sport. Grant seekers can see a list of recent grant recipients and featured grantees on the foundation website.
Important Grant Details
The application process is all online, and grant seekers’ first step in applying is to provide a program summary for the staff to consider. The board of directors typically meets in January, June, and October of each year to approve grant requests. Phase I deadlines typically fall in September, February, and June. Many grants fall in the $10,000 to $75,000 range.
Direct general questions about the grant application process to a program officer by calling 323-730-4620 or by emailing info@la84.org.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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