U.S. Soccer Foundation The Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States
The Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States
Home
About UsContact Us
Espanol
In This Section
Grant Programs
Annual Program and Field Grants
Annual Planning Grants Initiative
Soccer United Recovery Fund Grants
Grants FAQs
Our Grantees
Other Funding Sources

Annual Program and Field Grants

About the Program and Field Grants

Since 1995, over $23 million dollars in cash, equipment, and services have been awarded through the annual grants program to more than 430 grantees in all 50 states touching the entire spectrum of soccer communities from the small rural club to the U.S. Soccer Federation, the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States.  The Foundation's impact on soccer through its annual Program and Field grant awards has been significant…and continues to grow.

Eligibility Criteria

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

  1. a soccer-specific program or field project that benefits a not-for-profit purpose and meets the established focus for the 2008 grant cycle
  2. (in addition to meeting Criteria #1 above), 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.
  3. (in addition to meeting Criteria #1 and #2 above) 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 funding is requested for:

  1. political campaigns
  2. foreign projects or individuals
  3. a single individual
  4. a program or project that discriminates by race, creed, color, sex, or national origin
  5. Pass Through Grants, i.e., grant funds awarded to one organization for the purpose of granting to another
  6. a "for-profit" program or project. For-Profit entities may be eligible if the requested funding is solely in support of a charitable, not-for-profit program or field project
  7. 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
  8. 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

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 2008, 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 All Conditions Fields (ACF) grants. ACF 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 Program and Field grants include the following grant types.  Please note that Field Enhancement and ACF grant types contain construction components.

  • Program (P)†  – A project that develops players, coaches, and referees with special emphasis on the economically disadvantaged in urban areas that does not contain a construction element.
  • Field Enhancement (FE)†  – A project that develops players, coaches, and referees with special emphasis on the economically disadvantaged in urban areas, that contains 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 All Conditions Fields Program).

    New for 2008, the Foundation is pleased to announce that additional funding is available for organizations seeking assistance to irrigate existing fields.   The Foundation and 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.
  • All Conditions Fields Program (ACF)‡ – A project consisting wholly of field development construction utilizing the ACF Program 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 All Conditions Fields grant type.  Applications for ACF projects that do not propose to use lights will be given a lower priority. ACF Program Brochure (pdf)

† Program (P) and Field Enhancement (FE) projects must CLEARLY address and incorporate the 2008 focus to qualify for further consideration by the Foundation.

‡While the 2008 focus generally applies for the All Conditions Fields Program (ACF), the Foundation may also consider ACF projects that fall outside the focus’ parameters.

Important Dates

  • August 1, 2008 - Registration opens
  • October 15, 2008, 5:00 PM, Eastern Time - Online 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' Usernames and Passwords are not valid.
  • There is no fee associated with registering or submitting an application.

Register

The Foundation’s two-step application is now available at grants.ussoccerfoundation.org/apply and will be open until October 15, 2007, 5:00 PM, ET.

Remember, as advised in the Things to Remember As You Register section immediately above, eligible individuals and organizations every year and CANNOT BE USED to register for the 2008 grant application.

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding the Foundation's Program and Field grants, contact us by e-mail.
U.S. Soccer Foundation

© Copyright United States Soccer Foundation.  Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Site Map | Links | CFC Participant