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Annual Program and Field Grants

About the Program and Field Grants

The Foundation's impact on soccer through its annual Program and Field Grant awards has been significant and continues to grow. Since 1995, nearly $25 million dollars in cash, equipment, and services have been awarded through the annual grants program. The Foundation's support has benefited more than 500 grantees, covering all 50 states, and has served the entire spectrum of soccer communities from small local clubs to the U.S. Soccer Federation, the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States.

Eligibility Criteria

Individuals or organizations are eligible to register for the Foundation's annual Program and Field grants if funding is requested for:

  • a soccer-specific program or field project that benefits a not-for-profit purpose and meets the established focus for the 2009 grant cycle
  • In addition to satisfying Criteria #1, a field project (including lighting) where the real property is owned at the time of registration or a minimum ten year lease/land use agreement is in place at the time of registration.
  • In addition to satisfying Criteria #1 and #2, lighting where the applicant has written authorization at the time of registration from the communitiy where the project resides to add/use lights at the field.

Individuals or organizations are ineligible to register for the Foundation's annual Program and Field grants if support is requested for:

  • a program or project that discriminates by race, creed, color, sex, or national origin
  • a field project (including lighting) where the real property is not owned at the time of registration or a minimum ten year lease/land use agreement is not in place at the time of registration
  • a single individual
  • foreign projects or individuals
  • for-profit organizations
  • lighting where the applicant does not have written authorization at the time of registration from the communitiy where the project resides to add/use lights at the field
  • pass-through-grants, i.e., grants awarded to one organization for the purpose of granting to another
  • political campaigns

For additional, detailed information about the Foundation's annual program and field grants, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.

Focus

For the 2009 Program and Field grants cycle, the following focus has been established to guide the Foundation's funding decisions:

For 2009, the Foundation will award Grants exclusively to projects and programs that develop players, coaches, and referees in economically disadvantaged urban areas encompassing populations of 50,000 or more.

The one exception to this exclusive focus is the Foundation's Synthetic Field Building grants. Synthetic Field Building grants support the construction of state-of-the-art synthetic grass soccer fields and will continue to be available to projects serving all types of communities, though the highest priority will be given to projects serving players in economically disadvantaged urban areas.

Grant Types

The Foundation's annual grantmaking cycle includes the following grant types.  Please note that Field and Synthetic Surface Field grant types contain construction components.

  • Program†  – A project that meets the Foundation's 2009 focus and does not contain a construction element.

    The following Program grant elements will be considered for funding:
    • Uniforms
    • Player equipment (shoes, shin guards, etc.)
    • Team Equipment (goals, balls, cones, etc.)
    • Games and Practice Travel Costs (excludes expenses for professional games)
    • Facility rental costs
    • Registration costs
    • Coaches training and fees
    • Referees training and fees
  • Field†  – A project that meets the Foundation's 2009 focus and does contain a construction element such as field renovation, addition or improvement of irrigation equipment, addition or improvement of field equipment, or lighting.   This grant type does not include upgrading an existing field with a synthetic grass surface (See Synthetic Field Building grant type).

    Introduced in 2008 and continuing for the 2009 grant cycle, additional funding is available for organizations seeking assistance to irrigate existing fields.   The Foundation, in conjunction with its National Partner for Irrigation Equipment, Hunter Industries, is offering up to $100,000 in grants, in the form of equipment credit, which will provide successful applicants with irrigation equipment.

    The following Field grant elements will be considered for funding:
    • Design services (e.g., master plan)
    • Indoor building structure
    • Futsal court (indoor or outdoor)
    • Lighting (for existing fields only)
    • Irrigation (for existing fields only)
    • Graphic signage (field boards, banners, etc. for recognizing sponsors)
    • Field equipment (goals, benches, etc.)
    • Maintenance equipment (mower, etc.)
  • Synthetic Field Building‡ – A project consisting wholly of field development construction utilizing the Synthetic Field Building package consisting of four components: FieldTurf synthetic surface pitch; Kwik Goal field equipment; Musco lights; and TGI signage.  Projects for upgrading existing fields with a synthetic grass surface also falls within the Synthetic Field Building grant type.  Applications for Synthetic Field Building projects that do not propose to use lights will be given a lower priority. To learn more about the Foundation's Synthetic Field Building program, click here.

    The following Synthetic Field Building grant elements will be considered for funding:
    • Full-size synthetic grass field

† Program and Field projects must CLEARLY address and incorporate the 2009 focus to qualify for further consideration by the Foundation.

‡While the 2009 focus generally applies for the Synthetic Field Building grant type, the Foundation may also consider Synthetic Field Building projects that fall outside the focus’ parameters.

Important Dates

  • August 1, 2008 - Registration opens
  • August 1, 2008 through September 15, 2008, 5:00 PM, Eastern Time - New this year! As a courtesy, all applications that include uploaded mandatory documents and are submitted by 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, on September 15, 2008, will receive an early completeness review and the opportunity, if necessary, to make changes or additions to their application prior to the final deadline. The press of time, the volume of incoming applications, and escalating numbers of email and telephone calls as the October 15, 2008, deadline approaches do not allow for the same courtesy to be afforded to those who submit following September 15, 2008.
  • October 15, 2008, 5:00 PM, Eastern Time - On-line access for submission of an application terminates

Things to Remember As You Register:

  • My Foundation User Names and Passwords cannot be used for the online grants process.
  • Eligible individuals and organizations must register every year. Prior years' User Names and Passwords are not valid.
  • There is no fee associated with registering or submitting an application.

Register

The Foundation’s two-step application process commences on August 1, 2008, and will be open until October 15, 2008, 5:00 PM, Eastern Time.  Register for the 2009 Grant Application at grants.ussoccerfoundation.org/register.

Remember, as advised in the Things to Remember As You Register section, eligible individuals and organizations must register every year and CANNOT USE prior years' or My Foundation user names and passwords to register for the 2009 grant application.

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding the Foundation's Program and Field grants, contact us by e-mail at grants@ussoccerfoundation.org.
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