Are you and your organization interested in applying for a Foundation Grant? Follow the links below to learn everything you need to know about the Grant Application Process. Before applying, please make sure your program or project fits the Foundation's mission and funding focus.
Apply for a Grant
Grant Application & Review Process
- Who is eligible to apply?
- What will not be considered for funding?
- What are the important dates and deadlines for the 2010 Grant cycle?
- How can I apply?
- Can I apply jointly with another individual or entity?
- What can I apply for?
- Are there any restrictions on funding requests related to Field Grants or Synthetic Field Grants?
- How much funding can I request?
- May I apply for a multi-year Grant?
- Does the Foundation award all cash Grants?
- How frequently does the Foundation award Program and Field Grants?
- Is there any cost associated with applying for a Grant?
- What information will I need to gather before applying for a Grant?
- What documentation will I need to submit in support of my Grant application?
- Can I request an extension of time to register and/or submit a full Grant application?
- What happens after I submit a Grant application?
- How will I know whether my program or project has been awarded a Grant?
- Can I appeal the Foundation’s decision?
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible for consideration for a Grant of any type, applicants must:
- Be a not-for-profit organization, school, municipality, college or university, public school, or sovereign tribal nation that meets the established focus for the 2010 Grant Cycle.
- Apply for a soccer-specific program or field building project.
To be eligible for consideration for a Field or Synthetic Field Grant, applicants must:
- Own or have a minimum 10 year lease/land use agreement on the land where the field building project will take place.
- Have written authorization from the community where the field building project will take place to add lights to the field(s) (if applying for lights as part of the project).
What will not be considered for funding?
The Foundation will not consider requests to fund:
- a program or project that discriminates by race, creed, color, sex, or national origin.
- a single individual.
- foreign projects or individuals.
- for-profit organizations.
- pass-through-Grants, i.e., Grants awarded to one organization for the purpose of granting to another.
- political campaigns.
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How can I apply?
To begin the on-line Grant application, click here. The Grant Application is open from October 5th - October 30th, 2009. You will not be able to access the on-line Grant process at any other time.
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What are the important dates and deadlines for the 2010 Grant cycle?
- October 5, 2009 – Online application is open for the Foundation’s 2010 Grant Cycle.
- October 30, 2009 5:00 PM, Eastern Time – Access to the online application terminates at exactly 5:00 PM Eastern Time. All mandatory supporting documents, whether paper documents or uploaded files, MUST BE RECEIVED in the Foundation’s office by 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
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Can I apply jointly with another individual or entity?
No. The legal applicant must be a single entity. Applications submitted indicating “joint” or “co-applicants” will not be considered for funding.
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What can I apply for?
The Foundation's Annual Grants Cycle includes the following Grant types.
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Program: A project that meets the Foundation's 2010 focus and does not contain a construction element. For the 2010 Grant cycle, there is a $100,000 maximum request amount for Program Grants. The following Program elements will be considered for funding:
- Uniforms
- Player Equipment (shoes, shin guards, uniforms, etc.)
- Team Equipment (travelling goals, balls, cones, etc.)
- Travel Costs for Games and Practice (excludes expenses for professional games)
- Facility Rental Costs
- Registration Costs
- Training Fees for Coaches
- Training Fees for Referees
- Field :A project that meets the Foundation's 2010 focus and includes a construction element such as field renovation, addition or improvement of irrigation equipment, field equipment, or lighting, installation of a futsal court or indoor structure, etc. This Grant type does not include upgrading an existing field with a synthetic grass surface; these fall within the parameters of the Synthetic Field Grant type. For the 2010 Grant cycle, there is a $100,000 maximum request amount for Field Grants.
The following Field Grant elements will be considered for funding:
- Field Equipment (permanent goals, benches, etc.)
- Futsal Court (indoor or outdoor)
- Graphic Signage (field boards, banners, etc. for recognizing sponsors)
- Indoor Building Structure
- Irrigation
- Lighting
- Maintenance Equipment (ex. Toro Groundsmaster, Workman Utility Vehicle, etc.)
- Synthetic Field
A project that includes the installation of a synthetic field surface. This Grant type includes both new field construction and the upgrading of existing fields with a synthetic field surface. For the 2010 Grant cycle, there is a maximum $200,000 request amount for Synthetic Field Grants.
Are there any restrictions on funding requests related to Field Grants or Synthetic Field Grants?
The Foundation does not award funding to assist with the purchase of land or to offset (or retire) an existing mortgage or note for land. Additionally, the Foundation does not generally award funding for the construction of non-field specific elements such as concession stands, restrooms, storage buildings, parking lots, and post-construction landscaping, etc., unless it can be demonstrated that funding for these elements will directly increase the number of soccer participants and fields.
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How much funding can I request?
For the 2010 Grant cycle, there is a $100,000 request limit for Program and Field Grants and a $200,000 request limit for a Synthetic Field Building Grant.
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May I apply for a multi-year Grant?
No. For the 2010 Grant cycle, the Foundation will only accept single year requests.
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Does the Foundation award all cash Grants?
Generally, Grant awards are not 100 percent cash. Grant awards frequently contain credits for products from members of the Foundation’s Partners Resource Center. As you plan your program or project, it is important to understand that if you receive a Grant and your Grant award is in the form of equipment and/or service credit with a member of the Partners Resource Center, you will be required to use the Partner designated in the Grant Agreement.
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How frequently does the Foundation award Grants?
The Foundation awards Program, Field, and Synthetic Field Grants once a year typically at the end of January.
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Is there any cost associated with registering and applying for a Grant?
No.
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What information will I need to gather before applying for a Grant?
- Project Information – You will need a comprehensive description of your project including mission, goals, objectives, etc.
- Budget – You will need a comprehensive budget for your project including income and expenses not only for your project, but your organization as well.
- Impact – You will need to know the outcomes you expect from your project’s stated and how they will be measured.
- Required Documents – See next question.
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What documentation will I need to submit in support of my Grant application?
The Foundation accepts either paper copies or uploaded files of the following documents:
- Proof of Non-Profit Status – Unless exempt, you will need to submit non-profit status -- either a designation letter from the Internal Revenue Service(IRS) or your most recent submitted IRS-990 Form. We strongly prefer the IRS designation letter. Letters of tax-exempt status issued by states or any entity other than the Federal government are not acceptable.
Exempt organizations are Municipalities, colleges/universities, public schools, and sovereign Tribal Nations.
- Land Ownership or Land Use Documentation - You must prove that you own the land where your project will take place (ex: title or deed) or prove that you have a minimum of 10 year lease on the land (ex: land lease or land use agreement).
- Right to Use Lighted Fields – If your project includes the installation of lights you are required to submit written documentation proving that you have secured approval from the community where your project resides.
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Can I request an extension of time to submit a full Grant application?
No. Extensions will not be granted for any reason.
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What happens after I submit a Grant application?
Each application submitted to the Foundation will be reviewed to determine if it was received by 5 pm EST on October 30, 2009 and includes all required supporting documentation.
All complete applications will be reviewed initially by the Foundation's Management Team and then by the Foundation's Grants Committee.
The Grants Committee will recommend Grant awards and amounts to the Foundation's Board of Directors, who will make the ultimate decision on who is awarded a 2010 Grant.
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How will I know whether my program or project has been awarded a Grant?
All applicants, whether you have been awarded a Grant or not, will be notified via email at the end of January.
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Can I appeal the Foundation’s decision?
No. The Foundation will not make any changes once awards have been announced.
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