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USTA Awards Half Million Dollars in Grants across the Country

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The USTA announced today that it is awarding over a half million dollars in Recreational Tennis Grants to 54 non-profit organizations across the country. The Recreational Tennis Division has pooled together financial resources to create a new series of grants to be distributed on a bi-annual basis to non-profits that are committed to increasing tennis participation, well-established in their communities, support tennis programming and foster diversity among participants. In total, the USTA will award over a million dollars in Recreational Tennis Grants to qualified applicants in 2009.

Any non-profit organization was eligible to apply for these grants, regardless of affiliation with the USTA. Winning organizations include Parks and Recreation agencies, YMCA’s, USTA NJTL Chapters and entire school districts. All funding recipients share a common commitment to growing the game of tennis, with priorities on providing the QuickStart Tennis play format in their 10-and-under programming along with team tennis opportunities.

“We are thrilled to be able to invest over $500,000 to organizations all over the country that believe, as we do, that tennis can be the vehicle to improve the quality of life and education for both children and adults alike,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “These organizations are committed to growing the game of tennis by implementing important local programming such as the QuickStart Tennis play format and Jr. Team tennis. The USTA is proud to be able to assist them in their efforts.”

Applicants could decide between two distinct grant award opportunities. The first is the Community Partnership Investment award, given to those organizations seeking to establish and develop community based partnerships to grow the game of tennis and have a clear vision for alliance building. The grant amounts awarded are between $10,000 and $50,000 and can be renewed for up to two years. Winning organizations are expected to match the USTA’s financial investment. The USTA awarded eight such grants totaling $295,000 during this cycle to the following organizations:

• Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation, Milwaukee, Wis. - $50,000
• Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, Washington, D.C. - $50,000
• Tenacity, Boston, Mass. - $40,000
• Fort Collins Tennis Association, Fort Collins, Co. - $35,000
• Youth Tennis Advantage, San Francisco, Calif. - $35,000
• Portland After-School Tennis & Education, Portland, Ore. - $35,000
• Rodney Street Tennis Association, Wilmington, Del. - $25,000
• Genesee Intermediate School District, Flint, Mich. - $25,000

The second grant is the Program/Project Support grant, awarded to organizations seeking funding to support general tennis programming, project and equipment needs. These awards range between $2,500 and $10,000 and during this cycle, awards totaling $250,000 were distributed to 46 organizations throughout the country. A full list of organizations can be found below.

Organizations which were not awarded grants during this cycle are encouraged to apply for funding during future cycles. Applications for the second 2009 cycle are due by May 15, 2009, and the second round of grants will be awarded in August. Organizations who are interested in applying for grants can find more information at USTA.com/grants.

Organizations receiving Program/Project Support grants

• Net Results, Denver, Colo.
• Ricardo Flores Magon Tennis Academy, Westminster, Colo.
• City of New Haven Parks & Recreation, Conn.
• Latin American Youth Center, Washington, D.C.
• City of Kissimmee, Fla.Greater Volusia, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Atlanta Community Tennis Foundation, Ga.
• Savannah Area Tennis Association, Ga.
• Special Populations Tennis Program, Inc., Roswell, Ga.
• Chicago Charter School, Ill.
• City of Evanston, Ill.
• Peoria Park District, Peoria, Ill.
• Streator YMCA, Streator, Ill.
• Lakeshore Tennis Association, Merrillville, Ind.
• NJTL of Indianapolis, Ind.
• Fredonia Tennis Association, Fredonia, Kan.
• McAdams Community Tennis Foundation, Wichita, Kan.
• McPherson Advantage Junior Tennis, McPherson, Kan.
• A’s and Aces, New Orleans, La.
• Annapolis Area Tennis School, Annapolis, Md.
• Montgomery County, Md.
• Prince George’s Tennis & Education, Upper Marlboro, Md.
• Fall River Community Tennis Association, Fall River, Mass.
• Greater Fall River re-Creation Commission, Mass.
• Cook County Tennis Association, Grand Marais, Minn.
• Billings Tennis Association, Billings, Mont.
• Capital Region Youth Tennis Foundation, Albany, N.Y.
• City of Batavia Youth Bureau, Batavia, N.Y.
• Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club, Locust Valley, N.Y.
• Harlem Junior Tennis & Education, New York, N.Y.
• HERO, Inc., New York, N.Y.
• Long Island Foundation for Education, Port Jefferson, N.Y.
• Prospect Park Alliance, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Special Olympics NY Long Island, Deer Park, N.Y.
• West Islip Youth Enrichment Services, West Islip, N.Y.
• Western Wake Tennis Association, Cary, N.C.
• Valley City Park District, N.D.
• Boys & Girls of SW Oregon, Coos Bay, Ore.
• Greater Portland Tennis Council, Ore.
• Embrace Your Dreams, Bethlehem, Pa.
• Puerto Rico Tennis Organization, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Charlottesville Tennis Patrons, Charlottesville, Va.
• City of Richmond, Va.
• Oshkosh Tennis, Oshkosh, Wis.
• Alpine Tennis Association, Laramie, Wyo.
• Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation, Jackson, Wyo.

Posted on April 6, 2009
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