Key Takeaways
- Laureus USA will award 7 to 10 grants of $15,000 to $20,000 each to Dallas sport-based youth development organizations through its first local RFP.
- The initiative launches with 17 Founding Coalition Members and funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Sixth Street Foundation, etc group, and CPAL.
- SMU’s Center on Research and Evaluation will build baseline data and a long-term evaluation framework for the Dallas youth sport ecosystem.
- Laureus USA has invested $30 million in sports-based youth development nationally since 2012, reaching over one million youth.
Laureus Sport for Good USA announced the launch of Sport for Good Dallas on July 30, 2026, adding the Dallas metro area to its international Sport for Good Cities network. The launch includes new youth sports grants for local organizations, with Laureus expecting to award approximately 7 to 10 grants ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 through its first Sport for Good Dallas Request for Proposals.
The initiative brings together nonprofits, philanthropy, business, education, and civic leaders around a shared goal of expanding access to quality sport for young people across the region. According to Laureus, the model is intentionally built to support existing organizations rather than create new programs.
Funding Structure and Founding Partners
Sport for Good Dallas launches with four Founding Funders: Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Sixth Street Foundation, etc group, and the Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), alongside a continued partnership with Richemont.
“Sport reaches Dallas children in a way almost nothing else does. It’s one of the few places a kid shows up voluntarily, week after week, and trusts the adult standing in front of them,” said Alan Cohen, Founder and CEO of CPAL, in the announcement.
Beyond direct funding, grant recipients join the broader Sport for Good Dallas network, which includes peer collaboration, leadership development, and capacity-building resources. Ben Schornack, Executive Director of Laureus USA, said the launch follows several years of relationship-building in the market and represents “a long-term commitment to investing in those leaders.”
A 17-Member Coalition and a Research Backbone
The initiative launches with 17 Founding Coalition Members, including Bridge Lacrosse, Girls on the Run DFW Metroplex, Mercy Street, Jubilee Park & Community Center, and the City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department. The coalition will guide priorities and expand partnerships across the region.
Laureus also named Southern Methodist University’s Addy Foundation Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) as the initiative’s Research and Evaluation Partner. CORE will establish baseline data on the Dallas youth sport ecosystem, develop a long-term evaluation framework, and measure progress over time. For funders and operators, that evaluation layer matters: it creates a measurable record of outcomes that can attract additional investment to the market.
Launch Events and National Track Record
The launch includes two events: a morning Coalition Meet & Greet for youth sport organizations and nonprofit leaders, and an evening Launch Reception for philanthropic, corporate, and civic leaders. Olympic gold medalist, Dallas native, and Laureus USA Board Member Michael Johnson will attend the evening celebration.
Since 2012, Laureus USA has invested $30 million in sports-based youth development organizations nationally, impacted over one million youth, and trained more than 20,000 coaches in positive youth development, according to the organization. The nonprofit is part of the global Laureus network, which includes seven national foundations, one global foundation, the Laureus World Sports Academy, and the Laureus World Sports Awards.
Dallas Joins a Cities Network Built on Local Capacity
The Sport for Good Cities model has been Laureus USA’s signature approach: fund existing local organizations, connect them in a coalition, and layer in research to prove outcomes. Dallas now gets that full stack, with capital, a 17-member coalition, and an SMU-led evaluation framework arriving on day one. The first concrete milestone is the RFP itself, with 7 to 10 local organizations set to receive $15,000 to $20,000 grants in the initiative’s inaugural funding round.
Source: PR Newswire (via Morningstar), July 30, 2026, https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20260730ny15630/laureus-usa-launches-sport-for-good-dallas-to-expand-opportunity-for-youth-through-sport
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