U.S. Soccer Foundation Announces 2008 Planning Grant Recipients

Six Grantees will receive master plans for their soccer field construction projects from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Clough Harbour Sports

May 2, 2008 (Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the U.S., and Clough Harbour Sports, the Foundation’s Partner for Soccer Facility Design and Planning Services, are pleased to announce the 2008 Planning Grant Recipients. Organizations selected to receive Planning Grants include the following:

Blackhills Community Soccer Complex (Tumwater, WA)
FC Harlem (New York, NY)
Hempfling Property (Boone County, KY)
Hoosier Sports Foundation (Carmel, IN)
Monterey County Futbol Club (Seaside, CA)
The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division (Chicago, IL)

Each 2008 Planning Grant Recipient is embarking on the unique challenge of developing a soccer field or soccer complex. The Foundation has partnered with Clough Harbour Sports, a leader in sports facility design and planning, to provide expert design and planning resources to ensure that these important projects launch successfully.

“A master plan is an essential step in getting any successful field-building project off the ground.” said John Koskinen, President of the Foundation. “As the Planning Grants Initiative continues to grow, we are excited about providing this important resource for the soccer community to help overcome the shortage of soccer field space being felt by our community partners nationwide.”

A properly developed master plan guides the design and construction of soccer field projects in a coherent and unified way, establishes the proper sequencing and phasing for design and construction, integrates a project into an overall budget, builds momentum for future phases, and serves as a foundation for effective marketing, fundraising, and advocacy with decision-makers.

“Clough Harbour is thrilled to work with the impressive class of 2008 Planning Grant Recipients,” said Ray Rudolph, a Partner with Clough Harbour Sports. “We value our partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation and are excited to provide the soccer community with a resource for facility design and planning.”

To learn more about the Foundation and its programs, please visit the Foundation’s website at www.ussoccerfoundation.org. To learn more about Clough Harbour Sports, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org/partners/cha.html.

About the U.S. Soccer Foundation:

The U.S. Soccer Foundation was established in 1994 to manage the surplus funds generated by the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States. As the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the U.S., the Foundation has invested more than $48 million in the game, supporting hundreds of projects in every state in the country. The Foundation provides grants focused on developing players, coaches and referees and building or enhancing fields and soccer complexes, with a special emphasis on economically disadvantaged youth in urban communities. For more information, or to donate online, please visit ussoccerfoundation.org.

About Clough Harbour Sports

Clough Harbour Sports is a division of Clough Harbour & Associates LLP, a full service planning and design firm with over 600 professionals located in offices throughout the eastern United States. Their project portfolio includes sports fields, megaplexes, field houses, track & field venues, rinks, aquatic facilities, and arenas. In the decade since the group was formed, numerous colleges, universities, secondary schools, municipalities, and international sporting organizations have retained Clough Harbour Sports to plan and design their athletic facilities. For more information, please visit http://www.cloughharbour.com/go/core-markets/cha-sports.

Media Request: When referring to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States, please refer to the organization only as the U.S. Soccer Foundation or the Foundation, and never as USSF or US/U.S. Soccer. We appreciate your cooperation.

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